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

Also, on the subject of weather, this winter has been wet and gloomy. But when I talk to my kids - it's been the same for them!
We don't find it an issue. The only issue is the Yorkshire folk who look at us aghast and say "don't you miss the sun?" It really isn't a problem!

Hello there
I'm a born and bred Southerner (Kent) now living in North Yorkshire. I moved with my husband, but had a dream of being out of the SE - we just didn't know where, exactly. We set off around the country, assuming we'd stay closer to family and friends, but nothing fitted the bill and made moving worthwhile until we arrived in Kirkby Lonsdale (not Yorkshire at all!).
Finally, we had all the right feelings and set about finding "the one" only to realise that KL was not going to meet our wishlist, or at least on our budget (big garden, big kitchen, ample parking).
So we extended our radius and found our gorgeous home just outside the village of Clapham.
We got lucky. Like you, our network in Kent had dwindled, and while we could have made more effort, it felt more like a busy place to work than a place to chill. That's probably because that was exactly what it had been for us.
We also were keen to explore new places - tbh everywhere we wanted to go in the SE, we'd been.
So - North Yorkshire for us has been extremely friendly and there is masses to do. We're a bit rural, and so going to "big" shops is an effort which I can rarely be bothered with.
We've made excellent friends, both individually and as a couple, but doing so has meant getting involved. From a southerner's perspective, thats the Yorkshire way. And it makes total sense. If you make the effort, so will they.
I do go to Harrogate shopping occasionally and the traffic is indeed DREADFUL. I can't imagine it having the community feel, but I may be wrong.
Skipton is great. As is Settle, but that bit smaller. You really do get to know people in Settle. And people will know you and what you're up to - so you have to take into account whether that's for you (we lived in villages in Kent and it was no different).
As for family and friends - we have very regular visitors who are quick to book in each year. They get a free break in a lovely area, and we all enjoy the time together.
My mum and dad followed us up here - I honestly never saw that coming. But it's great. I can help them whenever they need it.
Our children are both down south. They visit when they can and enjoy it - but can't envisage wanting to live here. It's just too quiet and outdoorsy for them. I'd be lying if I said I never wished they were around the corner - and one day we'll probably return south to make it easier for them to help us when the time comes (although I can't imagine how we're going to find somewhere else as amazing).
So, I just wanted you to know that there are loads of people up here that have taken that leap and have loved it. Good luck op! X

@SaggyCushionCover I know she did! I was making the point about what people were saying about weather in YOrkshire

Realistically your daughter is unlikely to return to live with you after uni if she moves for employment, get all the facts and rent for a year maybe in Yorkshire and perhaps rent out your present home if possible .

The OP specifically asked about moving to Harrogate.

I can spell Bradford

@SaggyCushionCover Some posters have been talking about the weather in Yorkshire though, not specifically Harrogate

Or Guiseley, which is just down the road from Yeadon, but has the added advantage of rail links to Leeds, Bradord and Ilkley.

Is the Prachee still at White Cross?

Sidebeforeself

Harrogate has a microcosm. You can leave Leeds in sunshine and arrive in Harrogate in mizzle. Like today- Leeds is the same as London - Harrogate is 2 degrees lower.

Well I think I must be living in the wrong Yorkshire! The weather isn’t that different although its bound to be wetter and wilder if you are in the heights of the Dales..but not Leeds!

Ive lived in Leeds all my life ( hence the user name) and think it’s a great city. Recently moved to Harrogate. I am really glad we came here but it does feel a lot smaller. A few things to point out

Train and bus service to Leeds is pretty good and reliable
Direct trains to London
Traffic is pretty bad in the centre - but its a very walkable town
Great walks .Did the walk along the Nidderdale way to Ripley yesterday - just beautiful. Knaresborough is walkable too.
Great selection of independent bars , cafes and restaurants
Shopping not that great , but Im not a big shopper
Fab theatre and arts scene - 4 performance spaces in one town
The Stray valley gardens and RHS Harlow Car
The Crime festival ( as you know)
The Yorkshire show… I could go on.

By the way he property next door to me is for sale!

It does have its social problems too and scruffy bit - but where doesn’t?

Yee-dun
Went to school there 😂

Yee don

Yeadon would be a good place if you fancy flying out on cheap flights, from Leeds/bradford airport on a whim!

Not much rape near Harrogate
Much more up in the gap between the dales and the moors

I drive as I go all over Leeds
Much better when the grammar school is on holiday!
I tend to go over the top at Harewood to avoid GSAL.

I drive to see DP. He lives in a yorkshire village and he also used to live in Harrogate.
Depending on the type of house you would like there isn't' the value for money you think. Transport inks are poor and the M62 is a gridlocked nightmare.
I think people are friendly but he thinks southerner's well those where i'm from are just as friendly. He finds the service better down south. These villages also lack the bustle and modernity of the south.
I also find the weather inclement, it's definitely 5-6 degrees cooler and rains non stop.
I cant wait to move up but DP wants to move south.😆

I’m asthmatic, with raging hayfeverNo fields of rape up here! (Don't know about the Vale of York)

@MintyCedric The Yorkshire climate lends itself very well to growing oil seed rape, and as the vale of York is flat it is grown quite extensively there. It is grown in flat land near where I live in South Yorkshire, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is grown between Leeds and Harrogate.

There is a risk of you settle somewhere rural with flat agricultural land that you could be surrounded by fields of oil seed rape in spring.

A good way to meet people.
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/leeds/royal-armouries-museum/authors-at-the-armouries-2024-7-8-june/e-dgbeda
As you said crime also on X @ hullnoir

For better weather you need sunnier and drier East Yorkshire. All the rain, snow & ice gets dumped on the Pennines due to the prevailing wind direction. If the Wolds were inspiration for Hockney...😁

There’s also a women’s outdoors group that my friend leads in Lancashire and they have a sister group on Yorkshire I’m keen to check out. You're in the centre of the caving universe. That's an excellent way to make friends.

If you like walking it's much easier in the uplands because of CRoW - most of the land over 400m is open access. Nearer to Leeds, Otley Chevin , Rombalds Moor (of which Ilkley Moor is part). and the woods around Esholt are all good accessible open spaces.

I’m asthmatic, with raging hayfever No fields of rape up here! (Don't know about the Vale of York)

"I’ve no idea where Farsley is but it sounds nice - will have a look." All the buses from the centre of Leeds go to Farsley. No matter where you want to go and how long you've been waiting, the next bus is always yet another bus for Farsley.

If anyone has any recommendations for areas between Leeds and Harrogate It's fairly rural between Leeds and Harrogate - there are nice villages, but they don't have a lot of facilities. If you're interested in Leeds, then look at somewhere to NW of Leeds with good commuting to Leeds, and Harrogate still an easy drive. So Menston, Burley, Ilkley, the "village" end of Baildon (not down in the valley. Possibly even Guiseley, Yeadon, Rawdon. Horsforth is very good for community activity and has very highly thought-of schools, but it'll take you half an hour to escape the city from there.

Pool in Wharfedale doesn't hasn't have a direct bus to Leeds until recently (and I'm not sure whether it survived) and the "Dyneley Arms" where the Harrogate road crosses the Otley-Leeds road is a notorious congestion point. But it's 15 - 20mins closer to Harrogate than the towns along the A65

I have a friend in Addingham, just the other side of Ilkley, and she's settled really well there, lots of activities going on, she's always really busy and has made lots of friends. But not well served by public transport.

@Kickstartplease SEND support is apparently Okish in the Leeds area if you're persistent, but absolutely dire if you have a Bradford postcode. Source: close relative. Horsforth through to Guiseley are Leeds, as are Pool and Otley; Menston, Ilkley are Bradford. Don't know about Burley in Wharefedale - think that's Bradford too but I may be wrong.

The weather is is massively different
I live in Harrogate and work in Leeds but also live and work in London- move up and down several times a week

The weather in the south is much much better. It really is so much more visible than it was 20 years ago- global warning and all that. This time of year I have different wardrobes as the difference is so marked.

I’m a member of an online group that is based in Leeds and has meet ups from time to time. Which group is that, @MintyCedric