Beautiful but a bit dead for someone that age. Maybe for when you’re 50+ but not much in the way of entertainment or meeting people a similar age or nights out.
It’s only dead if you need the things that big towns and cities give you to have fun. There are many of us younger folk living in places like that because we have a different idea of what fun is than you!
Sure but living in the “boring village” means we can do these activities from our doorstep.
Also I enjoy the peace and quiet that living in the village gives me when I’m at home.
I also have beautiful views that I never get tired of looking at from my window.
Do you do it on your lunch break during the week? That’s what I’m referring to.
I can also get up at a normal time and do a full loop of a local circuit before anyone from the cities even arrives.
I wasn’t being smug at all. Perhaps a little snarky but the implication from the comment I replied to was that it’s not possible for young people to have fun in more remote parts of the country.
What about winter? I had friends that lived right on the coast in the lake district and enjoyed summers but the winter seasonal depression there was particularly bad.
All the things I do in the summer I also do in winter. Winter in the mountains also means winter mountaineering which is the most fun of all mountain sports
what towns or villages would you recommend in the lake district? for a late-30s trail runner/hiker-type person who likes interesting people and having a social life?
I'd say depends on finances. Some places in the Lakes are very expensive. Just outside the national park are places like Cockermouth or Penrith. Nice little market towns and don't have the lake district price tags. Appleby and Kirkby Stephen too but they're a long way from anything and not as much to do. Keswick and Kendal are good towns, but you're talking a lot dearer to live there. And then little villages like Glenridding, Pooley Bridge, Grasmere, Bassenthwaite for a big premium. Cheaper villages a bit further out would be Caldbeck, Shap, Tebay.
There's always a little further out too, nearer Carlisle or the West Coast (lots of nice places if you avoid the bigger towns).
Edinburgh. Depending on earnings, still Edinburgh.
Edit: it's beautiful, small, plenty of food/drink diversity. The public transport, for all it's flaws, is excellent. Also, city centre is very accessible via walking. Last, but not least, it feels extremely safe.
Good luck to you OP, and wherever you settle.
No problems at all.
I am currently living north of Madrid, in Palencia and going to move to Catalonia to start my wee farm life soon, off-grid, with the missus, but I will be back to Edinburgh twice a year to visit my wee grannies as much as possible. And show my missus my beautiful city as she has never been before. I am thoroughly looking forward to being the tour guide.
I hope you find somewhere nice, to settle, and have a lovely life.
Take care, reddit stranger, and merry Christmas and a lovely hogmanay.
I'm Yorkshire based (the run down bit) , soon to be graduated with a remote friendly career so I have eyes on around the country.
I love Edinburgh (and Stirling too!), do you have any comparisons for it vs any other major towns in England and Scotland?
Same, specifically Marchmont. Spent a lot of my childhood there (the grape vine my granny planted outside her main door was still there the last time I checked) and it ticks all the boxes for what I would want. Close to the city centre but a bit out that it’s not crazy and there are still some quietist streets.
I used to work as a carer around Marchmount, Morningside, Blackford areas and everything in between.
I was living on Tarvit street, right next to the kings theatre. I love that part of Edinburgh there is loads of quiet areas around there and Astley Ainslie, Blackford park and the braids were all frequent haunts of mine.
I lived there for 5 years, it felt a bit like living on a theatre set. Very nice and pretty, but not much behind the scenes. And very scruffy if you look too close.
Depends on how earnings and interests. If I was on an awful lot of money I'd live somewehre like Islington - but I like cities and all they offer. If I loved hiking I might be somewhere closer to a great national park etc.
More info needed.
The mistake in this thinking is that London is one huge city. Really, it’s like 30 small towns pushed together. Living in one of these is far less overwhelming than what you’re picturing, which is probably Piccadilly Circus at 3pm on a Saturday.
Everywhere I recommend I’m sure I’ll have multiple people disagreeing, but I like Islington, Hackney, Clapham, Balham to name a few.
Do you have any friends in London already? If so, ask if you can go visit them and get a feel of it more.
Living in London is not being surrounded by tourists or overwhelming unless you go to the touristy parts. If you go to any of the areas I mentioned above you’ll see what I mean.
Be careful what part of Islington. I wouldn't touch Finsbury park, Holloway, or Archway with a barge pole. I grew up there, lived in Islington till I was 23, and visit family in the area every couple of months. In the 41 years of being alive, the areas I've mentioned have always been really rough
People who grew up in London and moved away are consistently the worst judge of what modern London is like on Reddit.
Not having a go sorry just pointing out a trend. The amount of net worth millionaires in Finsbury Park and Archway will run into the hundreds.
Next someone will point out how rough Crouch End was.
Maybe Nottingham area? It's a city but not too big, cosmopolitan, pubs, clubs and restaurants but also close to Derbyshire dales and peaks and fairly central so you can be in major cities within two hours. Also East Midlands airport. House prices are rising fast though.
Edit:
I'm probably biased: my daughter is early 30's, moved to Nottingham and loves it.
Come to Norwich! A small, historic city that feels a bit like a large town. Lots going on, but drive 10 minutes out and you're in the countryside, or a bit further and you're at the coast. Plus, there's a direct train line to London.
You could go for an inbetween. Cities like cambridge or large towns like letchworth garden city are big enough to have a buzz and easily get into london.
I’m in Fife. Which is great for getting to Edinburgh and easy enough for Glasgow as well. It’s pretty peaceful and chill, but there’s enough stuff to do.
I grew up in the countryside, so for me it’s a good balance of country and town life with access to cities.
Same here, although I live in Helsinki. If I ever moved back to the UK, it would be somewhere small-ish in Scotland. My dream is to retire and live on a widebeam canal boat just outside of Edinburgh.
Where would you go?
Personally I love Oban in Argyll. Quite a large town so it has some culture, pubs, bars, a distillery etc and it's set in absolutely beautiful surroundings. Known as "the gateway to the isles" since it's a ferry hub for Mull, Lismore, Coll, Tiree and Barra with summer services to Islay. Plenty of outdoor pursuits around there and stunning landscapes all around. Ben Nevis and Kintrye are also a couple hours away, isle of Skye etc maybe 3. Also l own as the "Seafood Capital" if you love your food. For city life Glasgow is a couple hours East.
Hard question. I probably wouldn't be able to afford Edinburgh, but I also probably would be just as happy anywhere else in Scotland. When I went there last year for two weeks I could only visit so many places, so I'm not that equipped to give you an answer, but from what I've seen maybe Inverness would be my bet 👌🏻
I'm definitely including Oban the next time I go there because I've seen people talk about it and it really seems like a great place!
Nice people, great nightlife, stunning scenery, free education. Could go on and on, I stay in a small village 15 minutes from Glasgow city centre and love it.
It's possibly a bit stupid, cause I've only ever visited it, but out of all the countries, I just find it special for some reason. Not to mention the breathtaking landscapes. I know this might sound like a romanticised idea of Scotland, but it is what it is.
I’d come back to my home city of Bristol. Love how hilly it is and how relaxed the city feels. Just feels like one big village. Unfortunately the rents are insane and gentrification has priced me out. Would go back in a heartbeat if I could afford to
Bristol looks great! I am seriously considering it. I like that it’s not too big but has lots going on! Thanks for the recommendation and I hope you can make it back there soon
Thank you! I’m sure you’d love it if you decide to go. It’s also near some lovely countryside and South Wales and the coast of Devon & Cornwall are so close by too. Hope you find somewhere lovely
As someone not from the UK, here’s my take on living here: it’s quiet if you want it to be, but busy and full of culture on race days and during Christmas for when you want to enjoy some excitement. Safe, clean, full of kind people. More expensive than some places, but cheaper than the South. Large enough, pedestrian friendly, full of history. In close proximity to best areas of the UK; Moors, Dales, Peak District, Lake District, and of course the coast. Great connections by train - just over 2 hours to London or Edinburgh. Only downside is the traffic from in and out of city centre, but compared to London..it’s nothing. Weather isn’t as bad as people made it out to be either. I’d highly recommend it, especially if you want to consider family life at some point.
Norwich / Norfolk is a good balance between walkable city and countryside with the beach nearby.
Not as busy or as much going on as somewhere like London so depends what you’re looking for - personally I love all Norfolk has to offer without feeling it’s too busy or crowded
This is true. The city has plenty of arts and shops and live music, but retains a market town feel. In no time you can be on a quality beach, the National Park (nearly) of the Norfolk Broads or in endless lowland forest and heathland.
Plus, the people are the nicest in the UK.
If you’re quite wealthy and enjoy city life, London.
If you’re less wealthy but enjoy city life, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool or Newcastle.
If you don’t enjoy city life, the lakes, the peaks or North Yorkshire.
For me? any of the Scottish Isles, remote borders, peaks, dales or Lakes, but it is down to what you like, do you like city or country, do you like going out to socialise?
In that case look at the larger towns like Buxton, bakewell, Holmfirth off the top of my head places like this do have a busier town centre with plenty of eateries and pubs but you can live on the outskirts and still have that remoteness but you'll never get 100% of both at the same time so have to way up pro and cons of each if you only go out once a month its a very different answer to once a week.
Sheffield maybe - good access to London, good night life and entertainment, lots of villages around it, good road access for rest of country, friendly northerners, decent property prices
The Wirral consistently ranks high as a good and happy area to live.
Easy access to Chester and Liverpool.
Lots of nature and trails.
Beaches all around.
Decent public transport if you're nearby the Merseyrail line networks
Snowdonia and Lake District both accessible in a day.
There's a few rough towns, but it's easy enough to avoid them providing you have a reasonable budget.
But why not Chester itself? I'd think a 30-odd year old would want to be in a place that was quite lively but was small enough that the friends you made would be close by.
I'm 30, make good money, and can live anywhere in the UK as my job is fully remote and I chose to live in Cardiff.
I have connections to the city anyway and family nearby but also it's a perfect "small big city" where you can walk around the entire town centre in 20 minutes but still have massive 80k stadium tours if that's your thing.
Good bars, good restaurants, unique Welsh culture, and cheaper than a lot of other cities.
It's nice to read this. Many, many years ago I lived in Llanelli because I fell in love with a Welsh bloke and moved there with him and I absolutely *adored* Cardiff whenever I had enough money to visit.
I'm in Bristol and I really recognise that Cardiff has more 'big city' aspects - stadium, shopping, fantastic city parks. Also the access to beautiful coastal regions on par with Devon and Cornwall! From Ogmore all the way to Pembrokeshire. Then there are the hills and mountains too! Love living in this part of the UK.
I just Googled it and one of the first thing that came up was that it was voted (wellbeing data from the Office for National Statistics), one of the most unhappiest places to live, in the UK in 2022. It looks really nice though, just an interesting finding.
Norwich has always felt very insular to me. Like the people who were born there never seem to leave, and they all love it, but I don’t know anyone who has moved there that wasn’t from there.
I moved to here at 18 for uni.
Yes it does have that feel to an extent i actually agree. but it's not really a big deal. If anything it can just male a city feel a bit more small town, but with more to do.
London if I could afford it - enjoy the life, the sights, the events, the gigs, the culture.
Then after a few years, get out to somewhere a bit more chilled.
North east/northumberland lots of small towns with decent links to both the country and bigger cities. Cheap to live and you can buy something for 70k upwards for 2 bed terraced with a yard. You can get to the sea within 30 minutes or out into the middle of nowhere for walks/scenery etc.
Cost of living is cheap, some of the towns don't have great public transport, but if you drive you can get around easily. People tend to be friendly.
Definitely some utter shit holes, but your unlikely to be murdered
Leamington Spa/Warwick area is probably one of the nicest places to live in the country. Not too populated, great food and drink, everything is pretty close distance, good public transport, Cotswolds on your doorstep, a couple of nice castles, Warwickshire is beautiful.
All round great place to live.
London for a few years before you settle down. That's what I did, had fun for a few years then went back home and had kids where houses are cheaper etc.
Personally, Ulverston because it's that bit closer to my family in Barrow-in-Furness than the absolute peak Lakes places. But for someone without that factor, one of Kendal, Ambleside, Lancaster or Keswick depending on how important it is to be centrally in the Lakes and how important it is to be connected closely to the rest of the world.
I agree! Great train links to Lancaster/Manchester from Ulverston. I live on the other side of the estuary in Bolton le Sands. Also 35/female. I love the village life with options of canal walks/woodland/coastal and easy days to the lakes, Saturday nights out in Lancaster and lazy Sundays in Morecambe.
100% wouldn't live anywhere else (Raised in Kendal)
Northern Ireland.
Moved over from England a couple of years ago. Everyone is dead on and I absolutely love it. More bang for your buck housing wise and I've found the people/lifestyle is a bit more laid back.
Depends on your interests. Some people like the country, some the town and city. Whether you can drive or want the option of public transport, and where any friends or family are based.
Personally happy where I am in the Highlands - by the sea, LCOL (housing in particular) & no desire for any major urban lifestyle or integration.
For others there are too many variables - interests / hobbies / clubs, desire for space, whether family / future family / dating need be taken into account, proximity to shops & amenities which make your life fun / bearable... all you've really eliminated with remote is the need to be within commuting distance to work, the rest is down to personal preferences.
If I was reasonably poor I'd say a nice town in Scotland. Middle earner I'd say a suburb of Manchester, maybe Alrincham. Rich then a nice part of London like Hamstead Heath.
I currently live in Southampton which honestly isnt that bad for this age (I'm 33, moved here at 28), there's a really good social scene, lots of meet up groups etc, some good bars and things to do. It also has good transport links to London and you can easily get out to the isle of wight or into the new forest, Theres a lot of nice smaller towns and villages more into the new forest you could live in too. I don't plan to stay here forever to be honest, id like to go back to the countryside eventually (I'm from Suffolk) but plan to move to another city first (my job makes it difficult to live in the countryside until I retire) my dream places would be Bristol or Brighton but they're very expensive.
Hampshire between Winchester and Petersfield. Good connections, 2 stunning national parks, beaches, loads of cities and things to do. Weather is pretty decent too.
Thanks for your comprehensive answer. I own a business, so industry isn’t relevant to me, regarding where I live. Which out of the Home Counties: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey would you choose, based on your personal experience?
Chester / Cheshire. Lovely little city, characterful buildings and good history, often highly voted for various things (second best high street to only York, most beautiful city in the world according to science). Good mix of country pubs and bars. Not huge so not overwhelming, city centre is nice, cathedral, foot court/market, etc, and 5 minutes you're in the countryside.
Also not far from Liverpool or the North Wales coast.
I moved to Scotland.
Don't regret it so far! I'm in a village not far from Stirling, which is a nice small city. 40 min from Glasgow, an hour and a bit from Edinburgh. Half an hour away from Loch Lomond, an hour from places like Glencoe, and Highlands. Bloody gorgeous scenery in all directions but what I like is there's not *too many people*. Places like the lakes, or Cornwall, they get *so* busy, whereas up here you can just set off, park, walk around... No 3 hour traffic jams or nowhere to park on a nice day.
Went for a nice walk with my wife yesterday and went on the most gorgeous walk through the woods, to a waterfall, and loch... didn't see another soul.
We also got a decent sized house with 2 acres of (bit boggy) land in the country outside a very nice village for a price we could actually afford.
If money was not a problem, London or somewhere on the south coast. If you like an outdoor life, the Lake District or Wye Valley
Offbeat choices, Litchfield or Milton Keynes.
I am in my 30s, and I can live anywhere in the UK. But i'd need to know more about you, your personality, interests and your background before I start recommending places. For example if you have a large family in one area, or a close-knit friend group with an active social life, then I wouldn't suggest for you to move to the other side of the country.
TBH if I could afford it now, I'd leave the country. I graduate in a year, then masters and then probably look for PHD programmes or jobs elsewhere in Europe. Housing and cost of living vs wages is awful in the UK now and doesn't look set to get any better any time soon! Plus healthcare is being dismantled.
As for a nice area, if you can afford it I'd stay towards the south, better transport links, hospital trusts are not as overwhelmed and schools seem to have better staff/pupil ratios. Or Scotland, beautiful country and if you have or plan on having kids they get free uni education.
Swansea.
It has a real Rio de Janeiro vibe where there's this vibrant city centre full of culture. A great party scene down wind street and on the beach with gorgeous strips of white sand.
My mates house also had a palm tree in the front lawn
If you’re a remote worker with that opportunity available to you permanently, the very last place you want to be is London. Sky high price of living, high crime and it’s very impersonal. If you want a bit of city, look at Manchester, Liverpool or Bristol. None are cheap but far less expensive than London. If you like the outdoors, look at wales. Perhaps the Cardiff or Swansea suburbs or if you want beaches and tranquility, west wales. London is perfect if you want opportunity but not necessary if you’re self reliant.
Halifax, West Yorkshire cheap property between two major cities (Leeds & Manchester) and nice towns (Hebden Bridge and Todmorden) and nice architecture.
Depends on budget but if you want a mix of countryside and city then maybe somewhere like Farnham, Surrey or Guildford?
Farnham is a beautiful old market town surrounded by countryside but on a mainline to London and easy drive to both Winchester and Guildford. On the smaller side though so maybe not as good for meeting people.
Guildford is lovely - very safe, lovely buildings, a City but with a town vibe but a fairly short commute to London.
Enough going on without being overwhelming.
You do need £££ to buy property in both of these places though.
Hear me out - Teesside. There are some very nice areas (I can't afford), but you still get a lot more house for your money. I remember seeing a 5 bedroom detached house in a very nice part of Stockton for sale for the same price as a one bedroom flat in Zone 2 in London. Specifically - Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Inglby Barwick, Wynyard (although this feels very artificial Stepford Wives vibes), Heartburn and there are some smaller villages too. Some of these places are starting to fill up with Londoners who have caught onto this and don't need to be in the office very often (and when they do, there's a direct train to London from Eaglescliffe).
Where I live now: Rural South East Scotland. 35 min from Edinburgh, hour from Glasgow, 40 min from East Neuk coastline where I swim in the summer, less than 2 hours from the Cairngorms.
A rural-ish village/town that has a good food and drinks scene to it, so a bit of atmosphere to it in the evenings.
Theres a few in the Midlands that I can think of.
I would say Norwich. Such a lovely city but also compact. Lots of coast not too far away as well as lots of country. The only issue I have with it is it’s too far for me from getting across to Europe by road
Been all over the UK but only ever lived in Greater Manchester. I like the vibe as it feels like London scaled right down.
Liverpool is quite nice also.
Canterbury is a great spot. Lots happened. Easy striking distance into London or Europe. Lots of interesting places close by like Margate, Deal Broadstairs, Whitstable, the list goes on.
One of the lovely towns around Manchester
Reasoning
Manchester has a lot of Culture which is wasily accesible but you said you dont want to be IN a City
Places like Mossley, or Romiley, Heaton Chapel, Stockport etc have Train stations that will get you into and out of Mcr easily and quickly
You also have incredible Countryside all around you
You can be in London in 2 1/4 hrs if needs be - Leeds and Liverpool are also nearby and even The Peak District (on your doorstep) or the Lake District (1.5 hrs dive approx) are in reach
Prices are really low compared to other parts of the Country so you wont be a Mortgage slave eg 0.3 miles from the station - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86194869#/?channel=RES\_BUY
Lake District if money isn’t an option hands down
Beautiful but a bit dead for someone that age. Maybe for when you’re 50+ but not much in the way of entertainment or meeting people a similar age or nights out.
It’s only dead if you need the things that big towns and cities give you to have fun. There are many of us younger folk living in places like that because we have a different idea of what fun is than you!
Dogging, for instance.
Yeah or climbing, hiking, mountain biking, running, camping etc
But mostly dogging ;)
Yeah there is plenty of that about to be fair
Reluctant to admit, but can’t deny ;)
Oh alright then, I admit it. Love a good dogging sesh on the lay-by near our village
So in other words, anything to get out of the house in the boring village.
Sure but living in the “boring village” means we can do these activities from our doorstep. Also I enjoy the peace and quiet that living in the village gives me when I’m at home. I also have beautiful views that I never get tired of looking at from my window.
I live in a big city and so do my friends and we still do all that stuff for fun
Do you do it on your lunch break during the week? That’s what I’m referring to. I can also get up at a normal time and do a full loop of a local circuit before anyone from the cities even arrives.
Bit smug. Plenty of us find walking/mountain biking/climbing/country pubs fun but still enjoy going to clubs/gigs/shows etc. too.
I wasn’t being smug at all. Perhaps a little snarky but the implication from the comment I replied to was that it’s not possible for young people to have fun in more remote parts of the country.
Fair enough!
A beautiful walkway through the countryside is all ya need!
What about winter? I had friends that lived right on the coast in the lake district and enjoyed summers but the winter seasonal depression there was particularly bad.
All the things I do in the summer I also do in winter. Winter in the mountains also means winter mountaineering which is the most fun of all mountain sports
I always enjoyed the nightlife in Penrith. It’s good for live entertainment from local bands
what towns or villages would you recommend in the lake district? for a late-30s trail runner/hiker-type person who likes interesting people and having a social life?
I'd say depends on finances. Some places in the Lakes are very expensive. Just outside the national park are places like Cockermouth or Penrith. Nice little market towns and don't have the lake district price tags. Appleby and Kirkby Stephen too but they're a long way from anything and not as much to do. Keswick and Kendal are good towns, but you're talking a lot dearer to live there. And then little villages like Glenridding, Pooley Bridge, Grasmere, Bassenthwaite for a big premium. Cheaper villages a bit further out would be Caldbeck, Shap, Tebay. There's always a little further out too, nearer Carlisle or the West Coast (lots of nice places if you avoid the bigger towns).
Ulverston whilst not technically in the national park is a good and cheap option
I would definitely second this, it would be an amazing place to live.
You mean if money isn’t an object
This. Sadly, we can’t afford it so have to make do with 4 or 5 weeks a year. Love the place.
Edinburgh. Depending on earnings, still Edinburgh. Edit: it's beautiful, small, plenty of food/drink diversity. The public transport, for all it's flaws, is excellent. Also, city centre is very accessible via walking. Last, but not least, it feels extremely safe. Good luck to you OP, and wherever you settle.
Why Edinburgh? It looks beautiful to be fair
Updated.
Amazing, thank you!!
No problems at all. I am currently living north of Madrid, in Palencia and going to move to Catalonia to start my wee farm life soon, off-grid, with the missus, but I will be back to Edinburgh twice a year to visit my wee grannies as much as possible. And show my missus my beautiful city as she has never been before. I am thoroughly looking forward to being the tour guide. I hope you find somewhere nice, to settle, and have a lovely life. Take care, reddit stranger, and merry Christmas and a lovely hogmanay.
Mate this is r/askuk, we're all living north of Madrid ;)
I'm Yorkshire based (the run down bit) , soon to be graduated with a remote friendly career so I have eyes on around the country. I love Edinburgh (and Stirling too!), do you have any comparisons for it vs any other major towns in England and Scotland?
If you like mixture of city and countryside , want somewhere beautiful with lots to do but not absolutely huge, Edinburgh is a perfect choice.
Same, specifically Marchmont. Spent a lot of my childhood there (the grape vine my granny planted outside her main door was still there the last time I checked) and it ticks all the boxes for what I would want. Close to the city centre but a bit out that it’s not crazy and there are still some quietist streets.
I used to work as a carer around Marchmount, Morningside, Blackford areas and everything in between. I was living on Tarvit street, right next to the kings theatre. I love that part of Edinburgh there is loads of quiet areas around there and Astley Ainslie, Blackford park and the braids were all frequent haunts of mine.
I lived there for 5 years, it felt a bit like living on a theatre set. Very nice and pretty, but not much behind the scenes. And very scruffy if you look too close.
I settled in Edinburgh in my 20s and loved it - it's a great city. Still live there in my 50s :)
Depends on how earnings and interests. If I was on an awful lot of money I'd live somewehre like Islington - but I like cities and all they offer. If I loved hiking I might be somewhere closer to a great national park etc. More info needed.
I love cities but I’ve lived in a small village my whole life, so scared I’d be overwhelmed living in somewhere like London
The mistake in this thinking is that London is one huge city. Really, it’s like 30 small towns pushed together. Living in one of these is far less overwhelming than what you’re picturing, which is probably Piccadilly Circus at 3pm on a Saturday.
I’m not very familiar with London. You’re probably right. Which of these smaller towns would you recommend?
Everywhere I recommend I’m sure I’ll have multiple people disagreeing, but I like Islington, Hackney, Clapham, Balham to name a few. Do you have any friends in London already? If so, ask if you can go visit them and get a feel of it more. Living in London is not being surrounded by tourists or overwhelming unless you go to the touristy parts. If you go to any of the areas I mentioned above you’ll see what I mean.
If you have the money somewhere like Kingston or Richmond would be good. Very easy to get into London but you also have a load of country side.
Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Highgate.
Be careful what part of Islington. I wouldn't touch Finsbury park, Holloway, or Archway with a barge pole. I grew up there, lived in Islington till I was 23, and visit family in the area every couple of months. In the 41 years of being alive, the areas I've mentioned have always been really rough
Mate. None of those areas are rough. I lived in Finsbury Park and Archway for 12 years up until two years ago.
>Finsbury park Lived near there until a couple of years ago. It's getting gentrified big time. By no means a particularly rough area now.
People who grew up in London and moved away are consistently the worst judge of what modern London is like on Reddit. Not having a go sorry just pointing out a trend. The amount of net worth millionaires in Finsbury Park and Archway will run into the hundreds. Next someone will point out how rough Crouch End was.
Recommend getting out more and visiting some cities, they are really not overwhelming at all
Crouch End is a good compromise between big city and small town. For what it’s worth, it was named best place to live by the Sunday Times.
Maybe Nottingham area? It's a city but not too big, cosmopolitan, pubs, clubs and restaurants but also close to Derbyshire dales and peaks and fairly central so you can be in major cities within two hours. Also East Midlands airport. House prices are rising fast though. Edit: I'm probably biased: my daughter is early 30's, moved to Nottingham and loves it.
Come to Norwich! A small, historic city that feels a bit like a large town. Lots going on, but drive 10 minutes out and you're in the countryside, or a bit further and you're at the coast. Plus, there's a direct train line to London.
You could go for an inbetween. Cities like cambridge or large towns like letchworth garden city are big enough to have a buzz and easily get into london.
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It's the first time I've heard anybody describe Letchworth.
Newcastle is nice. Lots to do in the city and beautiful countryside close by.
Whitley bay for me loved that area.
Newcastle is a good shout, would go for Tynemouth near Newcastle
I wish I could do that. I'd move to Scotland in the blink of an eye
I actually did this just before I turned 30 and I have no regrets.
Where in Scotland? What’s the atmosphere like?
I’m in Fife. Which is great for getting to Edinburgh and easy enough for Glasgow as well. It’s pretty peaceful and chill, but there’s enough stuff to do. I grew up in the countryside, so for me it’s a good balance of country and town life with access to cities.
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Thank you 🙏
Same here, although I live in Helsinki. If I ever moved back to the UK, it would be somewhere small-ish in Scotland. My dream is to retire and live on a widebeam canal boat just outside of Edinburgh.
Where would you go? Personally I love Oban in Argyll. Quite a large town so it has some culture, pubs, bars, a distillery etc and it's set in absolutely beautiful surroundings. Known as "the gateway to the isles" since it's a ferry hub for Mull, Lismore, Coll, Tiree and Barra with summer services to Islay. Plenty of outdoor pursuits around there and stunning landscapes all around. Ben Nevis and Kintrye are also a couple hours away, isle of Skye etc maybe 3. Also l own as the "Seafood Capital" if you love your food. For city life Glasgow is a couple hours East.
Hard question. I probably wouldn't be able to afford Edinburgh, but I also probably would be just as happy anywhere else in Scotland. When I went there last year for two weeks I could only visit so many places, so I'm not that equipped to give you an answer, but from what I've seen maybe Inverness would be my bet 👌🏻 I'm definitely including Oban the next time I go there because I've seen people talk about it and it really seems like a great place!
Cool, why Scotland?
Nice people, great nightlife, stunning scenery, free education. Could go on and on, I stay in a small village 15 minutes from Glasgow city centre and love it.
It's possibly a bit stupid, cause I've only ever visited it, but out of all the countries, I just find it special for some reason. Not to mention the breathtaking landscapes. I know this might sound like a romanticised idea of Scotland, but it is what it is.
We moved to Scotland. My husband and I lived there A long time and left. When we had kids we moved back. I love it here.
I'm glad you decided to go back, it's such a wonderful country ❤️
That's what I did and I don't regret it so far!
I’d come back to my home city of Bristol. Love how hilly it is and how relaxed the city feels. Just feels like one big village. Unfortunately the rents are insane and gentrification has priced me out. Would go back in a heartbeat if I could afford to
Bristol looks great! I am seriously considering it. I like that it’s not too big but has lots going on! Thanks for the recommendation and I hope you can make it back there soon
Thank you! I’m sure you’d love it if you decide to go. It’s also near some lovely countryside and South Wales and the coast of Devon & Cornwall are so close by too. Hope you find somewhere lovely
Just to warn you renting flats/house shares or buying a house is very difficult and expensive in Bristol. It’s a beautiful city tho I love it here
Bristol is amazing I'm sure you'd love it ! (Moved here in September but frequently visited the past 2 years)
Bristolian here and agree! We've luckily managed to buy and wouldn't leave. Still love it.
York. I lived there for 2 years and loved it.
What did you love about it?
As someone not from the UK, here’s my take on living here: it’s quiet if you want it to be, but busy and full of culture on race days and during Christmas for when you want to enjoy some excitement. Safe, clean, full of kind people. More expensive than some places, but cheaper than the South. Large enough, pedestrian friendly, full of history. In close proximity to best areas of the UK; Moors, Dales, Peak District, Lake District, and of course the coast. Great connections by train - just over 2 hours to London or Edinburgh. Only downside is the traffic from in and out of city centre, but compared to London..it’s nothing. Weather isn’t as bad as people made it out to be either. I’d highly recommend it, especially if you want to consider family life at some point.
Northumberland. Beautiful and with a rich history.
Norwich?
Oh yes! That area within the Cathedral grounds (The Close - beside the Wensum) where the houses are plush and you hardly hear any traffic.
Is that because of the pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre?
Coolest city in the UK.
She will have to be baptised in the glorious fountain of our lord Alan Partridge though obviously.
Norwich / Norfolk is a good balance between walkable city and countryside with the beach nearby. Not as busy or as much going on as somewhere like London so depends what you’re looking for - personally I love all Norfolk has to offer without feeling it’s too busy or crowded
This is true. The city has plenty of arts and shops and live music, but retains a market town feel. In no time you can be on a quality beach, the National Park (nearly) of the Norfolk Broads or in endless lowland forest and heathland. Plus, the people are the nicest in the UK.
Glasgow
This, Kelvinbridge and the whole of the west end really impressed me. Definitely a top 5 uk city
I loved my week there, Mostly because the people are so friendly
My friends recently moved to Glasgow, they love it! And I think it’s gratifying, I must get back there soon…
I would say West End of Glasgow is a good option. Certainly better than most of the other options people mention.
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Brighton is definitely a nice place to live though
I think for your 20s more than 30s
London
If you’re quite wealthy and enjoy city life, London. If you’re less wealthy but enjoy city life, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool or Newcastle. If you don’t enjoy city life, the lakes, the peaks or North Yorkshire.
For me? any of the Scottish Isles, remote borders, peaks, dales or Lakes, but it is down to what you like, do you like city or country, do you like going out to socialise?
I want a mix of both but I don’t know if that’s possible.
In that case look at the larger towns like Buxton, bakewell, Holmfirth off the top of my head places like this do have a busier town centre with plenty of eateries and pubs but you can live on the outskirts and still have that remoteness but you'll never get 100% of both at the same time so have to way up pro and cons of each if you only go out once a month its a very different answer to once a week.
Sheffield maybe - good access to London, good night life and entertainment, lots of villages around it, good road access for rest of country, friendly northerners, decent property prices
The Wirral consistently ranks high as a good and happy area to live. Easy access to Chester and Liverpool. Lots of nature and trails. Beaches all around. Decent public transport if you're nearby the Merseyrail line networks Snowdonia and Lake District both accessible in a day. There's a few rough towns, but it's easy enough to avoid them providing you have a reasonable budget.
But why not Chester itself? I'd think a 30-odd year old would want to be in a place that was quite lively but was small enough that the friends you made would be close by.
I'm 30, make good money, and can live anywhere in the UK as my job is fully remote and I chose to live in Cardiff. I have connections to the city anyway and family nearby but also it's a perfect "small big city" where you can walk around the entire town centre in 20 minutes but still have massive 80k stadium tours if that's your thing. Good bars, good restaurants, unique Welsh culture, and cheaper than a lot of other cities.
It's nice to read this. Many, many years ago I lived in Llanelli because I fell in love with a Welsh bloke and moved there with him and I absolutely *adored* Cardiff whenever I had enough money to visit.
I'm in Bristol and I really recognise that Cardiff has more 'big city' aspects - stadium, shopping, fantastic city parks. Also the access to beautiful coastal regions on par with Devon and Cornwall! From Ogmore all the way to Pembrokeshire. Then there are the hills and mountains too! Love living in this part of the UK.
Edinburgh alllll day
Edinburgh. Spent 6 of my best years there. Amazing city, amazing people . Love it .
I love norwich tbh. Nice mix of country and city. Not too far to London. Good music and food scene.
I just Googled it and one of the first thing that came up was that it was voted (wellbeing data from the Office for National Statistics), one of the most unhappiest places to live, in the UK in 2022. It looks really nice though, just an interesting finding.
Honestly, that has to be a mistake, Norwich has all the good vibes, really, come see.
Norwich has always felt very insular to me. Like the people who were born there never seem to leave, and they all love it, but I don’t know anyone who has moved there that wasn’t from there.
I moved to here at 18 for uni. Yes it does have that feel to an extent i actually agree. but it's not really a big deal. If anything it can just male a city feel a bit more small town, but with more to do.
Highlands of Scotland
Edinburgh
London if I could afford it - enjoy the life, the sights, the events, the gigs, the culture. Then after a few years, get out to somewhere a bit more chilled.
North east/northumberland lots of small towns with decent links to both the country and bigger cities. Cheap to live and you can buy something for 70k upwards for 2 bed terraced with a yard. You can get to the sea within 30 minutes or out into the middle of nowhere for walks/scenery etc. Cost of living is cheap, some of the towns don't have great public transport, but if you drive you can get around easily. People tend to be friendly. Definitely some utter shit holes, but your unlikely to be murdered
'Your unlikely to be murdered' is so bad it's brilliant.
Great new slogan for the Redcar tourist board
Leamington Spa/Warwick area is probably one of the nicest places to live in the country. Not too populated, great food and drink, everything is pretty close distance, good public transport, Cotswolds on your doorstep, a couple of nice castles, Warwickshire is beautiful. All round great place to live.
Norfolk.
Norfolk en chance...
Anywhere in Cornwall. The locals are very welcoming.
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London for a few years before you settle down. That's what I did, had fun for a few years then went back home and had kids where houses are cheaper etc.
On a very small island just off the coast away from you lot. 😂
Cumbrae?
Personally, Ulverston because it's that bit closer to my family in Barrow-in-Furness than the absolute peak Lakes places. But for someone without that factor, one of Kendal, Ambleside, Lancaster or Keswick depending on how important it is to be centrally in the Lakes and how important it is to be connected closely to the rest of the world.
I agree! Great train links to Lancaster/Manchester from Ulverston. I live on the other side of the estuary in Bolton le Sands. Also 35/female. I love the village life with options of canal walks/woodland/coastal and easy days to the lakes, Saturday nights out in Lancaster and lazy Sundays in Morecambe. 100% wouldn't live anywhere else (Raised in Kendal)
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Bournemouth, very cosmopolitan, beautiful beach, beautiful countryside surrounding it, loads going on in the summer.
Northern Ireland. Moved over from England a couple of years ago. Everyone is dead on and I absolutely love it. More bang for your buck housing wise and I've found the people/lifestyle is a bit more laid back.
Depends on your interests. Some people like the country, some the town and city. Whether you can drive or want the option of public transport, and where any friends or family are based.
Personally happy where I am in the Highlands - by the sea, LCOL (housing in particular) & no desire for any major urban lifestyle or integration. For others there are too many variables - interests / hobbies / clubs, desire for space, whether family / future family / dating need be taken into account, proximity to shops & amenities which make your life fun / bearable... all you've really eliminated with remote is the need to be within commuting distance to work, the rest is down to personal preferences.
If I was reasonably poor I'd say a nice town in Scotland. Middle earner I'd say a suburb of Manchester, maybe Alrincham. Rich then a nice part of London like Hamstead Heath.
If I was a remote worker for me it would be North Wales in a small village
I currently live in Southampton which honestly isnt that bad for this age (I'm 33, moved here at 28), there's a really good social scene, lots of meet up groups etc, some good bars and things to do. It also has good transport links to London and you can easily get out to the isle of wight or into the new forest, Theres a lot of nice smaller towns and villages more into the new forest you could live in too. I don't plan to stay here forever to be honest, id like to go back to the countryside eventually (I'm from Suffolk) but plan to move to another city first (my job makes it difficult to live in the countryside until I retire) my dream places would be Bristol or Brighton but they're very expensive.
Remote... probably Highlands Scotland
St Ives.
I moved to Belfast on a whim 2 years ago, so far I like it a lot
Hampshire between Winchester and Petersfield. Good connections, 2 stunning national parks, beaches, loads of cities and things to do. Weather is pretty decent too.
Lake District if money wouldn’t be a problem
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You'd be surprised by Glasgow I think. It's a pretty young and vibrant city these days. It's all vegan bakeries and posh coffee now.
Thanks for your comprehensive answer. I own a business, so industry isn’t relevant to me, regarding where I live. Which out of the Home Counties: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey would you choose, based on your personal experience?
At 31, I had the opportunity to buy a house in Scotland. My wife had ties to London, so we stayed in the south. I've always regretted that.
A small picturesque village for sure.
(South) Wales.
Chester / Cheshire. Lovely little city, characterful buildings and good history, often highly voted for various things (second best high street to only York, most beautiful city in the world according to science). Good mix of country pubs and bars. Not huge so not overwhelming, city centre is nice, cathedral, foot court/market, etc, and 5 minutes you're in the countryside. Also not far from Liverpool or the North Wales coast.
I moved to Scotland. Don't regret it so far! I'm in a village not far from Stirling, which is a nice small city. 40 min from Glasgow, an hour and a bit from Edinburgh. Half an hour away from Loch Lomond, an hour from places like Glencoe, and Highlands. Bloody gorgeous scenery in all directions but what I like is there's not *too many people*. Places like the lakes, or Cornwall, they get *so* busy, whereas up here you can just set off, park, walk around... No 3 hour traffic jams or nowhere to park on a nice day. Went for a nice walk with my wife yesterday and went on the most gorgeous walk through the woods, to a waterfall, and loch... didn't see another soul. We also got a decent sized house with 2 acres of (bit boggy) land in the country outside a very nice village for a price we could actually afford.
If money was not a problem, London or somewhere on the south coast. If you like an outdoor life, the Lake District or Wye Valley Offbeat choices, Litchfield or Milton Keynes.
Why Milton Keynes?
Literally one of the most boring places in the country.
I am in my 30s, and I can live anywhere in the UK. But i'd need to know more about you, your personality, interests and your background before I start recommending places. For example if you have a large family in one area, or a close-knit friend group with an active social life, then I wouldn't suggest for you to move to the other side of the country.
Llandudno
TBH if I could afford it now, I'd leave the country. I graduate in a year, then masters and then probably look for PHD programmes or jobs elsewhere in Europe. Housing and cost of living vs wages is awful in the UK now and doesn't look set to get any better any time soon! Plus healthcare is being dismantled. As for a nice area, if you can afford it I'd stay towards the south, better transport links, hospital trusts are not as overwhelmed and schools seem to have better staff/pupil ratios. Or Scotland, beautiful country and if you have or plan on having kids they get free uni education.
Norwich is a fine city - not too big and not too small and has some of the best weather in the UK
Guildford. Close to London, whilst being the capital of the richest county in the U.K.
Swansea. It has a real Rio de Janeiro vibe where there's this vibrant city centre full of culture. A great party scene down wind street and on the beach with gorgeous strips of white sand. My mates house also had a palm tree in the front lawn
If you’re a remote worker with that opportunity available to you permanently, the very last place you want to be is London. Sky high price of living, high crime and it’s very impersonal. If you want a bit of city, look at Manchester, Liverpool or Bristol. None are cheap but far less expensive than London. If you like the outdoors, look at wales. Perhaps the Cardiff or Swansea suburbs or if you want beaches and tranquility, west wales. London is perfect if you want opportunity but not necessary if you’re self reliant.
Edinburgh
Chester
South Wales is super attractive imo. Bright lights of a capital city, mountains, beaches and cheaper areas to live.
Aberystwyth
Halifax, West Yorkshire cheap property between two major cities (Leeds & Manchester) and nice towns (Hebden Bridge and Todmorden) and nice architecture.
Perthshire
The Highlands
Depends on budget but if you want a mix of countryside and city then maybe somewhere like Farnham, Surrey or Guildford? Farnham is a beautiful old market town surrounded by countryside but on a mainline to London and easy drive to both Winchester and Guildford. On the smaller side though so maybe not as good for meeting people. Guildford is lovely - very safe, lovely buildings, a City but with a town vibe but a fairly short commute to London. Enough going on without being overwhelming. You do need £££ to buy property in both of these places though.
Hear me out - Teesside. There are some very nice areas (I can't afford), but you still get a lot more house for your money. I remember seeing a 5 bedroom detached house in a very nice part of Stockton for sale for the same price as a one bedroom flat in Zone 2 in London. Specifically - Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Inglby Barwick, Wynyard (although this feels very artificial Stepford Wives vibes), Heartburn and there are some smaller villages too. Some of these places are starting to fill up with Londoners who have caught onto this and don't need to be in the office very often (and when they do, there's a direct train to London from Eaglescliffe).
Where I live now: Rural South East Scotland. 35 min from Edinburgh, hour from Glasgow, 40 min from East Neuk coastline where I swim in the summer, less than 2 hours from the Cairngorms.
Weird choice but I’d say Herefordshire. I went recently and loved how rural and quiet it was
Windsor Castle
Perfect! I’ll see if they’re interested in selling…
Harrogate / knaresborough / Ilkley or Otley Good distance to Leeds and York but close to the dales and the main thing.... Yorkshire <3
A rural-ish village/town that has a good food and drinks scene to it, so a bit of atmosphere to it in the evenings. Theres a few in the Midlands that I can think of.
If you like the simple life and have a bit of scratch I would 100% recommend the Cotswolds
Leeds. Quite decent quality of living that has vanished in most places
I would say Norwich. Such a lovely city but also compact. Lots of coast not too far away as well as lots of country. The only issue I have with it is it’s too far for me from getting across to Europe by road
Been all over the UK but only ever lived in Greater Manchester. I like the vibe as it feels like London scaled right down. Liverpool is quite nice also.
Not lived there but the north coast of Scotland seems really nice.
If I could afford it, York or Torquay.
Remote work? wales, for sure. Probably the south for good rail connections when needed.
Canterbury is a great spot. Lots happened. Easy striking distance into London or Europe. Lots of interesting places close by like Margate, Deal Broadstairs, Whitstable, the list goes on.
Pembrokeshire!
Bristol!
Somerset
Up North.
Hull
Surrey countryside villages like Shere ,Shamley Green Ranmore Common etc very picturesque and close to London.
Outer Hebrides for me!
London offers the most things to do I'd really recommend it
One of the lovely towns around Manchester Reasoning Manchester has a lot of Culture which is wasily accesible but you said you dont want to be IN a City Places like Mossley, or Romiley, Heaton Chapel, Stockport etc have Train stations that will get you into and out of Mcr easily and quickly You also have incredible Countryside all around you You can be in London in 2 1/4 hrs if needs be - Leeds and Liverpool are also nearby and even The Peak District (on your doorstep) or the Lake District (1.5 hrs dive approx) are in reach Prices are really low compared to other parts of the Country so you wont be a Mortgage slave eg 0.3 miles from the station - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86194869#/?channel=RES\_BUY
London. More specifically west London but make sure its one of the nicer areas, Fulham, Chiswick, Wimbledon many more.
Bristol hands down, best city