AIBU to want to go north?

How far north? Islington still has some decent restaurants. All gets a bit iffy once you get to Barnet

Pmsl @QueenDoris! Hey, there’s an amazing new patisserie as you go round the bend up from the Tube. I thought Barnet was the height of sophistication when we moved there, but I am from Newcastle, so what do I know?!

Avoid Jesmond, it’s ridiculously expensive and full of students. If you want good transport links, try somewhere like Fenham in Newcastle. Easy access to town. The airport is an international one, trains are plentiful, metro is practical and cheap. Kenton is very cheap and some bits are actually lovely, bit further from town.

Chester, Liverpool, South Manchester/Cheshire or the Wirral.

There are some lovely places in the north west. For coast, try Lytham St Anne’s, or else the Lake District is beautiful if you like country life.
There are nice towns and villages in Lancashire and Cheshire within easy reach of Manchester and Liverpool.
I’m from Preston, though I don’t live there now. It’s 2 hours on the train to Euston or 2 hours to Edinburgh, so I always think it’s really well connected. You’re only 50 mins from Manchester on the train or from the Lake District if you drive.
It amazes me the commutes people do in London.

I’ve lived in Liverpool which is a fabulous, vibrant city with loads going on. Sheffield’s got a good vibe too.

YANBU to want to move north.

North Yorkshire

A woman alone, educated but socially awkward. Hebden Bridge was MADE for you.

Good links to Manchester, lovely scenery, quite alternative.

I live on the Coast of newcastle in Tynemouth - it's absolutely brilliant here, a fantastic place to live, we have it all. Beautiful coastline, vibrant nightlife, fantastic schools and reasonable housing prices. I am actually from the Cotswolds (I grew up there and lived there until I was 23 bar uni years). I've lived up here since 2005 and I have never looked back.

I also echo the Newcastle suggestions. I live on the metro line so I never have to drive, although the benefits of driving is that you can explore the countryside much easier. It's a small city and easy to get around, you've got the coast and country on your doorstep. I would consider Cullercoats or Whitley Bay personally, but I don't know south of the Tyne very well and I'd love to live within walking distance of the shore. I'm not originally from here and have only lived in North Tyneside areas.
And you can get to Ikea on public transport, but I strongly suggest a taxi home.
It really depends what you're looking for though.

Do you have a partner or children to consider?

Are you an arty type? Or Cheshire country material? Details!

Drat, I was going to say, dont come North, we all wear flat caps, everywhere is built up, and we all have back yards and whippet dogs.
Then I saw you are thinking of retiring up here, so instead, I would suggest scouring the tourist brochures, or look up online, and then take some trips and excursions to find a place you like and live.
I saw you were interested in Newcastle. The city centre itself is great for shopping, but I wouldnt want to live in it, and Newcastle is a huge place with many suburbs, Northumberland is nearby, many market towns around.
Take some trips out and about to see where you feel comfortable, even if its coach trips to Harrogate and the like. City breaks and local coach services do day trips around, or they used to, and still do around Scotland. (Im assuming you arent driving or taking the train, which could be an asker option, depending how much you like driving distances)

I've lived very North West ( think close to Carlisle/ borders for a good few years but a southerner by birth. Recently spent a month in my childhood home. I went around smiling and saying good morning to people on the street (like you do up north ) received lots of strange looks and frowns.

Scotland! It's so beautiful and dead friendly and there are far fewer Tory wankers!

Just the horrendous SNP (shudder)!

But apart from that, yes, Scotland is lovely 😊

Oh. One thing I would advise is to choose somewhere with good train and motor routes info London. I adore the North as an ex Londoner and think there are loads of advantages being up here.

But I would be lying if I said I didn’t love having easy access to the culture and weather in London.

Leeds. I'm moving there and just need to find a house in amazing horsforth.

Stotties are amazing!

I've been here since 1988.

Another vote for Newcastle. Lived there for a while. Friendly, lots of amenities and wonderful transport links. Plus stotties of course.

Yorkshire coast also lovely but transport links not brilliant.

How far north? Islington still has some decent restaurants. All gets a bit iffy once you get to Barnet

Newcastle has excellent public transport. I'm a 10 minute bus ride from the city centre and a short walk from Jesmond Dene.

If you find it hard to make friends then definitely Yorkshire. I grew up in the South and live in Yorkshire now and have done for a long time. I forget when I am in London that you aren’t supposed to be friendly to strangers.

I was at Kew Gardens last year and I saw a lady who had twins and I just went into my normal Yorkshire twin Mum thing of smiling at the other twin Mum and asking how old hers are. In Yorkshire that often ends up with a nice convo and swapping of numbers. In London I got looked at like I had three heads.

Yorkshire is great for getting to know people. I know my neighbours and our children play together and I really feel part of a community here.

..or you could come further South..the Isle of Wight is much cheaper fo rent and houses than most places in south and south east..

We love it here

Whats your budget?

How far north are you thinking?

My brother moved from London as he couldn't afford to stay his mortgage was huge and he moved to between lincoln & Newark to a place called Collingham which is lovely, loads cheaper and he still commutes from there and is loads better off both in terms financially and lifestyle.

Do some air-bnb-weekends to different places to get a feel for them

Just to add to what I posted up thread I love living up here but I think things like transport, local facilities etc especially outside of big cities is a consideration. I did lots of training placements in rural County Durham and lots of it was a bit cut off and isolated esp. in winter. Things like health care too, I had a high risk pregnancy with my twins and was in hospital in the centre of Newcastle for weeks and there were people in from literally all over the North as the specialities seem to not be availiable in every hospital. I'd come up to visit and explore some of the suggested areas.

Dundee, or over the bridge in Fife.