Settling in Northern England

[Bluemum29]

Following a military career with lots of moving, we want to find our forever home.

Criteria as follows:
North of England (Cheshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire)
Good secondary schools
Rural location/village vibes
Within 1hr to a city

Would love some personal recommendations, please!

What about Lancashire? Lots of rural living, good/great schools.

Definitely open to Lancashire. Just need some direction on appropriate villages. Thanks!

Villages around Malton in NYorks are nice

Depends on your budget, but if it’s healthy I’d be looking in the Ribble Valley.

Saddleworth is lovely, easy access to Manchester and lovely villages

I would look at some of the villages on the outskirts of Chester

That's a huge area!
When you say good secondaries would you prefer an area with or without any grammar schools?

Beverley, East Yorkshire

And how big a city/type of city were you thinking? Does it need to be a Manchester or Leeds, nice smaller city like Chester or York, small city eg lancaster?

Do you want to be living an hour away from a city if you have children/teens? You'd be a constant taxi service.

Villages around Denby Dale/Penistone/Honley/Holmfirth/Meltham/Marsden tick those boxes and give easy access to at least one of Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, if not more.

How about The Wirral? Lots of rural locations. Close to the beach and Liverpool and Chester. And grammar schools.

I love areas like Kelsall/Tarvin/Tarporley in Cheshire

Will take a look! Thank you

Brilliant, thank you - will take a look at those!

Poynton in Cheshire. Only just over the border from Manchester but a lovely villagey feel. A good secondary school and also on a direct train line into Manchester. Near to great countryside too. Houses are on the pricy end for Manchester though, but if you can afford it, it would work well for you!

Haha! We would need to be a near a city to work - and would like access to shopping & restaurants etc. Its so tricky finding a balance

Poynton sounds as if it would really suit you then!

York is very good for schools plus is a big cultural hub, lots of shopping, restaurants etc with the advantage of good rail links to London and the Dales, Moors and coast all within an hour.