Tell me about the fabulous area where you live so I can move there! (50s retired widow)

[Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight]

I find myself at a stage of life where I am on my own with no family and currently live in a lovely house in an idyllic rural village.

However, there’s no-one else living here at my life stage and I have to get in the car for everything. Many of my friends are moving away with their partners as they start retiring.

I am looking for somewhere where I can walk/cycle to facilities (doctor, chemist, coffee shop, leisure centre, small supermarket for top up shops), decent transport links to get further afield and somewhere with a good community and lots going on for my age group.

I would like like somewhere pretty to look at, with nice walks in countryside on my doorstep so thinking of a medium-large village, a market town or even an area of a larger town or city with the right vibe.

Where do you live that fits the bill?

Budget shouldn’t be too much of an issue as I don’t want anything particularly large (I don’t want the maintenance) and have a healthy amount to spend.

Southwold,Suffolk. Everything is within walking distance, lovely olde world cottages. Busy all year round. Pricey but a really lovely vibe.

Malton. 24 mins from York and 23 mins from Scarborough in the other direction on the train, great community, lovely food and beautiful countryside,

I meant to put Oxford on my list - so much going on and easy to get to London.

A really lovely town. I have family there and really like it.

Or also Devizes in Wiltshire . Probably more beautiful countryside than cambs, and with lots going on for all ages. A really good arts scene.

And Marlborough if you’d like somewhere a bit posher - it’s a bit Jeremy with red trousers for me, I like a bit more properly rural.

Ooooh we want to retire to the Antrim coast. But do worry that people visiting would be put off as it’s miles away from where we’re both from!

Ilkley is lovely, and also Saltaire which is nearby. Its a world heritage site surrounded by countryside, canal and river paths and 15 minutes from Leeds on the train.

East Grinstead. Good variety of shops in the town and close to Tunbridge Wells and Crawley for more. Leisure centre, library, theatre and 1 hour on the train to London. Close to Ashdown Forest for walks. Good local hospital with MI unit. U3A, choirs, book clubs, local history groups and active churches.

Otley or Ilkley

Topsham on the river Ex, suburb of Exeter, has train station within walking distance of town, lots of nice places to eat, pubs, tennis, lido, there’s a coastal path to walk/cycle to Exmouth or cycle along the canal to Exeter, my aunt retired here and I would in a heartbeat if I could persuade DH, doesn’t have hotels and minimal B&B so isn’t over run with tourists, if you’re a foodie, check out Dart Farm.

we want to retire to the Antrim coast. But do worry that people visiting would be put off as it’s miles away from where we’re both from

Everyone will say, "Oh that sounds lovely - we've never been! We must visit!" And then not.

Warwick. I live nearby and whenever I go there I'm always taken by the nice pubs and restaurants, and the number of mature people in them obviously having a great time in them

Hi Op

I am looking for somewhere where I can walk/cycle to facilities (doctor, chemist, coffee shop, leisure centre, small supermarket for top up shops), decent transport links to get further afield and somewhere with a good community and lots going on for my age group.

You could consider Selsey West Sussex close to the sea, all the facilities of the above are here and close to Chichester which has a large variety of shops, restaurants, Cathedral, Theatre and a large hospital.

It also has a good climate and close to Bognor Regis which if I am correct has the record for the sunniest place in the UK.

I wouldn't recommend anywhere on the in Hampshire. Give it 5 years and there won't be a blade of grass left!

I would suggest Bridport in West Dorset though - a lovely market town with a community feel set in beautiful countryside and very near Jurassic coast.

Hope you find somewhere lovely 😊

Exeter in Devon is a great place to live. It's a city but not massive, has lots of shops, cafes, restaurants and a cathedral with a huge green area. From the city centre it's a 10 minute walk down to quay where there are cafes, gift shops, pedalos to hire.

By car it's about a 15/20 minute drive to a choice of beaches such as Exmouth, Dawlish, Dawlish Warren.

It has good train links and bus routes if you don't want to drive.

Also close to the M5 so good links to bigger cities such as Bristol which are about 50 minutes away

Well, what a lot of fabulous suggestions, thank you all so much! I will go through and make a list. Some places recommended I already know whereas others I have never heard of, which is great.

A couple of people have asked what I like so I will go back and respond underneath individual comments.

Thanks again, wonderful women of Mumsnet (and by all means keep them coming!).

Bradford on Avon is a pretty town near me. They have a supermarket and quick and easy train to Bath, which is a nice city. It has an arty/alternative vibe with plenty of permanent house boats on the canal and lots of pubs and cafes.

Nearby is Trowbridge, a larger town. It does not have a great reputation but therefore housing is relatively cheap. Direct trains to Bristol, Bath and London. It has a busy and large library, a swimming pool and leisure centre, a cinema, variety of supermarkets including large Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and M and S. There’s the town hall with art exhibitions and events like world cinema and live music.

Frome is also very popular - again quite an arty vibe and a thriving market maybe once a month?

@MmeDefrag, my parents live in Saffron Walden though they’re in their 70s. Anything you could recommend for my mum? Happy to PM you if you don’t mind sharing some insider knowledge.

My mum moved to Harrogate at a similar age and she loves it.

It's pretty, has good facilities,good transport links to Leeds, York and a direct train to London, loads of community groups etc.

And @DeFacto

Arty - yes. Not in a particularly personally creative way, but I enjoy books and music, galleries and museums.
Foodie - yes
Theatre - yes
Yoga and coffee sound good as long as no-one tries to talk to me about crystals, I’m not a new-agy type and would run screaming from a Reiki healer or a tarot card reader, so maybe Pilates rather than yoga. I quite enjoy tennis, swimming and weight training.
I like seas, lakes, rivers and canals. Water is good it don’t want to live in a flood risk zone. I enjoy nature, gardening and walking.
Not terribly political, more Lib Dem middle of the road.
Not posh, went to a comprehensive school but university educated to post graduate level and had a successful senior management corporate career before retirement.
Not remotely religious.

I wouldn’t fit in well with the red trouser brigade and don’t have much in common with lifetime SAHMs (nothing against them, but it’s a very different life experience). I am scruffy and casual so wouldn’t fit in with the ‘polished/designer clothes’ types either.

Lytham, lovely high street and lots going on

Another vote for Cirencester, think it/the surrounding areas tick all your boxes, a small town with decent facilities and easy to get to bath/Bristol/Cheltenham/Swindon etc.

Interesting point @Hooverphobe. I agree that too many can destroy a community but there a couple in my village (which is in a minor tourist area) which were really unsuitable as homes for a variety of reasons and wouldn’t sell (in one case for literally years). Air bnb has been a good solution for the buildings and brings a bit of tourist money into the area (helps keep the pub going too!). I think that they should be a cap on how many are allowed and they should be properly licensed. If I want to move somewhere, I want to be able to feel like a resident for a while so they are the best solution for me. Anyway, this could easily be a whole other thread!

Portobello in Edinburgh based on your likes.

I live in Spain. I can walk to everything and it's beautiful

Wolsingham, Weardale. A beautiful part of the country that most Southerners have never heard of, let alone visited, and never will. It's a jewel. Weardale has everything plus beauty and real community, and Wolsingham is a proper little town with ancient roots. Very safe.