Advice re: where to live and primary schools

[CanadatoCarlisle]

Hello all
My family and I will be moving to Carlisle in the autumn. I have twin girls who will be 5 in December. We are looking for recommendations for a good neighbourhood/village to live (preferably within cycling distance of the university) and primary school recommendations.
Thanks in advance.

Dalston would be perfect for you. It has a good primary and secondary school, some very nice independent shops and a co-op, small train station and is on a river with a cycle path all the way to Carlisle running alongside it. There is a new build estate and some very nice period properties available too.
www.dalston.org.uk
Don't be put off by the flood pictures on the website!

Thank you Reluctant2ndtimer. A friend's brother also suggested Dalston so I will definitely look at that as an option. It is so difficult to make such big decisions from this far away (we are in Canada)!!

I'd second Dalston.
Our kids are at High Hesket, which is lovely - but depends what you call cycling distance! In town, Stanwix is generally pretty nice.
Check the flood maps first for everywhere!

PS - UoC staff or student?

Stanwix is nice to live, but depends what you want from a school. Stand in the playground at playtime and imagine your child in there, before you decide on a school. Dalston is a nice area, i hear good things about the school. Theres a canal you can cycle down straight to carlisle. Theres lots of villages around carlisle that are lovely. I live 7 miles out in a little village and i work at uni. Takes 15 mins by car or there's a bus every 30 mins. Ive never cycled though!

CanadatoCarlisle-Did you move? I have just moved from the Channel Islands to Carlisle. We live in a village called Houghton. Its very pleasant. I have a 3 year old and am finding a couple of activities/groups for my daughter but there is not as much here as there was for her (and me in terms of meeting new people) in Guernsey. Hoping it will just take more time to source out the good groups :-)