Wanted: lovely cottage, 300K, semi-remote location, beautiful scenery, mature garden, suggest a location?

MaryTheBookeeper I have also been looking to retire to some beautiful part of the country but having always lived in London I was very surprised at how many places that are beautiful are also prone to flooding. Every time I fall in love with a new location I now check the government website for flood likelihood. I am amazed how much of the country has serious flash floods on a regular basis.
flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk
Good luck with your search.

We did a genealogy tour once while looking for ancestral homes. That was when I discovered the beauty of rural East Anglia. Each village was prettier than the next. It does depend on what scenery appeals to you. It's very personal.
The rugged stonewalls of Yorkshire dales compared to the thatch and roses of Norfolk.
Gransnet isn't an estate agent Theoddbird It's just a bit of fun.
I love drooling over houses.
Here's one in Barnard Castle
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59675958.html

Grammaretto
Barnard Castle?. Might bump into Dom!

Tempest - I want to move house and have a similar dilemma to yours about leaving London after having lived there all my life. It's useful to know that I should check if other parts of the country that I might move to are prone to flooding.

If I was to move out somewhere with beautiful scenery and fresher air and no flooding I'm not sure how I'd feel about having to drive longer distances to supermarkets, stations, shopping centres, doctors and dentists, etc. I'm spoiled at present with excellent public transport connections to wherever I need to go.

Friends have just moved to a tiny hamlet in Essex. It's not near anything but they have a beautiful house and garden, fantastic local scenery and they don't feel lonely because their son and his fiancee have moved in with them. Our ACs won't want to live with us so we could get quite lonely as well as feel isolated.

If anyone has resolved this dilemma I'd be interested to know more.

Having watched many episodes of Escape to the Country and Location x 3 I am an authority on where not to live.
Ramblingrose

I believe in keeping the dream alive but not necessarily living it.
When we were young we wanted to try the Good Life and put in an offer for a farm. Luckily we didn't get it and had to make do with a large house and garden outside the city but still easily commutable.
Now we are retired old we could in theory live anywhere but I value my friends and my local landscape very much. It would take a lot to make me move now.

We love the Landmark Trust for holiday cottages. Sampling an area and seeing it at its best is my advice.
www.landmarktrust.org.uk/

I haven't read all of the replies to this post but,whilst some of the suggestions are beautiful places,£300,000 would not purchase the type of property the OP requested.
Forget Dorset unless you can double the amount.Neither are you likely to find anything near Southport or Ormskirk with that those requirements for that Budget. These are 2 areas I have knowledge of but I wonder if it really is possible to find a property anywhere in England, of that kind, for that price?

I think you can, avitor1 but not in the popular locations mentioned in some posts.

There are hidden gems as I mentioned early on in the thread, eg Staffordshire Peak District, Derbyshire Dale's.

But, as we have no idea where the OP lives at the moment and if she still wishes to be fairly near family or friends, it's rather difficult to suggest anywhere.

MaryTheBookkeeper - what do you think?

I didnt put the apostrophe in Dale's.

Nor that one!
Dales

There are plenty avitorl as I've been finding! Some really interesting prospects. I saw a stunning place in Wales with eye-watering views. Shame about covid & the issues of can I or can't I travel around to look?..

I did say England,Mary. I'm pleased you are finding some good prospects for a new life in the future.
Actually Covid might prove to be a help where house prices are concerned because I think many of the high priced areas may see prices tumble because of it.

I've just looked at the Barnard Castle property and it looks amazing.It's an area I know quite well and think it would be a lovely place to live.
When I was younger I used to go camping in Edale nearly every weekend in the summer.
It's the thought of winter snow that puts me off.
Last year I also thought of moving from where I am now and found an amazing new build bungalow but sadly realised that the lovely views were because of it being on top of a hill which would cause me problems in the future.It was fun looking though and realising that where I am now is probably the best place for me.
Best wishes for your future.

^Barnard Castle6
Just think of the famous people you may meet there!

I didn’t see any famous folk when I went there, but my eyes weren’t so good the day I went .

Did you drive there just to test them?

Look at Lincolnshire. Pretty villages like Tealby, north of the county. Property prices very reasonable. The city of Lincoln beautiful and you’ve got the coast on your doorstep.

Callistemon

^Barnard Castle6
Just think of the famous people you may meet there!

Enough to,put you off though!

Barnard Castle is lovely. It has a great Arts Centre (The Witham) and The Bowes Museum. (Damn I'm not supposed to promote the NE!!!) It is an easy drive to Durham (even when your eyes aren't that good!) and not far from Newcastle.

When you find it, can I have some of your rejects?

MawB
The Barnard castle cottage is on the main road A66 and well out of the town.
Never mind about the frozen winters With global warming there'll be no snow, sadly.
Thanks for your post MaryTheBookeeper it has been fun exploring the countryside.

It's been a lovely thread so far, inspired me to look around the country on rightmove.
Lovely to see so many who love their chosen area enough to encourage others to live nearby. Seems we're largely a contented bunch, how nice.

I've no suggestions but forget the Cambridgeshire / Hertfordshire / north Essex borders at that price. In this village a pair of brand new semi-detached bungalows with terrible interior layout and tiny gardens were up for £850k each and a smaller plot beside them was then built on too, a 4 bed detached also with horrid interior layout and tiny plot, it's not sold yet but is up for £1.25 million. There is NOTHING locally to justify that sort of price, it's madness.

If price as well as a rural idyll is a consideration there are lots of cottages that fit the bill around Ludlow, Shropshire.
Personally as I get older I love being near cinemas, theatres, shops, and yes, hospitals!

Devon or Cornwall get my vote.. away for the madding crowd as long as you don't buy in a seaside holiday town!

Jang really? We did a wonderful train trip last year from Scotland to Cornwall and bus trips around whilst there. It is not quiet and peaceful at all.

I'd say Northumberland coast, with brilliant countryside inland.
However, we recently spent a few days on the Cumbrian coast. Hadn't been before. Friendly people, views of Scotland across the Solway, and the Lake District to the south, long quiet beaches and the most amazing sunsets over the sea. Cheaper houses, too.