Where would you live mortgage free for £350k

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Hi I need a two or three bedroom house, somewhere with good access to walking and running trails outdoors and a decent town with an independent cinema or film club within a half an hour drive/train ride/bus ride.

Needs to be an area where there is likely to be demand for in person private psychotherapy.

I have a son with disability so it needs to be somewhere relatively tame and manageable with regard to getting around safely at night on public transport. He loves animation and taking part in inclusive theatre.

Any ideas?

Lancaster is just below the Lake District.

Very easy access to the lakes.

Lancashire generally does not get as cold in the winter - I am now on the east side of the country and it gets a lot colder over here - but it does rain. A lot.

BTW Whitley bay is more a suburb of Newcastle than a city in its own right. It is on the coast though.

Altrincham

Shropshire , Shrewsbury is lovely

West side of Soouth Yorkshire.

Penistone for example, or Thurgoland - Amazing places, so close to countryside, good schools and easy access to Sheffield, Barnsley and M1. Also pretty quick to Manchester. Best of all worlds.

I have the wonderful gift of choice but is is such a big move it feels overwhelming knowing where to even start. I'm going to add Bury St Edmunds to the list but I can't add Lancaster with its super high rainfall... It has persistently rained where I am all year up till about a month ago and as I'm sure many of us are I'm so over it.

Sounds like I have options that may meet all of our needs in a range of places - Southeast coast (have no idea about east of Brighton need to have a look), River Severn Estuary up to Worcester (Clevedon, Stroud etc), North (Peaks, North Yorkshire and maybe Whitley Bay) and East (more affordable areas around Cambridge, Norwich and Bury St Edmunds, ). Jobs and FE colleges will probably be the decider.

Rather than be overwhelmed I will try and take from this that actually lots of people like and recommend where they live :-)

Buxton might fit your requirements. It is surrounded by the Peak District with access to the arts in your door step including cinema.

I was also going to suggest Belper, I grew up round there and it’s full of independent shops, so much lovely countryside for walks etc. and pretty well connected transport wise.
Live abroad now but on visits back home can get to central London in a couple of hours for meetings

Can't believe nobody has mentioned 'The Notwolds' yet

• Stamford (south Lincolnshire/Rutland/Northamptonshire/Cambridgeshire borders) are s great and has an independent cinema/arts centre.
• Oundle and surrounding villages also really lovely and 15 mins from Peterborough and Corby (mainline trains to London)

Lots of walking/biking/riding etc round here.

www.countryequestrianhomes.com/forget-the-cotswolds-buy-a-home-in-the-notswolds-for-half-the-price/

You'll get 2-3 beds for £350k easily.

That's should read 'Notswolds' obvs!

This is a good idea. It is very friendly around there too. Lovely coastal walks, indie cinema, gorgeous houses, market, festivals, restaurants. Newcastle a short metro ride away.

Can you buy a house in Salisbury for £350k?

I’d recommend Harrogate - excellent train links to Leeds and York.

Whilst it’s generally viewed as an upmarket spa town there are definitely houses within your budget - even in the centre (have just checked).

I lived there for many years and it’s a lovely town, with lots going on and fits in with what you’re seeking.

Hebden Bridge. In a valley surrounded by beautiful hills and trail runs. Has an independent cinema. Is halfway between Manchester and Leeds on the train, for when you need what big cities offer. Artistic and alternative.

@iNoticed agree - love our village. We landed here by chance (no family connections nearby) and can’t see ourselves anywhere else.

On the cinema note, Penistone is really lovely.

Northern Ireland- loads of nice places and you will never be out of work.

I saw some lovely townhouses being built just on the edge of Glasgow city centre, next to a canal on the of an old distillery. I think they were around that much and while it would be a bit cold in Scotland you'd have all the resources of the city. Plus they were very sustainable so low bills.

@OneOliveEagle is there anywhere you can walk run off-road straight from Harrogate do you know?

Belper does look nice need to look at FE

You can run 5k round the Stray in Harrogate. I’m not a runner but you’re on the edge of the dales so tons of trails within a mile or so.

The hospital in Harrogate has always been outstanding for me, I feel very fortunate when people moan about their NHS experiences because the care/lack of waiting lists etc has always been fabulous locally.

There’s a specialist college called Henshaws. I am not sure if that’s the type of provision that you’re looking for for your DC.

Trains and buses run well, Everyman cinema. I have a friend who is a psychotherapist locally who has got an incredibly successful clinic.

Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions lots to follow up

You might want to start by actually looking at the public transport options.
Not on this thread, but Knutsford for example is often recommended as a naice place to live in the North West with 'good' connectivity.
It has one train an hour to Manchester - often delayed or cancelled. Sunday, one every 2 hours!
Nothing else to anywhere else.
Altrincham however is similarly priced, with trains/trams/buses to Manchester and surrounding areas, very walkable. 10 min drive from Knutsford.
Why anybody in their right mind would even suggest Knutsford I don't know!

If you're moving from London you'll get quite a shock, very few places come even close to having regular trains more than twice an hour and regular buses that run on time.

PP should really post how often they use public transport and where to, otherwise, from the 'one' occasion they use it a year they, conclude that it's fabulous

I love Hebden but houses are expensive there, plus the floods and traffic. If OP is over the rain and ruling out Lancaster on that basis, I'd also think Hebden is low on the list.

Exeter wouldn't be a bad bet if you like coast nearby and again quite good for your work as it's a university city chances are it has semi ok public transport too in many parts of the city - gets a few examples

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150634667

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148562318#/?channel=RES_BUY

Whitley Bay or surrounding areas! Added bonus of the beach :)

Mad to rule out Lancaster. It's not been any different to lots of other places mentioned.

With the Dukes and The Grand theatre plus indies nearby in Kendal it's exactly what the OP wanted