Holiday cottage to buy - recommendations for areas?

[redwinggirl123]

Hi,

We live in South Manchester and are looking to buy a little country retreat for weekends away and wanted ideas/locations for places to buy.

We are looking for:

• Max 2.5 hours drive from South Manc
• Holiday cottage feel in a pretty village with walks on doorstep plus a shop/pub
• Ideally 3 bed, would consider 2 with ideal option to add another
• Budget circa £200k

Obviously we know the lakes and peaks but they are ££, so looking for places that are still lovely, but less pricey e.g. Forest of Bowland?

Any other suggestions or thoughts welcome!

Thank-you!

Masham, North Yorkshire. I don't live there but would love too!

For your price range & number of bedrooms some work would be required:

Church Street, Masham
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66969257.html

If you like the Lakes, why not get somewhere outside the national park? Roads are good from the M6 into Windermere and the Barrow peninsula from the South and into Keswick from the North. Plenty of much cheaper properties from just North of Lancaster through to Penrith, which are all within relatively quick/easy travelling into the Lake District.

For example, lots of people have holiday homes (mostly static caravans) on the coast at Hest Bank, Bolton le Sands and Carnforth, literally minutes from the M6. There are pubs, shops and restaurants closeby. It's popular because you have the coast on your doorstep as well as most of the Lake District within a hours' drive. Plenty of houses for £200k around there.

Glad you understand.

If you’re thinking your elderly parents might move in then you need to be looking for places well served by public transport, surgeries etc. Rural living can be very difficult if you suddenly can’t drive etc - my Pil have just decamped into a town for that very reason.