Beautiful Cumbria...

[Rollmops]

Daydreaming about a gorgeous mansion by the lake or similar...
Bit fed up with the cramped conditions of South Oxfordshire. Want big open fields, mountains and lakes, etc.etc.
DH could work from pretty much anywhere in the UK, lucky him.
Could get an enormous house up there if sold our current one.
Is there anybody from the lovely land of lakes? What say you? What do you like most about living there and what are the not-so-goods?
Any and all advise would be very much appreciated.

I don't live up there but I can imagine the not-so-goods are the tourists on the roads in the summer.

I would love to move to the Lakes and have every intention of some day living there even if its when I retire!!!

We live not far from the Lakes and are northerners. Have you looked at house prices there? They are quite high. Also the weather can be dreadful. The wettest county in the country and regularly snowed in in winter. No shops worth speaking of.

Thank you for replies!
The house prices are very reasonable compared to South East, don't mind the rain and love snow. As for the shops, could always go to Edinburgh or London if felt like shopping, however, not that bothered anymore.
Thinking of our 2 year old twins, great place to grow up, isn't it?

my husband's been working up there since august. if he were here he would say... beautiful but decidedly third world, particularly in summer. shit restaurants, crap transport no decent shops, and quite honestly, anyone with a sniff of a southern accent immediately resented by locals. Particularly if you buy the local manor.

Lakes area V expensive in the National Park. And everyone knows everyone! If you live in the National Park bit the roads are ridiculous in Summer and most of the county is unuseable at the moment.

I'm in the South of the county but not in the Lakes if you want to know any more.

BTW there is Manchester for shopping!

sorry should read "particularly in winter".

Summer ain't much better

Hi
I originate from Cumbria (Ambleside) and couldn't wait to leave when I was 18.

Good bits

• Lovely to look at
• Quiet pace of life
• Lots of wildlife
• Outdoor activities

Bad bits

• Very insular attitudes
• Resentment to 'offcomers'
• Your children will not be able to afford to live there and will move away when older
• No 'Sex,drugs or rock 'n' roll'
• If husband loses current job - not many other well paid ones available
• NOSEY PARKERS (and lots of them)
• No cultural activities

Cheers

Jayne10b

Thank you all, iiiinteresting. However, as a lifelong expat with fabulous Scot for DH and general 'I truly do not care what Da' Peee'ple think', wouldn't worry about local snobbery.
Job situation must be considered carefully, though, as always.
I would like to hear some more about your part of the county, nymphadora if you don't mind.
What are the nice areas, towns, villages? How are the transport links i.e. trains to London, Edi, etc. How are the schools, both private and state? What do you think of Carlisle, nice and safe for children or littered with 'gang lands'?
Sorry for barrage of questions, I would greatly appreciate insiders view on such things.
Thank you, everyone, for replies!

Transport links poor unless you go for a town off the motorway. Kendal(there is another thread going on Kendal) , Penrith or Carlisle. Can't tell you much about Carlisle but it does have decent shops. Kendal & Penrith both nice towns with fair amount of decent schools etc. Kendal & Penrith also both on the edge of the lakes so cheaper but have nice views!

I live in a remote part of Cumbria, am just about to buy a big house in a little village (not a mansion but nice and roomy big- I live in a 4 bed estate house and it makes my estate house look like a shed). I think house prices are excellent here. I have lived here 15 years and also lived in Ireland, London and Edinburgh. I have two young kids and school at primary age is great. The village is very welcoming and I do not think snobby at all. Transport links are very poor. However, Cumbria suffered greatly from the floods and ia likely to get massive investment due to new nuclear build in the next 5 years. So I expect the infrastructure to impove. I take the train to London about once a month and it is an hour and a half drive to a main station and from there, less than 3 hours to central london. I can do it in a day but usually stay overnight if I am going down as it is a long day.
If you look at the areas traditionally thought of as the Lakes, I agree that is very expensive. I have a local lake which is very famous and only 9 miles away. I love it here, love the people, love the lifestyle. Am proud to live here and do not find my community snobby
If I shop, it is mostly online but as I travel to London a lot, I shop there too. I would prefer to travel to shops and enjoy the life I have and afford to spend money when I get to the shops! But then others could not be without these things. I would prefer not to be too specific about where i live but you can CAT me

northumberland would give you the wilderness without the crowds, plus great rail and air links, closer to edinburgh than the lakes, harry potter scenery etc...

oh and much much cheaper of course

i grew up in south lakes. you wouldn't need to go all the way to london or edinburgh for the shops you'd miss. most people just go to leeds or manchester.

i don't think carlisle is particularly nice, but then it's at the opposite side to where i was in a village in the lyth valley

jayne10b, when were you 18. Ok agree with most of it except no sex, drugs and rock n roll. Also your children won't have many opportunities in the area when they reach adulthood and are best moving for jobs, education etc.