Am I looking for a UK destination that doesn't exist?

[notesfromasmallisland]

I work remotely 100% of the time so I'm lucky enough to be able to work anywhere within the UK with a WiFi connection.

Normally I work from home in London, but I need a change of scene. I've realised I should take better advantage of being able to work wherever, so I'd like to go on a few short trips.

I'd like to be self-catered, so I'm looking for a holiday cottage or similar. It would be just me, for a few days, and I'd like to stay somewhere quite remote. Ideally in the mountains, but on the coast would be OK. Somewhere with fresh air and a bit of peace and quiet. It would be just me.

Here's the catch though. I can drive, but wherever I go, I don't really want to have to hire a car, because it would just sit on the drive for the whole time I was there. Instead I'd like to get there by train or bus. I don't mind a half an hour walk to and from a train station once I arrive. And I'd need to be also within walking distance of somewhere with a small shop or supermarket.

I've spent lots of time on AirBnb and holiday cottage sites but none of them seem to have the option of being able to search for places that are accessible by train.

Am I looking for something that doesn't exist? If anyone's stayed anywhere that sounds like this, I'd love to hear about it.

Arnside? Quiet small town, with excellent access to the web of interconnecting footpaths all over the Arnside/silverdale area, with fantastic views over Morecambe bay across to the Lake District mountains. It's than 3.5 hours from Euston, change once in Lancaster. You could use the local train to get to carnforth to explore that end of the area, or to silverdale station which is right next to the Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, or across the bridge to Grange over Sands. (We keep meaning to do the train ride from Lancaster to Barrow)

You need to get on the Caledonian Sleeper up to Fort William (and taxi to Glencoe) or carry up ro Aviemore and stay in Rothiemurchus. Gorgeous hideaways in both places. You feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere where but you can still access farm shops and village pubs on foot or via bike which you can hire.

North wales, direct train from Euston. Look around Llandudno, Conwy, pen, llanfairechan, Bangor. You could easily venture to menai bridge, llanberis, Caernarfon areas from Bangor. Mountains and coast.

Haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if this is a repeat. Regarding food, getting a supermarket delivery would free you from having to be within walking distance of a shop.

Filey is gorgeous, especially out of season when it's a bit quieter. The train station is in the town as is a small Tesco. Huge beach and lots of cliff top walks. Plenty of holiday homes to choose from too.

Lake District, Wales or Scotland.

Have you considered house sitting? That way you have a change of scenery without the accommodation cost. I’ve been looking into it for a similar reason. You could also go away for longer giving you more time to explore. Some house sitting jobs are to look after pets, some are just to occupy the house.

I was thinking about what you said about a car being parked the whole time, I assume because you’ll be working. But the light evenings will soon be here and you might enjoy exploring after working all day.

Also, travelling by car gives you the opportunity of doing multiple stop over trips.

Whatever you choose I think it’s going to be fab and I’m green with envy

Cromwell, whatstandwell, ambergate in Derbyshire are all.on a train line, accessible via derby from London

bonsall as. Well, lovely walks in the countryside, village shop which sells fresh cider

That's a good point, but there's decent buses (regularly but not frequently) to get around the coast

I got a taxi from Alnmouth to Alnwick which was no more than £15

Came to say this. Plus Supermarket delivery...

You can take the train and then a taxi to your accommodation. You could even use a taxi for shopping if needed.

I think the location of the cottage, within national park, hiking on your doorstep and WiFi would be my priority.

Getting there and shopping is secondary as there are way around it.

If you really want mountains and coast in a remote area with lots of food then stay in the Applecross Inn https://applecrossinn.co.uk/

11 hours on the train from London or fly to Inverness and get a taxi.

You are really.

You're unlikely to get remote as well as walking distance to a shop/train station. I go on uk holidays all the time and I can't think of anywhere that is truly both of those things but there are plenty of lovely towns/villages where you could look for a cottage that's on the outskirts.

Places I've loved that haven't been too busy -
Northumberland (Beadnell/Bamburgh)
St Just (Cornwall)
Mullion (Cornwall)

This is a great idea. Trains and accommodation are cheaper mid-week. I would try not to be too hung up on the 30 min walk to a train station. There are so many train stations where you could go and either get the £2 bus or a taxi to get to the remote part. And then get a supermarket delivery. I would love to do this - if you have a car you end up driving miles around to make the most of it, which I would find exhausting. Being holed up with just walks from my doorstep sounds heavenly and I would find it loads easier to relax there. So jealous!

Goodwick in Pembrokeshire. It's a port, so has good public transport links by train, nice pubs, decent shops, but small, not crowded, and walking within easy reach. I started there last year and had great Internet speeds too. You can walk from there to Fishguard along the coastal path too.

Arisaig train goes right there and you are on the west coast of scotland with breathtaking beaches and mountains

Craven Arms under the Long Mynd of Windermere for the Lake District.

A taxi from Inverness? That’s a hell of a taxi journey it would cost a fortune.

Settle? Small town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

Berwick upon Tweed. Direct train from King’s Cross, on the cost and on a river, station very close to town centre, complete Elizabethan walls to walk around with beautiful Georgian architecture, 40 mins on train to centre of Edinburgh, really interesting collection of galleries and independent shops.

Galloway is nice with remote places but one of the reasons it is unspoilt is that the transport is rubbish. You could get train to Carlisle then train to Dumfries. There are buses after that but you’d need to research.
The Carlisle to Newcastle train seems to go to some small towns en route so you’d be near Hadrians Wall in Northumberland - quite wild and woolly there but lots of walking. That might fit.

Pitlochry in Scotland fits your bill. It has a train station and there are beautiful walks from the village, as well as small independent shops and cafes.

How remote is remote though? Proper remote to me means unreliable internet, non existant public transport and certainly no shopping precincts within walking distance.

I can't get a PP comment out of my head that SE England is full up! My sister in law moved to Essex near Southend recently. I could not get a cab to the station from her village because they didn't go out that far.
Also I don't know if this counts as SE but when I used to get a cab from Cambridge to my parents village, less than 10 miles, the cabbies were all horrified by how remote it was. One guy who looked like he had a back story in the military actually screamed a bit when I directed him down the unlit road my parents lived on. Remote is available nearer than you think!