Living in a great community with lots going on

[Overthehillsandfaraway8]

If you live in a place with a great community spirit, lots going on and beautiful countryside, tell me about it! I am looking to move and need inspiration. Looking for somewhere with good transport links, lovely countryside and lots of cultural events with friendly neighbours and a sense of a community. Is this too much to ask? Preferably an independent cinema/arts centre too.

Horsell, near woking... ticks all those boxes apart from the independent cinema!

Hertford.
Ticks all the boxes although the cinema is part time as it is within Hertford Theatre which does all sorts of entertainment including film screening. There is another independent cinema in nearby Welwyn.

Hertford also has a castle with lots of events.

Kendal.

Right on the doorstep to the Lake District

Close to Morecambe Bay for beaches

Has the Brewery Arts Centre (independent cinema, theatre, comedy etc) The Dukes theatre in Lancaster is easy to get to from there too.

Good transport links (M6 and on the West Coast Mainline)

Lots of cultural stuff going on in Kendal and surrounding areas, can get to many other places in the northwest (Manchester, Liverpool etc) very easily if you need to and can be in Edinburgh or London by train quite quickly too.

Definitely Bath! If you look at one of the more 'villagey' parts of Bath like Larkhall then you'll get the lovely community feel, all whilst being a 10-15 minute walk from the centre of town.

Bath is also well-served by trains to/fro London and other major cities. Once the lines have been properly electrified, you'll be able to get into London even quicker than currently.

Faversham in Kent. Ticks all the boxes!

Hebden Bridge.
Quite a few places would fit this description in West Yorkshire.

Might want to do some climate checks on a couple of these ...

We definitely have several climates in Kendal. Sometimes all on the same day.

Winner!

Actually @Beckyt80, The Ambassadors is an independent cinema as far as cinema goes.

They just don't show anything arty

I love Horsell. If only I could afford it. Good community though!

Sheffield. I used to visit someone's home there and we could walk one way and end up in the peak district in 20 minutes or the other way and end up in the city centre in considerably less than that.

Reigate in Surrey. Lovely place, great transport links to London, lots of independent shops, restaurants & cinema, great schools, countryside on your doorstep. V expensive unfortunately!

Hebden Bridge floods regularly though, and it always rains in Kendal. I love Bath, but it is very expensive property wise.

Only come to Hebden Bridge if you can handle the weather! It is a wet place. It's one of the few things that would make me want to move.

I've lived in Matlock and it's a great community with stunning scenery. Beeston in Notts. has an amazing community spirit but not the scenery.

Matlock and Belper in Derbyshire are both lovely towns.

Many Midlands market towns have what you’re looking for

What’s your budget?

There's a poster on here, I think ishe's got 'crumbs' in the name, I've always thought where she lives sounds really lovely. Lots of activities all the village join in with. I'd love to know where it is and to live somewhere like that!