Lake District Living

[househuntingFTM]

Hi!
Looking to relocate from west York's to Lake District.
Good public transport (reliant on buses and trains due to health issues), schools, community-feel and distinct lack of social deprivation and grimness are our main priorities.
I need to be able to get about on buses to a bigger place for work opportunities once baby is older. Is this possible in the Lakes?
Can anyone advise on good places to consider?

I'd scope out Penrith and oxenholme area. Not sure about schools but both tick your boxes regarding transport..........Kendal has fab bus services and a trainstation too. It also ticks the good schools box.

Windermere has good bus / transport links too in season. And also fab schools ....... But tbh you won't get much for your money and as someone who lives on the fringes I'd absolutely hate to live there.

Lakes is expensive, and so are buses. I would look around the sides of the National Park such as Cockermouth or Penrith. They are also less touristy which wasn't an issue this year but is likely to be in future years.

I live just outside the Lake District national park and tbh I am constantly hearing about how appalling the public transport around here is. Kendal has a bus station, but I don't know where you can get to from there that's bigger. It does have nearby Oxenholme train station though, which has trains to all over including London.

We live in a village 15 mins south-ish of Kendal. We love it here, but we don't use public transport. Schools vary, as they do everywhere, but there are some decent ones. We looked at areas on the NW side of the Lake District and tbh it was really grim. Beautiful countryside but the villages and towns really down-at-heel, except Cockermouth which is ok.

In terms of house prices, inside the National Park is expensive. Outside is cheaper. But it depends what house prices are like where you are now. We moved from Oxfordshire so it's cheaper here for us.

Lazy Kendal bus station is good, we use it often and can get to Lancaster, Penrith, Keswick etc.......personally I'd miss out the lakes and head to Lancaster. Small but very safe city with lots of green spaces, lots of festivals with a lovely, safe vibe. Excellent schools, decent job opportunities so the op may not even have to travel out and excellent transport links with direct trains into London and Edinburgh.

I would also say unless you have a good amount of money behind you it is better to keep out of the National Park. Oxenholme and Penrith are train stations a few more in Eden like Armathwaite which is half way between Penrith and Carlisle also a bus service not sure if it is every day. I used to live there years ago. Outstanding primary school. Penrith has a Grammar school and large comprehensive. Some good schools in the Nat. Park not sure about Penrith. It is quite old fashioned in a good way. Lovely shop assistants whenever I have visited. Keswick lovely but busy tourist wise and you need to be careful as lots of streets flood regularly. Kendal and Cockermouth flood too as do some of the villages.West coast is mixed I think. St. Bees quite nice. Better coast is Grange over Sands and I think there is a train to
Lancaster there.
What type of accommodation are you after?