Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Location- on the coast, but where?

89 replies

WoolTweedArtandBooks · 22/01/2026 21:33

I wasn’t sure where to put this so I thought I’d go for the high traffic area.

DH and I would like to move to the coast, probably in about 10 years. We want to buy outright a small 2-bed (or land to build a tiny home on). We won’t have huge amounts of cash so it will have to be somewhere lower cost. We’ll probably need a medium-large town nearby for work, but in an ideal world we would be a little way out in a peaceful location- or possibly a small house in a town, if the town were right (somewhere like Tobermory for example, not too big, independent and has interest but easy to escape from and get some solitude).

He’d like there to be sea fishing (cod, bass, etc) and I’d like things like art galleries/classes, yoga, nice cafes and pubs. I love the beach and sea swimming. I’d like to become part of the local community, offering classes or working in schools- I hope we would bring something to offer the community rather than moving in and expecting to just slot in with no effort, or to isolate ourselves. We are self sufficient and independent but I also value my friends and would like to meet some like minded people in the new place.

We have become very fond of some of the Scottish islands, but we’re wary of too many people in summer. We suspect that the Welsh coast and south-west corners of England would be out of our price range.

Can Mumsnet suggest any areas we might explore, please?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
Northcoastmama · 23/01/2026 07:38

Ballycastle, North Coast of NI has everything you have listed and more! Definitely worth a visit

magicalmadmadamim · 23/01/2026 07:36

Isle of Wight?
Although its less trendy bars and restaurants more country pubs.
Know it like the back of my hand, my mum lived there for years and my uncle still does. Love my visits. 300k would definitely get you a 2 bed house there.

JamesWebbSpaceTelescope · 23/01/2026 07:06

suggestionsplease1 · 22/01/2026 22:32

Port Bannatyne, Bute. You probably won't get better value for money house price-wise, community owned pub and quite a few local community initiatives which newer residents seem to slot into fairly well. Some sea swimmers swim the bay there, but not sure that there is an organised initiative there. May be too quiet for you though!

I think you'd need to visit any place you are interested in for a week or so to really get a feeling of how your life might look there.

I lived in Port Bannatyne for a short while many, many years ago. Loved it.

Close to Rothesay so meets the needs of being near a medium sized town and Glasgow is doable as a day trip on public transport.

Queenage · 23/01/2026 06:56

Everything you ask for is in Scarborough. It’s a lovely, authentic holiday resort, full of heritage and culture. Stunning beaches, loads of sea swimming, yoga and nice cafes. World famous theatre, outdoor music venue in Summer with fantastic performers. Relatively cheap properties. This is a bungalow that needs updating but us ten mins walk from the north bay beach. Some people are snooty about Scarborough, but there’s no need to be, it’s vibrant and busy in summer and moody and quiet in winter but there’s ALWAYS an ice cream shop open 🤣 www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/169685552

HeyThereDelila · 23/01/2026 06:40

What work do you do? You may struggle to both find work in small towns unless you have a specialism. And many very small towns won’t have art galleries! Building costs also soon rack up, so suggest you buy a house. Don’t go too rural as difficult in old age.

Norfolk, Suffolk, North Yorks or Northumberland may be good options.

Alicorn1707 · 23/01/2026 06:31

Will just add Kirkcudbright into the mix @WoolTweedArtandBooks

Original poster
WoolTweedArtandBooks · 23/01/2026 06:15

Thanks for all these ideas, places we have thought about and some we’ve visited but a couple of new spots to us as well. Pleasantly surprised to hear about prices in Gwynedd and parts of Pembrokeshire.

Love that Cromarty house!!

We are spending our holidays visiting places although when we attempted early August around the Mallaig area a few years back it was so busy we had to run away to the islands. I have said to DH a few times that we should visit Ullapool and also the Borders. I did really like the coast just north of Dundee and would definitely spend more time there, and our first holiday was to Nairn and I also loved it there.

I think we have been to Tarbert-ish, towards Kintyre, and again we really liked that area.

This is a long-term plan and in the meantime we are hoping to create income streams which can be done from home, but it’s nice to have some ideas where to go for our holidays for a while!

OP posts:
UnderThePressure · 23/01/2026 00:12

First thoughts were Dunoon/Inverary area, Looe in Cornwall or Hastings through to Folkestone area.

JustJoeyEH · 23/01/2026 00:03

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, even appeared in a Sunday Times?(I think) or one of the big papers as a 'cool postcode' recently. Lots of cafes for all tastes, arts and crafts, traditional fry up, funky modern, art deco etc. Traditional pubs too where you regularly hear male voice choir singers breaking into song.

Fishing, sea, river and licensed lakes is available.

Cold water swimming is popular.

Lots of music festivals, carnival, and other succesful community events a plenty. You have to be involved and support events, you get out what you put in.

Massive downside; it's a million miles from anywhere (slight exaggeration) but getting anywhere from Fishguard is a mission, its an end of the line (literally) destination. At the moment house prices are cheaper than the better known Tenby, St Davids and Newport.

Roaminginthegloaming · 22/01/2026 23:54

@WoolTweedArtandBooks

I’m in Dorset and our local beaches have the Blue Tits sea swimmers for women (and men swim with the Blue Balls :) )

These groups are in many coastal locations around the UK so you may want to look at their website to see if there’s a group in the locations you plan to explore:

www.thebluetits.co

The Bluetits Chill Swimmers | Cold Water Swimming Community

The Bluetits Chill Swimmers are creating a capable, confident community through cold water swimming and adventures. Find your local swim group and get dipping! We also sell a range of outdoor swimming goodies from fun swimsuits, swim accessories and ou...

https://thebluetits.co/

Redbushteaforme · 22/01/2026 23:53

How about Nairn? Nice seaside resort with beautiful sandy beaches but not too busy. There are quaint wee cottages in the fishertown area as well as quite a bit of new builds appearing on the outskirts. Surrounded by lovely countryside and only half an hour from Inverness re work, shops, transport links etc. Has an arts/books festival and various clubs. Also near to Findhorn and Forres where there is quite a bit going on arts-wise. Here's an example of a cottage currently for sale near the beach. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/168572522#/?channel=RES_BUY

Check out this 2 bedroom cottage for sale on Rightmove

2 bedroom cottage for sale in 22 Simpson Street, Nairn, IV12 4NT, IV12 for £230,000. Marketed by R and R Urquhart Property, Forres

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/168572522#/?channel=RES_BUY

OiFatArse · 22/01/2026 23:19

Blackpool

hattie43 · 22/01/2026 22:58

Hastings fits your bill . Lots of activities , good community spirit . Old town is a lot nicer than
the town centre . Some rough bits but those can be avoided .

Imbusytodaysorry · 22/01/2026 22:54

@WoolTweedArtandBooks northumberland is stunning . Or just over the border into the east coast.
Have you looked at isle of Lewis sounds like it would be the place for you .
I researched it and it has enough going on that you ask for . you can find loads of YouTube videos , plus the tourist information are helpful for you give them a call
What you have described is Skye (however too busy for you?
north west coast of Scotland has great community .

Chocolateisntheonlyconfectionary · 22/01/2026 22:53

Saltburn, Whitby Huddersfield area. Really up and coming, great people and vibes. Friendly and affordable but house prices are really starting to go up

Mattsmum2 · 22/01/2026 22:51

Try Pembrokeshire, not Tenby or Newport sands. I lived in Fishguard, up and coming and has the best NYE party in the whole of Wales.

GetToHeaven · 22/01/2026 22:50

We moved to the Northumberland coast last year and can highly recommend it.

Murphs1 · 22/01/2026 22:46

Barton on sea, highcliffe, Christchurch - you can find some reasonable properties a bit inland from these areas or nearby within this price range. South coast so weathers good, Bournemouth and Southampton nearby and new forest. Walkford is near highcliffe and a bit more reasonable. Nice community atmosphere, lovely cafes and restaurants.

Evaka · 22/01/2026 22:41

Oh god, I want to do this toooooo

Namechange152 · 22/01/2026 22:39

Some of the smaller fishing villages (johnshaven, Gourdon) might be worth a look

Namechange152 · 22/01/2026 22:38

North east Scotland coast might be good for you. Not as tourist heavy in summer as the west coast, better weather, still cheap enough places, lots of sea swimming, nice foody places, lots of fishing, good artsy scene. Anywhere from fife up to stonehaven might suit.

Boleynforsoup · 22/01/2026 22:35

St Leonards/Hastings/Bexhill area ticks all your boxes. That’s where I live and my smallish but very lovely 2 bedroom Victorian terrace house with lots of lovely features is worth around £250K. So I don’t think south east is out of your budget. It’s a bit busier in summer but not overrun with tourists like Cornwall etc.

PacificState · 22/01/2026 22:35

Cawsand in Cornwall is exactly what you describe (half hour or so to Plymouth by ferry). Not sure what you could get for £300k but worth a look for sure.