Where do you live and do you like it or not

[User169]

Delft's alright, if a little overrun with tourists at this time of the year. It's easy to get around by bike and it's only 5mins to the children's school and then another 5 minutes to work. On other other hand, it's flat, urban and often horribly windy, so not great for sport cycling, but Belgium's not so far away for better cycling (and good booze). There's a decent selection of places to eat and a couple of excellent spots to drink, but if that all gets a bit boring, Rotterdam and Amsterdam are easy to get to for the big(ish) city stuff.

 

[donnydave]

You're in Earith aren't you? Still haven't worked out if i've spotted you whilst commuting on the Busway!

You probably have, I'm on it from Longstanton to the science park at either 7.15ish with the Mrs, I wear blue, she wears red, on his & hers giant rapid and giant dash. Otherwise I'm on my own between 7.45ish and 8am. That will change soon as mrs dave is changing jobs and will be cycling to Ely instead so I'll have a new morning routine, not worked out what the best time is yet

 

[laurence]

New Malden

it's on the fringes of London
it has Richmond Park a few miles away.
Better still, the London Wetland Centre is close
the surrey hills are easily in reach (should my cycling legs, or specifically my knee, ever come back)
it's safe
it has the largest population of Koreans outside of Korea
it has a nice range of shops with Kingston and the shopping hell therein a short distance away
i feel at home here

 

[TheDoctor]

Stevenage Old Town.
Restaurants, pubs and Waitrose on my doorstep, open countryside within a ten minute ride, train station is a mile away. Local CTC meets at the end of my road. Work is a mile away, and the Wine Society is half-a-mile further on
On Monday I left Edinburgh Waverley at 4:30 and I was home before 9, and I can leave work Friday lunchtime and be in Champagne in time for a lateish dinner.
I can get to most of the town within a 20 minute ride, on cycle paths which are (mostly) well laid out and car-free., and there's any number of tea shops, cafes and pubs to lead a ride to. A cafe with a second-hand bike shop attached? One that does a superb quality fry-up for £4? Another that does a massive fry-up for £3? Got all those and more...

 

[Salad Dodger]

I currently live just outside Gravesend, Kent and very close to the new Cyclopark.

There are plenty of bridleways and cycle paths, local towns are ok for shopping, and Bluewater is just 10 mins up the road when it comes to shopping for Christmas presents and such like. Only about 10 mins from Ebbsfleet station on the high speed railway link to London, if the big city is what you like.

The only downside from a cycling point of view is that there are hills everywhere.

I have always lived in this area, but my wife has lived in several places whilst she was growing up, as the family moved as her dad gained promotions in his job. She doesn't feel "attached" to the area quite like I do.

But now, we are just about to start a new adventure, by moving to Broadstairs, in a house 5 minutes walk from the sea. Hopefully the terrain will tend to be a bit flatter, but maybe a bit breezier!

 

[Martyn H]

I live two miles from a very small village called Chesters. The nearest pub is 5 miles away and the nearest shop is 7 miles away. There is no public transport, but we do have a mobile butchers van (which also has fruit and vegetables on board) that comes around once a week. The village hall is very active with fortnightly film nights and many other activities going on during the week. Goods and services are often exchanged instead of cash, and the whole community is really friendly - life is good here.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Negatives:
The nightlife at this town and the neighboring town (Workington) is shockingly bad, just imvho.
Not much in the way of entertainment, not that many decent eating places.
Very little in the way of decent paid jobs.
Garbage roads to get to the motorway.

Positives:
20 minutes drive to nearest lake in the Lake District. Stunning scenery, walks etc.
Very low crime rate.
Great for cycling, although pretty hilly (not a lover of them).
Decent sense of community.
Good place to bring up kids, except jobs when they get older.

In summary, I like living here as the positives far outweigh the negatives. I am at an age now where the nightlife is not a huge concern. I like visiting some cities but that's all I want to do. Just a hillbilly I guess.

 

[Herzog]

A small village outside of Bern.

I love it; for cycling, I'm directly in the middle of cycling country..great empty roads, hills and mountains, great summer weather, loads of other racers...it's my cycling paradise.

Whilst in the UK in May, I forgot how bad the drivers/roads were...

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I currently live just outside Gravesend, Kent and very close to the new Cyclopark.

There are plenty of bridleways and cycle paths, local towns are ok for shopping, and Bluewater is just 10 mins up the road when it comes to shopping for Christmas presents and such like. Only about 10 mins from Ebbsfleet station on the high speed railway link to London, if the big city is what you like.

The only downside from a cycling point of view is that there are hills everywhere.

I have always lived in this area, but my wife has lived in several places whilst she was growing up, as the family moved as her dad gained promotions in his job. She doesn't feel "attached" to the area quite like I do.

But now, we are just about to start a new adventure, by moving to Broadstairs, in a house 5 minutes walk from the sea. Hopefully the terrain will tend to be a bit flatter, but maybe a bit breezier!

I lived there for 25 years or so - Northfleet/Singlewell/Chalk. They built the new station thingy where we used to go swim in the lakes as kids.

I wouldn't call it a hilly area though - not until you get out to the Downs that is.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Little village to the north of Kendal.

Lovely place. No streetlights, pitch black at night, rough track to the house, surrounded by fields with sheep and horses in.

Born in London (Grotty), lived in Dartford (Grotty), Gravesend (Grotty) and Tunbridge Wells (Nice) and now here (Wonderful) - never going back and I'll be carried off in my box from here.

View from side of house - I eat my Shredded Wheat looking at this:

 

[MontyVeda]

Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Negatives:
The nightlife at this town and the neighboring town (Workington) is shockingly bad, just imvho.
Not much in the way of entertainment, not that many decent eating places.
Very little in the way of decent paid jobs.
Garbage roads to get to the motorway.

Positives:
20 minutes drive to nearest lake in the Lake District. Stunning scenery, walks etc.
Very low crime rate.
Great for cycling, although pretty hilly (not a lover of them).
Decent sense of community.
Good place to bring up kids, except jobs when they get older.

In summary, I like living here as the positives far outweigh the negatives. I am at an age now where the nightlife is not a huge concern. I like visiting some cities but that's all I want to do. Just a hillbilly I guess.

I like Whitehaven, but it's full of jam-eaters... or is that Workington? I could never work it out. It's on the most beautiful side of the lakes too. I lived in Bridgefoot for a year or two; a tiny village at the A66/A595 junction... a junction with a wonderful view of Grassmoor, Grizedale Pike and whatever the one in the middle is... and it just gets better the closer you get!

Little village to the north of Kendal.

Lovely place. No streetlights, pitch black at night, rough track to the house, surrounded by fields with sheep and horses in.

Born in London (Grotty), lived in Dartford (Grotty), Gravesend (Grotty) and Tunbridge Wells (Nice) and now here (Wonderful) - never going back and I'll be carried off in my box from here.

View from side of house - I eat my Shredded Wheat looking at this:

View attachment 26156

Another lovely area... just as the rolling hills of Westmorland start to get nobbly. I'd love to explore that area by bike as I've only really seen it from the main roads.

 

[colly]

No streetlights, pitch black at night,

I could definitely live with that.

I live in North Leeds.
It's home, it's where my family live, and I like it. I moved to Leeds in the mid 70's from SW London and have never, not once, felt the need to move back.
I like the people, and I enjoy my neighbourhood.I even have this place at the bottom of my road.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rfNsm1UjQs

It's city with plenty to do, good night life, theatre, pubs/clubs etc It's a very busy place and despite the current economic situation it's thriving. Of course it has a grotty/seedy side but there aren't too many places that don't.
So for a large city I think it does OK.
From where I live it's 10 mins by bike and I am in countryside in lanes that are not too busy. Another 10 mins sees me in lanes that are all but traffic free.
Going north and west I have hills and dales. Going East I have flat lands for 40 miles. Going south I have the city and industry (Funnily enough I don't often cycle south)
London is 2 1/2 hours away by train, Leeds/Bradford Airport is a 20 min drive away, the East Coast is a 90 min drive.
Even Northumberland is only a couple of hours away at a steady drive.

 

[inkd]

Just outside of Fawley, Hampshire
2.5 miles to Calshot & 2 miles to Lepe beach
10 mins walk over cattle grid into new forest
local pubs are closing or crap, enough shops to tide me over as not to go into Southampton (horrible place)
Cant beat the scenery.
Am originally from Yeovil Somerset and that was renamed Yobvil by locals, not quite as bad as Taunton hey @coffeejo But still a hole. Loved the Somerset countryside and smells

 

[Nick Stone]

Once a little place called Timperley, now just merged with everywhere else, but home to Frank Sidebottom. Nice little village vibe going off, good transport links and work only 25 min commute away. Both sets of parents and family abut 20 miles n all directions. Manchester 20 mins on the tram.

Now for the good bit

5 mins from some quiet lanes
Trans Pennine way on the doorstep
Wales in 45 mins for some mountain bike action
Head other way and you can be peddling on to the cat and fiddle in 90 minutes (me about a couple of hours)

Not bad but inlaws live in Delamere on edge of Forrest so maybe a move over that way in a few years

 

[Lance Jack]

I currently live just outside Gravesend, Kent and very close to the new Cyclopark.

There are plenty of bridleways and cycle paths, local towns are ok for shopping, and Bluewater is just 10 mins up the road when it comes to shopping for Christmas presents and such like. Only about 10 mins from Ebbsfleet station on the high speed railway link to London, if the big city is what you like.

The only downside from a cycling point of view is that there are hills everywhere.

I have always lived in this area, but my wife has lived in several places whilst she was growing up, as the family moved as her dad gained promotions in his job. She doesn't feel "attached" to the area quite like I do.

But now, we are just about to start a new adventure, by moving to Broadstairs, in a house 5 minutes walk from the sea. Hopefully the terrain will tend to be a bit flatter, but maybe a bit breezier!

Hey! I live close to Nell's Café up the end of Valley Drive. Small world.