Where are the best places to live in north England?

[GooseWhiskers]

I currently live in an absolutely gorgeous town in Cheshire, but with a little one on the way we're going to have to think about moving within the next few years.

Unfortunately in our area, the price difference for the houses we'd want is too big so we're looking at other towns in the UK.

Ideally we'd like:

• Strong sense of community
• Nice town centre with shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs etc.
• Not too far from a good train station (roughly 1/2hr or so)
• Near motorways (my family live in south west London, husband travels around for work)

What are your favourite northern towns?

Train station is the killer.

What about the Wirral? Lovey villages and towns and excellent travel links.

Lancaster

Stalybridge was lovely when I lived there, although that was almost 20 years ago now :-(
It was a proper old-fashioned Northern town then.

You want Lytham.

Not St. Anne's, just Lytham. 30 minutes from Preston mainline station, great little town, scenic....lots going on....

ramsbottom

Durham

I second Durham!

I'm here to third Durham!!

I recommend the Colne Valley or Holme Valley which is near Huddersfield, wirh a station, and a short drive to the M62 between Leeds and Manchester.

Durham!

Ilkley.

Lancaster, God no.

All the market towns in North Yorkshire are fabulous.

Harrogate?

@hamstersarse

All the market towns in North Yorkshire are fabulous.

Ripon, Bedale, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Thirsk, Northallerton are all good.

I love Lancaster, but it is a bit of a dive. Lack of decent housing and plenty of sink estates. The only “nice” areas are terraced and have no parking.

Erm, other bits of Cheshire? It's not that small as counties go.

Yep Ramsbottom ,or Greenmount both lovely places .

Consider the Wirral, Neston, Irby, Heswall all very nice.

@hamstersarse

All the market towns in North Yorkshire are fabulous.

But not near a decent train service- Darlington or York

Not Just outside Harrogate please, we are trying to buy here keep getting gazumped!!

@1starwars2

Harrogate?

Harrogate fails on the 1st one:

Strong sense of community

Hexham

Hexham or Morpeth

Kendal, cumbria. Fits everything you just said, train from Oxenholme directly to London.