Seaside towns in England or Scotland ?

[Requinblanc]

First message ever posted so hope I am doing this right...

I want to move out of London for a quieter life after recovering from some serious health issues. I was born in a seaside town and I miss the sea. Can anyone recommend a friendly and safe seaside town ever commutable to London or to Glasgow?

I work from home but I would want to have access to a city to keep up with cultural stuff (I am quite an arty, vegan type). I want a small-ish house, 2 bed maximum and schools are not an issue as kids are grown. One thing I am mindful of is that although I am a British citizen, I was born in a different country (France) so I don't want somewhere where I might feel out of place (although I must say that in my 25 years here I have very issues but Brexit has made me nervous).

I have considered Folkstone, Leigh on Sea, Deal. Margate/Ramsgate are a bit too far for me and as I am not in the best of health I need something that is not to 'rough'. My budget is not more than £260,000/£280,000 so Whistable and Brighton are out. Not sure about Hastings/St Leonard although some people have told me not to dismiss them.

I am also very keen to hear about commutable seaside towns in Scotland up to 45 minutes from Glasgow or Edinburgh as I am starting to think this might be a good alternative. I am not a big sun-worshipper and I think life in Scotland might be a better and more affordable option of my situation. I love sailing and the outdoors and I am also quite attracted to Glasgow's general vibe and friendliness.

Any suggestions most welcome!!

North Berwick in Scotland

Lewes- not quite coastal but very close to Brighton could also work and has the kind of arty vibe you describe.

Have you discounted Folkestone? We moved down here from London and I was extremely sceptical as knew very little about it and what I did I didn’t like, but four years in and we love it. It is so utterly beautiful and has the best of all worlds (quite a few French expats here too I believe - they have their own social media groups and meet ups). There is so much to do and the lifestyle is fabulous. Plus we still pop up to London every now and then so don’t feel totally out of the loop with friends up there...

There are dozens of seaside towns within that distance from Edinburgh, South Queensferry immediately jumps out but there are loads more.

Tynemouth or North Berwick. Or Berwick itself, though it’s not traditionally seasidey.

North Berwick and South Queensferry

Whitstable fits your brief perfectly, and if you don’t mind a fairly ugly 70s build, rather than a quaint fisherman’s cottage, you’d be able to get a 2 bedroomed house for your budget. You’d have more choice if you’d consider a flat, too.

You could also consider going a couple of miles further down the coast to Herne Bay, and visit Whitstable to get your culture fix.

Bournemouth - fits your bill

Chichester

Another vote for South Queensferry

I think you'll possibly struggle with that budget in North Berwick unless you're happy with ex local authority properties. Other towns on the East Lothian coast (Musselburgh and Dunbar both have sailing clubs) would be my suggestion, or possibly Dalgety Bay in Fife which again has a sailing community and is 40 mins from Edinburgh by train.

I think you'll possibly struggle with that budget in North Berwick unless you're happy with ex local authority properties. Other towns on the East Lothian coast (Musselburgh and Dunbar both have sailing clubs) would be my suggestion, or possibly Dalgety Bay in Fife which again has a sailing community and is 40 mins from Edinburgh by train.

Largs?

I thought North Berwick too but agree with a PP it is pricey so the budget might be an issue. Portobello near Edinburgh is nice, it is more of a suburb of Edinburgh rather than a separate town but it does feel very distinct and has a lovely beach and a nice feel to it.

Am I right that you want to be near London or Glasgow because you want somewhere more culturally interesting? If so, how about somewhere around St Andrews? A bit “small town” but the student population means it’s not as much a cultural backwater/ insular monoglot as you’d otherwise expect.

Hastings has an artsy vibe but a big drug and crime problem. Eastbourne is a nice little town with a mainline to London and Brighton close by.

Troon on Ayrshire coast or Ayr.
or inverkip area

Helensburgh, Rhu, or further round to Rosneath or Cove. Down the coast towards Wemyss Bay and Largs. Even Dunoon or the Isle of Bute, though you may not fancy commuting by ferry (some people do).
Lots of marinas and sailing clubs in the Clyde, and lots of easy day sail distances between them.

Also came on to say North Berwick, which is near Edinburgh and is a lovely place. The villages in Fife are nice too. I would say it’s harder to get a nice seaside venue within 45 mins of Glasgow.

There are some lovely villages within about a 5mile radius of Aldeburgh in Suffolk.

Arty/vegan/cultural - Dundee would work.
Seaside towns nearby- Tayport, carnoustie, broughty ferry. Loads really.

There are a fair few French people around.

Theatre, museums, art galleries, vegan pub, independent cinema. It's a nice place to live. It's always being featured in 'top ten citie' type articles.

Fairlie or inverkip in West Scotland?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-86205911.html

It's a 3 bed though, this is a new development so may not be for you!

Ayr or Troon

Alnmouth. It is on the main line to London. About 3 hrs 45 direct.

Lovaine Terrace, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69063807.html

In Alnmouth. Forgot to mention it's on the line to Edinburgh too, between 1 and 1.5 hrs depending on the train you get.

Musselburgh.