Places to live for off road running/biking

[longcoffeebreak]

Can anyone recommend somewhere for me to live with great trail running with my dogs and off
road biking from (very near) my (imaginary at the moment) house in a friendly town somewhere?

Low crime rate, beautiful accessible landscape and good community. But not constantly raining!!

But also within 30 or so mins of a decent size city for arts/independent film/fun things to see and do/work for me/my teenagers?

Scottish Borders!!!

4 bed in Glentress Forest (mountain biking and hiking centre), just outside Peebles (gorgeous small town) 20 miles outside Edinburgh.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130199729?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Bewl water

Hmm further east in Yorkshire also good with less rain then?

Ilkley won Sunday time best place to live last year anyone know it or Otley?? Harrogate also always features as does York. Any trails round there?

According to Met office Harrogate only gets 750mm of rain a year. Leeds and York even less ...

Any direct access to trails?

Edwinstowe is lovely 💕

Bournemouth and Poole not great for cycling tbh. Too much traffic. I’d say the New Forest preferable (some places doable in 400k) and even that’s not amazing.

West side of Salisbury plain. Warminster is nestled between it and the Longleat estate. Houses are in your price range.
Half an hour down the Wyle Valley to Salisbury. Half an hour the other way to Bath. Both routes have great countryside.
Super trendy Frome is just up the road, so you can either become mega hip or just explore Vallis Vale and the eastern mendips.
Cani cross groups very active and welcoming.
Trains not too bad.

Lots to think about here hadn't considered Kent, Sherwood Forest area or Scotland!!!
Norfolk wins the low rainfall competition (apart from Kent perhaps) but a bit flat!!

I'm leaning towards Malvern and Yorkshire.

Direct access to Hengistbury Head which is a doggy paradise.

And Derbyshire for the Peaks

It’s a nice village, the two nearest towns are a bit run down/ropey but nottingham is nice. There’s a great mtb culture with some friendly clubs which meet up in the area.

I don't think there are any bad areas in Malvern, but I agree the Malvern Wells/ West Malvern areas would be good, but more look at houses along the top edge.

Ilkley

I live in SE Cornwall but somewhere in West Devon would suit you, for slightly less rain, East Devon, Dartmoor Exmoor Bodmin moor coastal paths & miles of easy mtb trails.

It can rain anywhere in the UK and lots of it.... building flood defence schemes is a growth industry in the UK but at least the S/w doesn't usually get a lot of snow.

Warminster or westbury. To be fair, anywhere around the plains is fab, plus it's hardly ever muddy!
I'm a 10 mins walk to the plains, fab walking and biking.
Longleat has a decent purpose built trail track.

Your budget would get you a lush house! There's Bath 20 mins down the road and Frome around the corner.

Westbury to London is an hour by train.

@Cyclingforcake is it a good place to live? Ticks all my boxes except perhaps rainfall but not as high as I thought

@Alexandra2001 only thing missing is big city access

You can get a 4 bed detached modern house for 380-400k in Milngavie and Bearsden. West Highland Way on your doorstep, along with Mugdock country park, Mugdock reservoir (good for swimming) and acres of woods. Carron Valley is stunning, Strathblane too. Milngavie also has great schools and a direct train to Glasgow (15mins) and Edinburgh (75mins) for any city stuff you may need!

Driffield, East Yorkshire and surrounding villages or is that too far North?

Dorking

@longcoffeebreak Calderdale definitely drier than North Manchester - I’m from Mcr and we walk and cycle most weekends in Calderdale because it’s noticeably drier. Once you get over the M62 at Ripponden it’s drier from there all the way up to Leeds really.

Broughty Ferry, beside Dundee. Excellent access to the Cairngorms and beyond. On the N1 cycle route with lots of near by gravel and road cycling. Great trail running within 20 minutes. Within 90 minutes you've got endless MTB and other outdoor activity options. You would get a great house for your budget, good state schools too! All Scotlands major cities within easy access by car or public transport.

I moved here from the gorgeous West Coast, and it's grown on me hugely!

Ah sorry i missed that.... technically, Exeter is a city!!! not sure it would be what your looking for.

Bournemouth/ Poole already been mentioned. What I’d say is that there is good amount of what I’d call semi urban trial ( like the Castlemans) but how directly accessible it is depends on exactly where you live. I find I tend to drive and run from a carpark close to the trail head. Sometimes I go SW pathway to swanage and get the bus back which is fun.

Cilcain in north east wales. You would fit right in. You can bike into the clywdian hills from the door, great for running.And about 30 mins from Chester. Great theatre 5 miles away.