To move to Yorkshire from the south coast on my own?

I'm also a Saltaire resident and it's a brilliant place to live. The houses are beautiful, and we have loads of very good independent shops, bars, restaurants and cafes and loads of stuff going on which you can get involved in. I've met loads of people here. 15 mins on the train to Leeds and a short walk up the glen to get to the moor. It really is a beautiful place.

It was, but no regrets at all - I have found my tribe at last!

Oh, you lucky, lucky person. I fell in love with Saltaire.

Doesn't look much on the outside but the inside is lovely, and the garden, and it's 5mins from the town centre
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135663119#/?channel=RES_BUY

Settle is nice - market square (touristy in summer but none the less pleasant for that), excellent fish and chips, large supermarket, rail to Leeds (though only about 4 a day (I might be wrong about that), more trains if you're prepared to go to Giggleswick or Long Preston both a short drive away), and you're on the Settle and Carlisle Line. I keep toying with a move to Settle.

They have lived there less that 2 years and will be selling at a loss.

Depends where in Harrogate you live
I live Southside and either go into town, stay Southside or go to the A1 via Wetherby and rarely experience any traffic. But if you are Northside then the traffic can be awful.

Op- you mention Bilton. I like Bilton - it is one of the areas that has a true sense of community. It can have bad traffic though.

I dont think that Harrogate is cliquey- it is a big place with an aspect of transience as a tourist town. People tend to spend more time in the smaller communities within the town.

The weather is generally rubbish- Harrogate has a microclimate but if you are not weather bothered that's good.

Yep exactly, I have given up on idea of buying a flat that’s going to cost me loads when I can head to the north. I’ll have nothing to keep me here once DD goes to Uni. Their dad has a house locally too if any want to stay down south (until they get own place). I am tempted to go somewhere further north (Durham) where it’s cheaper again. I change my mind every day

Oh wow, that’s mad to think I’m looking at 2 bed flats here in south east for the same price

Absolutely - I’m intending to do a similar distance move. I moved to the South East 23yrs ago for work and once my youngest goes to Uni in 2.5yrs I’m heading back up north. I grew up in North wales but will be based in Liverpool 3 days a week so thinking of the coast between Liverpool and Southport. Then I’m 30 mins to work, 1hr or so to my mum & old school friends. I’ve got no concerns about making new friends in my early 50’s, plus I’ll have work and weekends I can head to my mums etc. It means I can finally buy my own place as I’m priced out here in the south east

Have a look at Settle. Lovely town with frequent trains to Leeds.

I know Keighley very well indeed - I grew up there. It's a shadow of its former self. Literally nothing left in what remains of the town centre. Absolutely hollowed out with lots of social problems. It breaks my heart when I return. Some of the villages like Oxenhope and Haworth are very nice.

OP I live in Keighley and the area you're looking at there is not the nicest. I'm in Riddlesden which is lovely and has a great community feel if that's what you're after. Enough shops in walking distance to survive without a car and 3 decent pubs. Also on the main bus route to Bradford but also near enough to walk into keighley for the train. We love it here!

My father moved up to the area when he was 86 and most definitely carved himself out a new life, becoming active in various societies and making a "lifelong" friend.

Harrogate is expensive, as is Ilkley, but both have a train station.

Otley is lovely, but not on the railway, Pool is very small, and has no train or bus. It's on a main road. so I never feel it has a centre, though it has a thriving Village Hall and an active Parish Council.

Burley in Wharfedale (not Burley in Leeds) is a good bet. It's got a bypass, so doesn't have through traffic, and it's on the train line between Ilkley and Leeds. Still feels rural, with Rombalds Moor (Ilkley Moor) easily walkable, and it's a short and easy drive/train journey into Ilkley for shops and culture. It's only about 20 mins by train from Leeds (though nearly 3 times that if your drive). Nice little village.

Utley is down on the AIre, on the outskirts of Keighley. It's on the other side of Rombalds Moor from Ilkley. Saltaire is expensive for the area, as is Bramhope. It'd help if we knew your approximate budget - for example if you looked on rightmove and said "I can afford Otley but not Harrogate" we might be able to make more targeted suggestions.

I have recently moved from the southwest to a Scottish island on my own in my 60s - never happier. Just do it! The only drawback moving south to north is that you probably wouldn’t be able to move back due to the difference in property values

How exciting. I live close to Yorkshire and it's gorgeous.
Have you thought about the coastal areas? I live by the sea and can't imagine leaving it now.

Do it OP, Harrogate is gorgeous, and probably not too far off Brighton property prices. I have lived in Brighton in the past, wouldn’t ever go back. We relocated a few years ago, a very big move, best thing we ever did. What’s the worse thing that could happen, you don’t like it and you move again. I don’t believe in all the forever home nonsense, life changes and you need to adapt. Good luck.

I hope it works out for you. I would suggest visiting in December or January though before you finally move, to be certain. I also think you should choose somewhere that is OK if for some reason you cannot drive, be it temporary or for good as you get older.