Harrogate or York??!

[Absofrigginlootly]

DH is hopefully going to be working just south of Leeds and we will be relocating from the states back to the uk this summer,

Nothing finalized yet so it may all fall through but anyway we need to be researching and deciding on potential areas to live.

We are wanting a picturesque village just outside (maybe up to 10 miles) out of the city. With access to good primary and secondary schools. We have a sizable housing budget so that's probably not a concern either.

We are southerners so don't know the area well....

Northern MNers... would you vote for harrogate or York??

Do you know of any beautiful country villages in either area (I like the look of Sutton on the forest outside york for example)

Any advice MUCH appreciated... Thanks!

[stopbeingabloodyvictim]

York. But if you are looking at villages/ market towns, then Helmsley, Hovingham, Wath, Ampleforth, Gilling East all really lovely. When we moved up here we put in a 30 mins drive time from York, ended up just outside of that but love it up here. In terms of trains Malton is great, 20mins from York hourly and the London just 2 hours away.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

I certainly wouldn't be thinking of Harrogate if he's working Wakefield/Dewsbury area. You'd have to go right round Leeds either to the L or the R. Someone upthread suggested Holmfirth - is that too remote for you?

[stopbeingabloodyvictim]

Malton is very foody, which is fabulous and has a tiny cinema and theatre. Annual food festival is brilliant as are the regular food markets, still very much a market town lots of independents rather than chains.

[stopbeingabloodyvictim]

I'm more realistic about commutes having regularly subjected myself to in excess of 1.5 hours in the past, always thought of it as part of my preparation for the day ahead and then wind down with radio 4 on the way home, so perhaps am not so worried about an extra 10 minutes here or there to find the right area

[IfNot]

Actually if money is no object then somewhere like Boston Spa/Tadcaster makes sense because of the A1. They would probably tick the required boxes.

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

My friend lives near Selby and the area east of that town and Leeds is lovely and from where she lives, it is 35 minutes commute.
York is lovely. I live 25 minutes south. The A64 gets busy as all roads do at commuter time but leads straight to Leeds or you can access south of Leeds via A1M, M62 or M1. All roads in and around Leeds will be busy, even at 7am it’s rush hour time.
But Harrogate is horrendous. For the size of tidbit can literally be at a standstill. We drive through a few times when going to Skipton or beyond and it can take us a good 40 minutes just to get through it. Plus house prices are ridiculous (think London commuter belt prices) schools are all pretty standard but I know there is a high turnover of staff in the town at the schools.
I hate town and city centres and built up places but if I wanted a village type location that was close enough to lots of facilities then I would choose outer York between the city and Leeds, south of York (Bubwith and the commuter belt on the A19 is lovely) or East of Selby.

[HotelEuphoria]

Arthington, between Leeds and Harrogate, lovely, near. Just never any houses for sale there!

Bramhope or Harewood?

[Igottastartthinkingbee]

Don’t know if anyone has suggested areas of Leeds? Roundhay and Horsforth always get good reviews!

[HaggisMuncher]

I commute to Leeds from west York by car, setting off early I can do it in around 40-50 minutes. Traffic on way home not great but generally not too horrendous either. Quite doable (though train would be much nicer 😞).

I can't vouch for Harrogate but York is a lovely place to live: lovely city centre, festivals throughout the year (Viking festival last week); good museums, restaurants and bars; and a lovely community of parents and lots to do with little ones. I am incomer from a much bigger city and absolutely love it, couldn't bear to leave!

As PPs have said have a look at the villages along A64 west of York, Acaster Malbis, Appleton Roebuck and Bilton always seem nice and handy for the commute. Poppleton and Bishopthorpe on the edges of York both very nice if you fancied being a bit closer to the city.

Good luck with the move, whatever you decide it's a cracking area to live x

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

I think it depends on whether you want to be in a village/town with some amenities or to be as rural as you can be.

[Arcticwonder]

York is my home town. I moved to north Leeds a year after getting a job in Leeds as the A64 is a nightmare, regularly.
I currently live in Otley; it’s lovely but wouldn’t dream of commuting to south Leeds from here. Whichever way - across city centre or across to A1 /M1 - can be horrendous.
I’ve also lived around Huddersfield - there’s some lovely villages around there with decent schools - Holmfirth is fab. And various commuting options to get across to Wakefield.
If you decide on Harrogate - villages like Boston Spa & Collingham Bridge have easy access to the A1.

[Igottastartthinkingbee]

Just to stick up for Otley from the naysayer! It is a tad rough around the edges but not in a bad way. We liked the character of the place and didn’t want to leave! Also, down by the river is beautiful and there’s lots going on all year round. The Chevin is good for walks and the dales are only up the road if you’re after more.

[TabbyTigger]

I’ve always found Harrogate to be a bit too middle class and white for my liking, but if you like Bath it might suit you (though I’ve never been to Bath). Harrogate schools are great! Also Roundhay school and the schools around there are really wonderful too, even though you say you don’t want Leeds. I’d give it a look.

Other suggestions people have mentioned upthread are good - Ilkley and Skipton (both quite like Harrogate but a more convenient location for the commute. Very near some lovely countryside!), and Saltaire/Baildon would be another suggestion from what you’ve said. Very old fashioned English buildings. Slightly more diverse than Ilkley and Harrogate. Also anywhere on the Wharfedale train line - the villages like Burley in Wharfedale and Ben Rhydding are lovely and well connected.

I don’t know much about villages around York (I lived much of my life in Bradford, which I love but it sounds like it’s not for you!) good luck!

[Stefoscope]

If you're looking to buy, you'd get stacks more for your money looking at nice villages in South Leeds and without the hellish commute. Some parts of Rothwell and Oulton have a lovely village feel and good rail and road links (LS26 postcode). Only 5 -6 miles from Leeds city centre and not too far to drive to York, maybe half an hour by car.

[Rosieposy4]

If you are after state schools, and intending to stay then need to give Boston Spa a swerve but , any of the villages haggis muncher mentions would be good as they feed into the York schools, or you could go for villages like Spofforth that feed into the harrogate schools, or Kirby Wharfe for Tad grammar.
Otley would be a mad commute to Wakefield and I don’t think it ticks your boxes, ( not knocking Otley per se)

[IfNot]

Just to stick up for Otley from the naysayer! It is a tad rough around the edges but not in a bad way
Nooo you misunderstand. Otley's fine, it's just. ..I live somewhere similar and it also comes up in these type of threads,(I said working class as a description not an insult!).

[RockinHippy]

I was at ArtSchool in Harrogate & still often visit. I grew up in York & still often visit there too. I loved Harrogate, but as a place to live. York hands down, if I ever moved north again, it would be my only choice. Lots of choices as far as villages go too

[QuackingHell]

Harrogate. But you’re insane to think that commute is a good idea! Ilkley is lovely, or saltaire. Really lovely community in both

[Absofrigginlootly]

The consensus is clear that harrogate to Wakefield/dewbury are is insane.... I bow to your superior local knowledge.

I thought it looked too far/awkward on the map, but because DHs potential boss and other senior colleagues were all recommending it I thought we'd better consider it. Maybe they don't care about not getting home until 8pm...?

Looks like maybe countryside around York or those other villages - I really need to make a list - will be best

Thanks so much I appreciate all the info

[somewhereovertherain]

I like the area around Easingwold lots of nice villages.

[Igottastartthinkingbee]

Apologies if! I maybe a smidge protective of Otley! Which speaks well of it I guess, we only lived there for a couple of years.

[PointeShoesAndTutus]

Central Leeds to just outside Harrogate in rush hour (any time between 5 and 6.30) is at least an hour. Wakefield/Dewsbury would add another 20 minutes at least I’d guess.

Be careful about schools too - catchment areas around here are tiny. Harrogate Grammar for example is amazing, and a lot of people are drawn to the town for the Grammar, but they accept from pretty much a 1/2 mile radius, if that. St. Aidan’s and St. John Fisher require a pretty hefty religious commitment, and the rest of the Harrogate schools are probably as bad. Likewise in York I know that Fulford has a tiny catchment area.

Wetherby and Boston Spa schools are going through trauma at the moment - the plan is that Boston (a fab school!) will close very soon and Wetherby (which scrapes along in and out of special measures) will be expanded into a giant super school. People there are pretty anxious and a lot looking at private options. I suspect Tad Grammar will become extremely oversubscribed as a result, so the catchment area for that school will shrink.

Have you thought about Holmfirth or even Hebden Bridge? That side of town might be easier? Or there are some lovely Wakefield villages - Horbury is fab.

[TwoScottieDogs]

We live in Wheldrake which is south of York and handy for the A64. My husband works in Wakefield and it takes him 45/50 mins to do the commute.

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

I think people are overplaying the commute issue. If you're nearish the A1 it will be fine, especially leaving early.

[squarecorners]

Family has lived in Harrogate for years - I love it, would live there in a heartbeat if I could afford it.
I lived in York myself- hated it, impossible to get anything done without tripping over tourists and hen parties in fancy dress, it floods all the time and the traffic is permanently terrible. I used to refer to it as "history disneyland". Harrogate all the way.