Moving! Where is a great place to live? Ideas please.

Don't know how old you are but it is good to take into account what will happen if for whatever reason you can't drive. In the list of top 10 places to live it mentions Burnham overy staithe, which is lovely but you really need to be able to drive, hospitals quite a drive away, lots of holiday cottages. The coasthopper bus is under threat, and banks are closing. I'd alßo suggest spending a winter somewhere before deciding, I love Norfolk but it is so icy cold in winter. Lived in coastal Essex too and that was so cold. There's a lot to be said for living within reach of reliable public transport. Where I live is not pretty but there is a station and I can get to towns nearby easily or London. I can get mainline trains from a station I can easily get to. Bus not good. Still helpful to be able to drive. Parents live in a northern city and am so impressed by the social and health care. Good oublic transport too.Also there are so many things going on, but if I moved back I'd be a long way from my children, one is about 11/2 hours drive away, the other lives and works locally. They have said that they'd prefer it if I wasn't too far away as they saw how difficult it was for their father and aunt looking after their parents who needed more than weekend visits but didn't want to move nearer, where regular visits could be made by the whole family. They wanted to be with friends and their activities, but old friends died and if they did make any new ones they seemed to be just acquaintances who never helped at all with anything
I'm only 62 so hope I'll have a time to go before I need a lot of help but seeing the in-laws suffering has really made me think that I need to be somewhere I can be as independent as I can be for as long as humanely possible. And I tell myself I can always go places on holiday. So sorry no particular ideas for places, just a few things to think about

I would ditto Keswick or nearby Cockermouth; hourly bus services to Penrith railway, 3 hrs to London; annual literary, film & mountain festivals; U3A, music society, local hospital, fantastic scenery, great walks & bike rides, miles of forest walks, wild swimming in many of the lakes, many bars, restaurants & pubs, friendly, helpful people, low crime, and best of all, a choice of 2 great parkruns!

We're just about to move to Lincolnshire, between the Wolds and the coast, so easy access to both, with Louth a few miles away. House prices are very reasonable. Lots of countryside and coastal walks but not far from a town - can't wait!

Lymington appeals to us. Coastal walks, New Forest, good sized town with open wide high street unlike some towns which feel closed in. We think of moving from London at some point and after 2 holidays in the New Forest, Lymington appeals. Pricey though. It also has a couple of bridge clubs!

Just as a precaution, I moved near the sea with a view to permanency. I was only sixty and loved my new life. It was like being on holiday every day. After a few years my ASs said I was too far from them for regular visits .... please move back closer. So I did. 18 months ago at the age of 71 I had a very bad stroke that rendered me disabled. I received a lot of help from my sons and their families, without which I don't know where I would be today. I have now made a reasonable recovery, but don't know where I would have been without their help. My point is, you just don't know whats round the corner. So you need to consider every aspect before deciding to be away from friends and family, just in case tragedy strikes.

Greciangirl absolutely agree!

Just outside Bristol, Portishead or Clevedon but Portishead has an outdoor pool which is heated and open most of the year and it is run and owned by the residents of Portishead. Both towns are near the motorway for which ever way you wish to go and just near the bridge for Wales. Good facilities and community spirit.

weymouth is a nice place. lovely town/beaches and countryside just a few miles away.

Brighton. If I had the chance I would move back there again.

Seaside, and access to London. Perfect.

The South Downs are beautiful too.

Sunday Times - Heswall isn't by the sea, though you do get fabulous views from the top of the hill. But go down that hill a little way and you come to West Kirby which is sweet and friendly, or if you like a really secluded and empty beach, two miles away is Hoylake. And both easily connected to both Liverpool and Chester by train.

Nonnie gave good advise, rent for 6 months first. Be sure before you buy. I live in outside of Tamworth and we are not near to coast but we have two rivers and a good shopping center. You can easily get NHS dentist which I know you can't get everywhere. You can get GP appointments by the next day. There are lovely parks and green areas for walking. We have Snowdome with swimming, skiing, climbing, etc for when you have visitors. We live three miles outside and quite rural so , ballet etc.we think we get the best of both worlds. Birmingham city center only 25 mins away for theater, shopping

We'll be moving to the New forest at some point. We go there as often as we can to get to know the area, think that's important to do too by the way, have realised that it's only about 1 1/2 hour by car from Bucks where we live now and where our children and grandchildren live, so did not want to have to travel too long for us and for them when they come and visit. Also, easy commute to London by train into Waterloo.
Southampton is 1/2 hour away and Bournemouth not far either at all, Winchester nearby. But above all, there is the choice of the Forest, the Solent and the Isle of Wight.
Good luck, it's not easy for that last move! wink

I'm looking at Norfolk and Suffolk. I live in Kent at the moment and the traffic is horrendous!!

It's a secret - we don't want people to know about

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Brighton or close surrounding areas, has the things you mentioned, ,sea, countryside (Sussex downs) swimming pools as well as the sea. Culture, Brighton Pavilion, quirky shops. Easy reach to London.

Wow Caerwys. Good idea as near Mold and sea. I did meet someone at a yoga class in Ruddlan who lives on a caravan site there and loves it.

I see Llandudno has been mentioned too, lovely there, about 25 minutes from Caerwys!

PS Good access to the M4 and trains to London .... not coastal but I do know there are places in Ramsbury where people swim outdoors .... x

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Come to Caerwys, lots going on you can walk to, near the sea (15 mins to Prestatyn, Rhyl, Kinmel Bay. !5 mins from Mold and the Theatre, swimming pools at Holywell, Flint etc, near the A55 so quick to get to Chester and motorways, trains, airports not far, I'll introduce you to people and let you know what is going on.Moved here from Northamptonshire 4 years ago and don't regret it at all although we had lived in our previous village for 30 years and I had lots of friends there. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E5358&maxPrice=400000&includeSSTC=false

We live in the lovely Bournemouth. Beautiful beaches. Plenty to do - lots of swimming pools and very close to Poole and only a couple of hours to London. And even better we have the beautiful New Forest on our doorstep

I live in a village in the North Wessex Downs AONB - there is loads to do if you want to with a thriving community, outstanding GP Practice, local shops in the villages but is near the big metroplolis that is Swindon if you must! Look around Ramsbury .....

www.northwessexdowns.org.uk/

We want a village in Suffolk with decent amenities. Suggestions?

I would move to Sussex - East or West.

Battle in East Sussex is quite quaint but with reasonable amenities
Hastings Old Town
My choice would probably be Eastbourne- good weather, lovely promenade, beautiful surrounding area, great amenities

Sandwich in Kent is quite nice

A cousin moved to Llandudno when she retired, she is single and has made lots of friends and enjoys it so much her brother who is now about to retire is looking to move to the same area.

Some parts of the North Wales coast are more expensive if they are in commuting distance of Liverpool and Chester. I live on the edge of the Peak District where we have lots of choices, lakes, hills, wonderful views, cities in easy travelling distance in all directions and wonderful places like Bakewell to visit.

I used to have a dream of moving to Lyme Regis (right in the town) but it's never going to happen because a) I will never ever shift Londoner dh from London, and b) it'd just be too far to go now for our not infrequent grandchild care in Oxford, especially for the odd emergency cover.