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Original poster

Recommendations needed -- most ideal place in Cumbria / Lake District area

59 replies

reisende · 26/02/2021 02:19

Hi,

Husband and I have made up our mines to move from Asia and back to the UK (for him). We are a family of five, husband is British and is tired of corporate life here as an expatriate. Kids age 9, 6 and 4 (this year). We wish to live a simpler life, with beautiful countryside, slower pace of life, etc.

Always my dream to live in the Lake District, never been to this part of the UK, but been reading forum posts on this area -- Lancaster, Kirkby Lonsdale, Bolton le Sands, Carnforth, etc.

Our requirements: Good state primary schools for the children, just not too uncomfortably small. Prefer a detached house, budget about 200k-250k, but could be stretched a lot to up to 700k if pooled together with mother in law (bigger budget is great but would need e.g. an annex /separate living accommodation for her). Obviously we would prefer a small house of our own, but I am aware 250k can't get us any charming cottages.

Area has to be safe, also preferably welcoming! :)

No need to be near any cities for work/commute, will be mostly working from home.

I read that Kirky Lonsdale is fantastic -- I am looking into it. Any other recommendations?

Seems like there are many good schools too in Lancaster, but not sure if it's best location if we want some countryside.

Extremely apprehensive making this huge decision! So please help me make an informed one!

But also very excited at the prospect of living in this area - I love running, and fell running sounds about the best thing in the world but I will probably need introductory course on even basic things like what to wear we are now living in the humid tropics -- 27C all year round :|

OP posts:
Original poster
reisende · 26/02/2021 02:21

Gosh, spelling errors and what's with the cross out? Apologies about that!

we have made up our MINDS!

OP posts:
Funf · 27/02/2021 08:12

Its difficult as once you get near the national park prices rocket up, have you checked the weather? It has a lot of rain and some people find this a big issue.
Personally I would also look at North Wales as housing is much cheaper the A55 is an excellent road link that can have you in Liverpool, or Chester in under an hour. Manchester is a little further.

ivykaty44 · 27/02/2021 08:15

how much are you looking to spend on a house?

Digestive28 · 27/02/2021 08:19

Lancaster is a grammar system for seniors, and once in Cumbria there are good state schools generally both primary and secondary.
Can you afford to rent first? Local knowledge counts for lots so many properties are sold without going on market, so if you are here renting and get to know people you may here of someone selling.
The places you mentioned are all safe and friendly.
There are a couple of relocation companies that maybe worth employing to do some searching for you esp as making by decisions from so far away

DinosaurDiana · 27/02/2021 08:23

I agree that you should rent first, then have a look around.
The Lake District is expensive and there are other cheaper areas in Lancashire and Yorkshire that have what you are looking for.

HowLongTo2022 · 27/02/2021 08:27

Yes definitely rent first. We moved to Cumbria a decade a go and each village has its own feel. We’ve ended up living in an area we didn’t even know existed when we first came. We also have ended up more rural than we would have done at first having moved up from London - when we first arrived it all felt rural but we found when we got used to living up here that having sheep for neighbours really suits us! Good luck with the move.

Funf · 27/02/2021 08:30

Excellent advice rent first

Original poster
reisende · 27/02/2021 10:14

@DinosaurDiana
Great this is so useful; good to know which areas are cheaper.

@Digestive28 yes we can definitely rent, but I would loathe to rent, get kids in school, then move again with the change of schools for them. It would already be a big change for them having to move from Asia to the UK (though we have visited the UK before)

OP posts:
Original poster
reisende · 27/02/2021 10:15

@ivykaty44
We could probably afford £350k max. I am hoping to keep it under £300.

OP posts:
Original poster
reisende · 27/02/2021 10:16

@Funf would living in north wales mean... speaking welsh in schools? 😅

OP posts:
JesusAteMyHamster · 27/02/2021 10:19

Lancaster ticks all your boxes....... excellent grammar school system and also has a uni. Plus good transport links for when the kids get older and want to branch out.

GoofyIsACow · 27/02/2021 10:21

Kirkby Lonsdale is lovely but quite pricey as it’s a very popular place to live. Kendal is nice and nearer to the lakes. There are some lovely villages along the Lune Valley between KL and BLS, Arkholme, Melling, Hornby etc but all very different living so would need exploring depending on your wish list.
Bolton le Sands is lovely and cheaper than KL, closer to the sea too which I always think is a bonus.
Renting is certainly a good idea with you being quite so unfamiliar with the area.

Funf · 27/02/2021 12:12

Welsh is either a 1 hour per week lesson the rest are in English or all lessons are in welsh, many of the welsh speaking schools are excellent, the kids will pick it up.

Original poster
reisende · 27/02/2021 14:38

@GoofyIsACow thank you so much. Will look into these areas!

@Funf I’ve been to Cardiff once decades ago and all I remember of it was: seagulls, grey and cold 😅 I’ll look into it though, thank you.

@JesusAteMyHamster thanks! Yes I was looking at Lancaster too and noticed school options seem plentiful, people like it there, etc. but it’s a city... not sure if that’s what I want as I’d like a change. Where in Lancaster would you recommend to avoid? Rough areas?

OP posts:
MrsAvocet · 27/02/2021 14:46

Have a look at the Cockermouth area. I think that would tick a lot of your boxes and whilst housing is not cheap, as it's outside the Lake District National Park it's not as extortionate as some of the better known towns and villages.
Schools are good and the town itself is pretty but with decent facilities and there's a wide range of housing in the town and surrounding villages.
Keswick would be another option but your housing budget wouldn't go as far there. Or Penrith area. There's a grammar school there and it's close to the motorway so good for communting etc.
Good luck in your search.

Funf · 27/02/2021 14:49

I feel the North is better, cheap housing some good schools.
Look around the A55 road that runs through North Wales Chester, Deganwy, Conwy, Rhos on Sea, St.Asaph, Llangollen or over towards Shropshire. In general the places that have less industry housing is much cheaper.

Its such a difficult choice as the UK is different in each area

ErrolTheDragon · 27/02/2021 14:57

Lancaster is a very small city, it seems more like a large market town to me.

The grammars are good - assuming your kids will pass the 11+ of course, but it's selective not 'superselective' within catchment. The catchment (for the girls, not sure offhand if the boys is the same) extends mostly northwards- if I was moving to the NW again and wanted somewhere nice in thr countryside but not touristy I'd probably look at the Silverdale area (no idea about house prices).

Original poster
reisende · 28/02/2021 02:38

@ErrolTheDragon
Super helpful. Thank you.
How does catchment work— is it a fixed distance by miles or are there certain boundaries for each school?

Thank you @Funf I will look into those areas!
We found some beautiful houses in Shropshire, but I am not sure how profitable holiday lets will be there — are there many visitors to the Shropshire hills?

Thanks too @MrsAvocet

We are also thinking of purchasing a holiday cottage to let to generate some income. Hence we want to live near the Lake District, to be sufficiently close to the holiday let to manage it. But not sure too where the “best place” for holiday cottages are! Looking at the map, it would make sense in areas between Yorkshire dales and Lake District?

OP posts:
JesusAteMyHamster · 28/02/2021 02:52

Lancaster is a city......but isn't really a city as it's tiny. It's a lovely, safe community with a fab, laid back vibe. There's so much going on (( well pre covid )) it even has an outdoor theater in the woods at Williamson park. It's also very green and has miles of canals, parks and woods to explore. Plus you aren't far from the coast and the lake District itself.

To get an idea of where you want to move to I'd rent an air b&b for a week in each place. But for me Lancaster is the ideal place to bring up young teens who will start to want their freedom.

ErrolTheDragon · 28/02/2021 08:05

[quote reisende]@ErrolTheDragon
Super helpful. Thank you.
How does catchment work— is it a fixed distance by miles or are there certain boundaries for each school?

Thank you @Funf I will look into those areas!
We found some beautiful houses in Shropshire, but I am not sure how profitable holiday lets will be there — are there many visitors to the Shropshire hills?

Thanks too @MrsAvocet

We are also thinking of purchasing a holiday cottage to let to generate some income. Hence we want to live near the Lake District, to be sufficiently close to the holiday let to manage it. But not sure too where the “best place” for holiday cottages are! Looking at the map, it would make sense in areas between Yorkshire dales and Lake District?[/quote]
The best thing to do with schools and their admissions criteria including catchments is to always find the info from their websites so you've got the up to date info. In the case of the girls' GS there are boundaries, there's a map in their admissions policy doc.

lggs.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/Determined-2021-Admissions-Policy.pdf?t=1614499316?ts=1614499316

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 28/02/2021 08:17

Ummmm, if you remember Cardiff for the “seagulls, grey and cold “ you do realise you will have to grey and cold in abundance 300 miles further North?

BoKatan · 28/02/2021 08:20

Cockermouth ticks all your boxes and we're a friendly bunch.

TheCumbrian · 28/02/2021 08:22

Lancaster is nice but it's in a bit of an odd downturn at the moment, it's heavily reliant on university students and still readjusting to most of the accommodation moving out of town and onto campus and there is an awful lot of development going on at the moment which will be great when it's finished but at the moment Lancaster feels like one big building site.

I'm going to go against the grain and suggest the Penrith area. There's some lovely villages and you are right on the edge of both the Lake District National Park and The Yorkshire Dales national Park. Excellent transport links - straight onto the M6 and on the west coast mainline and good links with Carlisle, the North East, Keswick, Kendal/Lancaster etc.

The schools are pretty good and you are minutes away from fells in all directions.

It always surprises me that Penrith doesn't come up in these sorts of threads much, people always seem to concentrate on Lancaster, Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale.

It's also worth looking at the villages around Kendal, there's some lovely places with great communities and the two secondary schools in Kendal are generally good but you don't get as much for your money.

Didiusfalco · 28/02/2021 08:31

Agree with Jess Lancaster isn’t a city in the way you usually think of it. You can see out to the coast in one direction and the hills in another. Very close to lovely countryside. I’m not sure about the holiday let side. I think the Lake District would be the most profitable area, but it is very expensive in the tourist spots, like the amounts you’re talking about spending on a house you could easily spend on a flat. Plus there are local occupancy rules.
I love Shropshire, and I’m sure there is a market for holiday lets there, but it won’t be like the lakes in terms of demand or price. I would love to live there though. Around church Stretton and the long mynd is particularly beautiful and some good schools.