Wanting to move rural but somewhere vibrant — doable?

[esgill]

I grew up in a small artsy town in Dorset which I detested by the time I was a teenager — I dreamed of London and places where things were happening and I went there and then Edinburgh. Now it’s too expensive with a 17 month old and also I do remember some of the better sides of my childhood: making dens in the woods, swimming in the sea, feeling safe, a relatively decent state school, natural beauty etc.

We are looking for something and I’m not sure it exists:

-somewhere with natural beauty and nice architecture.
-somewhere vibrant — an essence of London, Edinburgh or big capitals in outlook and eateries etc
-community vibe
-affordable housing
-train links (I can’t drive — I have epilepsy). —ultimately, somewhere that doesn’t feel like the end of the road/a place you go to die. I feel very sensitive about this from my own upbringing.

any suggestions?

Another vote for Hebden Bridge.

Second Swansea....very affordable city on the beach. . access to Gower for amazing beauty lovely park/gardens. Not too big, a bit of an arts scene ,good restaurants friends moved down there and found lots going on.. good food scene too .
Theres a university so think that helps....and a hospital,
People really friendly......
No idea about schools.

And seems a competitive job market for comparatively low wages so i would make sure work sorted ...

Shrewsbury or Ludlow may fit the bill - both have nice architecture and scenery, lots of independent eateries and bars, sense of community and all of South Shropshire rural beauty to explore. We live in a small village just outside Shrewsbury so have it on our doorstep but within 2 mins walk from door we are in the fields and woods.

Norfolk

In right area you'll be very rural but stay within spitting distance of Norwich and you can get that city vibrancy.

Dies a bit of a death in winter and you must be able to drive

Have lived in both Sheffield and Edinburgh and I think this is a fairly English POV. Sheffield has access to a lot of countryside, for England. You have to remember, Edinburgh is right next to the Scottish Borders, one of the least densely populated parts of the UK. Other countryside is in very easy reach too. I wouldn't say swapping Edinburgh for Sheffield would give you more countryside. There are just far, far more people down here.

Hebden Bridge or Totnes

Tynemouth is a good shout, love the surf lessons, beach sauna and yoga as well as fish shack and other indies. Has metro links to Newcastle and therefore east coast main line.

£200,000 for a one bed flat though.

I wondered about some of the East coast villages, Staithes, Robin Hoods Bay etc, but very isolated and no trains.

Pickering or Malton could work. Malton is known as ‘foodie’.

Meeting your wish list less, perhaps , but more affordable, Saltburn. Vintage market, indies, beach, train, just not quite as ‘nice’.

Lewes

Hexham. Great facilities and schools. Train line to both the east and west coast main lines. Surrounded by the beautiful Northumberland countryside.

Anywhere that has what you are looking for won't have affordable housing, because everyone else will be wanting to live there too.

Glastonbury?

bradford on avon

Please share your secret for getting to London in one hour from Norwich

I second Stroud. Artsy, vegan, tons of yoga and cafe culture but also surrounded by incredible outdoor life. Schools are excellent. Access to best grammar school in the country ( or one of them) from memory. Links to London very good due to new Paddington line

What is your budget?

Belper in Derbyshire.

Small town with a railway station and lots of buses to Derby and Nottingham plus Bakewell, Buxton and Matlock. Close to the Peak District.

A real community with lots of organisations and clubs.

A twice yearly food festival, an annual arts trail and a weekend long green festival every 2 years. A popular football team, and also rugby, cricket and hockey teams.

A brilliant town centre with lots of pubs, restaurants, live music, historic walks and talks. Interesting independent shops like greengrocer, butcher, deli, but also a couple of big supermarkets. Services like library, GPs, dentists, opticians, hairdresser, etc.

Close to National Trust places and also Chatsworth and Haddon Hall.

A monthly farmers market, makers market and plant market.

House prices rising but still more affordable than many places.

My home town, we moved here 5 years ago and really love it.

Whitley Bay near Newcastle.

Not rural per se but on a lovely beach and very vibrant (vegan options, fancy coffee, independent cinema etc) and quite affordable

I was going to say hebden bridge too. I loved in Mytholmroyd when I was at uni in Manchester and commuted in. Very artsy communities. Easy to Manchester by train.

Stroud, Totnes, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden. Otley.

The big question is, what do you mean by affordable?

Stamford in Lincolnshire. All of what you are looking for with train link to London . Affordable if you are selling up from the South . Plenty lovely villages all around to pick from . Hope you find you dream .

If you want good transport links look along the route of the East Coast Mainline. East midlands (Lincolnshire/ Leicestershire) is very underrated. House prices great, fab countryside, loads of good food options, excellent state grammar schools, and if you crave the bright lights you can get to London or Edinburgh very quickly and at a much more reasonable price than other train operators.

PS the people suggesting Norfolk are bonkers. Fabulous place but you cannot get to London in an hour even from Norwich. My DB lives there - house prices high, public transport poor even by rural standards, health care not adequate for the population, traffic round Norwich is dire and schools very spread out.

Saltburn- close to the North Yorkshire moors, on the coast, with lots of independent little businesses and has a train station.

What I mean is Stamford is expensive for Lincolnshire but if you are coming from outside Lincolnshire it may not look so expensive to you . X

I asked earlier in the thread, pointless without that information.

OP hasn't returned.