If I describe my dream location, can you tell me if it exists in the uk?

[bananaramaspyjamas]

For planning my retirement or imaginary other life

So, I'd like to live in a village or small town, with good transport links to a big city. Don't want to have to be too reliant on a car. Some nice scenery, so countryside, but ideally near to the sea or on the coast. Some sense of community and amenities, shops pubs etc.

Any ideas?

Oh also, plenty of nice walks in the area. With pubs for nice lunches and to take my dog to.

The gower

Ormskirk or Formby?

Define "good" transport link. 1 train service an hour 6am-midnight and journey that takes an hour?

Dumbarton
Helensburgh

oh... and what is a 'big city'; popn=100,000 big enough?

Shoreham by Sea

Lancaster. West Coast mainline station, just south of the Lake District, close to the sea.

Brockenhurst. Middle of the New Forest, near the coast, lovely village, mainline train to London/Southampton/Bournemouth.

Wow I am looking these up and the Gower peninsula looks stunning!
Ormskirk and Formby look superb too.
Just going to look up the others, will be looking at all and any suggestions.

IIjkk Ideally two trains an hour (or more) but for a big city maybe 300-500 thousand plus type size

Gateshead. Small village like Whickham, surrounded by forests, lakes, hills. 10 minutes to Newcastle on the bus, 5 minutes to metro centre. 20 minutes drive to the coast or take the bus then train or metro. On the a1 so travelling north or south is very easy.

Isle of Wight..
Fantastic walks and beaches , micro climate in many places ,. 30 mins to Portsmouth or Southampton ( by boat or 12 mins on the hover). 2-2.5 hrs to London on train ..
Cheap housing .(for SE)

I'd start with Ryde or East Cowes for small towns .. (W. Cowes is better for restaurants etc but expensive because of boating set, but there's a chain link ferry bridge 5mins) . West or South Wight for villages , buses are ok but having a car would be better

Somewhere like Worthing or villages near there?

Lewes.

I live in Mumbles. It's almost exactly like that. Unfortunately the closest city is Swansea which is a bit of a shithole.

Another vote for Lewes

or Plumpton

You need to come up to the North East. Lots of coast, lots of pretty, sometimes dramatic, countryside, decent public transport and Newcastle in the middle of it all.

Wirral & Chester.

Lots of places in Northumberland would fit the bill- Tynemouth especially is very pretty and you can get the metro into Newcastle in no time.

Ryde is great for restaurants and pubs and bus links .. Has a fantastic huge sandy beach at low tide.. fast cat passenger ferry to Portsmouth Harbour mainline train station and Gunwharf Quays for shopping etc 25ms.. and Hovercraft goes from there also 12 mins

Leigh on Sea

Another one suggesting Lancaster

Weston super mare

Someone’s beaten me to saying Tynemouth. But there are many places on the north east coast that would fit the bill.