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?

Been mentioned before but Ramsbottom, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Kendal. Ex's family uses to live near Kirkby Lonsdale which is lovely but probably not any cheaper than Cheshire!

Blackpool?

Lytham, it’s pretty, people are friendly, nice community, pretty good schools, access to Preston for trains. Or Poulton le Fylde, v.similar. Both are a bit pricey, but it depends where.

I second Hebden Bridge.

It's hard to say price wise if we don't know exactly where you are now. For example other posters saying move to Alderley Edge - ?? - surely that's one of the most expensive, over-inflated areas in the north (and totally full of pretentious wankers)

A few have mentioned Nantwich; again, I find it very expensive, compared to other areas you really don't get much for your money but it is very safe. If, however, you already live in Alderley Edge then Nantwich will seem cheap.

Thanks everyone! Budget for a good sized 4 bed house with driveway/ garden/ garage is roughly £400k, which gets pretty much nothing in the town we currently live in.

DH would love to move to North Yorkshire as this is where he’s from originally but I’ve been holding back as it’s quite a trek down to my family (we’d be travelling by car).

Nantwich is gorgeous and is definitely on my list! I’ve added a whole load more from the comments as well, will be doing day trips over the next year or so to pick somewhere fab.

Thanks everyone!

@AnnaFiveTowns haha yes I agree about Alderley - definitely the most expensive area near me!

We live in Knutsford at the moment which is stunning, but for the kind of house we want the price jumps from around £300k (what we’ve got now) to about £700k!

On that budget then Nantwich would be do-able; it's a nice town; it's got some decent shops and a market; lots of cafés, a train station and small enough to have a community feel. It's a bit Daily Mail for my liking but that's just my personal taste. And I personally think that the high school that's supposed to be outstanding is crap and the one that's supposed to be crap is actually very decent. But again that's my view.

The market is moving quick in Lytham at the moment but I know 3 couples who have bought in the last 6 months and all bought 4/5 bed detached houses (all on good streets too, although one is St Annes not lytham) and the most expensive was £395k so probably bang on budget for you. There's not much on Rightmove at the moment but here is an example of something you could get, tbh going by what similar houses have gone for recently I think this on a bit too high as well
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74800707.html

Yet another vote for Durham but that is coming at it from student memories - not sure it would so amazing to be a local there. There's just so many students.

I'd also second Kendal from upthread IF you have a secure job (quite a lot of deprivation/seasonal employment - or there used to be). The high street is dying a bit but I think that's true everywhere.

Well I live in Cheshire and find it hard to believe that you cannot find somewhere within your price range.

If I wanted to move to a bigger house I could find at least 50 properties with just a quick search.

It's a big enough county.

Penrith? On the virgin London - Glasgow mainline. Right on the M6 and your money will go quite far.

Chester?

@Hellothere19999

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

Kendal town centre is horrific!

Wirral! Has everything you need

@FoxyTheFox

North East coast such as Whitley Bay or Tynemouth would tick all of your boxes. The nearest train station in Newcastle Central Station, around a 30 minute drive away or you can get there via Metro (rapid transit system) which stops at Central Station, amongst other places - Whitley Bay metro to Central Station takes around 25-30 minutes.

I second this. Although if Yorkshire is too much of a trek home then Newcastle will be too. Do you mean North West England really?

With your budget, York will get you want you want. My family are in the South East, and it's pretty straightforward to get the A1(M) and on. Train to London in 2 hours. Certain parts (e.g. Heworth, Osbaldwick) do have a good sense of community.

We have a 4 bed semi with garage and good sized garden which came in well under your £400k bduget.

Marsden or Slaithwaite in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Both have a good sense of community, both have a train stations, both easy drive to the M62. You'll get a massive place for 400k!

@LEELULUMPKIN it’s just our town that we’re being priced out of, not the whole of Cheshire!

I’m not against moving elsewhere in the county but want to keep my options open with other places too.

There are definitely some parts of Cheshire that are high up on my list, as well as some around Sheffield/Leeds area - got loads of places to visit!

Whalley in the Ribble Valley. It's gorgeous

South Yorkshire has great links to London (Sheffield and Doncaster train stations) 😊

Aigburth or Crosby.

Nantwich definitely ticks all of your boxes! It sounds like you’re already familiar with it.

I grew up around there and my parents still live there. I moved but would have no issue going back, it’s a beautiful town with lots of fabulous independent shops/restaurants and a thriving community. Great schools too. Just a 10-15 minute drive to Crewe station too, or 10 minutes to get to the M6.

You could get a stunning 4 bed within your budget as well.

My only advice for Nantwich would be to avoid living very close to the town centre. It’s a popular spot on Tuesdays (student night), Fridays and Saturdays and could probably get a bit rowdy.

The area just south of the station is lovely, as is the area surrounding Crewe Road (Mount Drive etc). Stunning houses. Willaston is also nice, especially the older style houses. It’s just a bit further out (but closer to Crewe station).

I'm originally from Wirral but not sure I would move back there, I think you have to be very careful in choosing, some areas are not nice at all. We briefly lived in Northumberland for my husband's job and eventually plan to settle up there, with Hexham, Morpeth, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and Ponteland at the top of our wish list.

Lancaster or Kendal. if don't mind none stop rain. Rubble valley is beautiful. Lytham and the surround areas, st micheals on wyre, Clifton, Newton with scales, catforth all closer to Preston.

In North Yorkshire, Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon and Bedale would give easy access to the A1, with the first two also having train stations that would get you to York in around half an hour. All definitely in budget (although likely for a new build rather than period property).

Would also throw Malton into the mix - great sense of community IMO, fab town centre that has really come into its own during lockdown, and alright public transport links to York. Is it somewhat out on a limb and poorly connected compared to say Harrogate, but I think the pay off is a real sense of community, good local amenities and of course beautiful countryside on the doorstep.

Closer to York, I’d also recommend Pocklington and Escrick, although you may struggle to find a 4 bed detached in budget in the latter.