Moving to the Lake District?

[optimisticpessimist01]

DH and I currently live a 3 hour drive from the Lakes. We visit every opportunity we get and absolutely love it there, it just has a different feel about it. We've always said it would be a dream to live here and it was always a pipeline dream, but now we have saved up significantly that it could be an option for. We're considering it but we are so split on what to do

Our budget would be about 500k. We currently have no children but we would like some in the next few years. I'm WFH from til at least November but highly likely to be a more permanent move and I regularly work away around the NW, NE and Yorkshire. DH regularly works away in the South but his job is primarily based in the NW. Would you move to the Lake District or did you and what is your experience?

Our main concern is the tourism in the area, we wouldn't want to be too far away from a town and amenities but far enough out to have a nice big house with as little neighbours as possible. Are we being overly optimistic? Are there any areas you would recommend? What are your thoughts?

TIA

[user1497207191]

Plenty of quieter places away from the busy honeypot tourist areas like Bowness and Ambleside.

I've lived and worked in Kendal, which is effectively the "gateway" to the Lake District, and it really doesn't get busy with tourists etc as the traffic avoids it on the by-pass road. Lots of shops and other services and a really good choice of housing around it. Also excellent links to the road network (M6 motorway) and the railways via the west coast main line station at Oxenholme (just minutes out of Kendal town centre).

There's also the Morecambe Bay coast towns/villages including Grange, Ulverston etc which are smaller with fewer shops/services, but also not too busy with tourists, but further away from motorway and main line railway.

[Jujuball]

I was going to suggest Kendal too

Cockermouth is a nice town as well, and there are a lot of nice smaller places near Penrith (which has excellent transport links). Both easily accessible for the Lakes.

[Wetoopere]

Plenty of places around the M6 corridor.

[HooseDilemma]

Cockermouth is lovely, but quiet. In a restaurants not opening Mon/Tues even in the summer quiet.

Do you need to be inside the National Park? If not, check out areas around St Bees or Pardshaw. The value of houses shoots up a few miles away within the boundaries. Be careful though, in that area towns / villages are either lovely or grim. Eg Avoid Frizington no matter how cheap it is! That side of the NP is also much quieter for tourists but still stunning.

If you need quick access to the M6, then that could be a struggle. You're looking at about an hour from that side of Cumbria.

[lancashirelady]

Try looking at Sedbergh. Within a short time you can be in the lakes, its 15 minutes to a mainline station, same to the M6. It's a beautiful area just outside Kendal.

[crystalize]

@optimisticpessimist01 Have a look around Arnside and surrounds. Lovely coastal village with train service to Lancaster, Manchester and airport. Also around Grange over Sands and Cartmel peninsular are absolutely stunning and not inundated with tourists, yet just a short drive to the 'hotspots'.