Best place to live in the UK for MTB

Crayfish

I was wondering whether people who have moved around the UK a fair bit would have an opinion on the best town to live in, from a mountain biking perspective.

I'm talking: quick access to a large variety of trails, high quality singletrack, stunning countryside and views, but good access to civilisation - a friendly community and shops and the like for the Mrs.

Looking for the name of a town / place rather than a region / district. Thanks.

Thoughts?

shigllgetcha

There was a thread recently exactly like this one that you might find interesting

Crayfish

shigllgetcha wrote:

There was a thread recently exactly like this one that you might find interesting

Cool. Got a link?

shigllgetcha

found it
viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12882377&p=17908920&hilit=where+to+live+uk#p17908920

not sure how much use itll be but you never know

Crayfish

shigllgetcha wrote:

found it
viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12882377&p=17908920&hilit=where+to+live+uk#p17908920

not sure how much use itll be but you never know

That's great. Thanks.

I'm just going to qualify my request as a lot of responses in the previous thread were referring to large areas - I'm looking at which specific town...

supersonic

Sheffield ;-)

cooldad

supersonic wrote:

Sheffield ;-)

He said live...

trailpuppet

Dumfries?
Within biking distance of 2 Stanes.
Easy access to the other 5 and Drumlanrigg
Couple of hours down the road and you are in the Lake or North Yorkshire.
Train station, easy commute to Glasgow or Carlisle for the shopping your missus cannot get locally
Lockerbie is not far away and gives access to Edinburgh trains.

What else do you require?

downhillbike

around aviemore or in that area as i come fae elgin loads os singletrack on your door and not far from laggan, fort bill, moray monster, learnie sits between two cities inverness and aberdeen with a few hours car or train to get down to the 7 stanes area

Rambo_123

downhillbike wrote:

i come fae elgin

Im from rothes just thought i'd mention it

Crayfish

Just lookin at a map Kendal looks pretty good for the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales...

But I don't know the place, although they have a M&S which should keep the Mrs. happy

Myster101

Crayfish wrote:

Just lookin at a map Kendal looks pretty good for the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales...

But I don't know the place, although they have a M&S which should keep the Mrs. happy

Kendal is good being stuck between the Lakes and the Yorshire Dales but theres also Keswick (bit further North and you may need quite a bit of money to buy a property :shock: ). I live quite close to both and there's loads of natural trails along with Whinlatter and Grisdale trail centres.

If I had the choice it would be Keswick as the town is great with loads of pubs, a good MTB shop (KMB) and loads of trails on your door step.

cooldad

Sydney. EOT.

prawny

A bit sad but I can't see myself ever moving from Hednesford now.

Right on the chase, out in the sticks, near the motorways less than an hour from Brum for work, houses are cheap as chips I can walk to the train station for work and now there's a Costa and a massive Tesco withing walking distance.

I know the Chase isn't the best MTBing destination in the UK but it's not hard to get to anywhere from here. South Yorks is an hour, about the same for Northwales 2hrs to the coast.

Nice for riding on the road too.

bjj.andy.w

In or around Ambleside for me

Briggo

Crayfish wrote:

Just lookin at a map Kendal looks pretty good for the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales...

But I don't know the place, although they have a M&S which should keep the Mrs. happy

I've been looking into relocating based on biking location too, I'd have to say Kendal area is a good shout but as mentioned Keswick is a really nice town or at least I think it is.

Being in the middle of the Dales and Lakes would be ideal, with a short 2hr trip to the 7 stanes, down to the Peak District or even Snowdonia area.

steve_muzzy

I live in Stirling which is a good sized town( but called a city) amazing local trails cycle able from the house( dumyat, which has featured in several mtb films and was the place for one of last years orange 5 review video is less than a mile)

Within an hour (ish) you have glentress, carron valley, the trossachs with loads of natural single track, comrie croft and just 2.5hours to fort bill, aviemore and Laggan plus all the 7 stanes in Dumfries

Everything you need is here and Glasgow and Edinburgh less than an hour away to get stuff you don't...

Edit link to videos of dumyat, might recognise the riders......

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/mtbcut2011-orange-2.html

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yaO0j5GT2gs

Myster101

Briggo wrote:

Crayfish wrote:

Just lookin at a map Kendal looks pretty good for the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales...

But I don't know the place, although they have a M&S which should keep the Mrs. happy

I've been looking into relocating based on biking location too, I'd have to say Kendal area is a good shout but as mentioned Keswick is a really nice town or at least I think it is.

Being in the middle of the Dales and Lakes would be ideal, with a short 2hr trip to the 7 stanes, down to the Peak District or even Snowdonia area.

Keswick is a really nice town mate Go there all the time, still trying to get the wife and the kids into the bike shop instead of feeding the ducks but no luck so far :roll:

timpop

I started a similar thread about 18 months ago. Have a look:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12789959

Enjoy.

Crayfish

timpop wrote:

I started a similar thread about 18 months ago. Have a look:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12789959

Enjoy.

Thanks timpop - this is really good. Loads of replies. I did search before posting the thread, but didn't find your particular thread.

Seems like the winner was Aviemore in Scotland... with Sheffield as a runner up?

concorde

North Wales or Scotland

Myster101

Concorde wrote:

North Wales or Scotland

Which towns though, both those places are rather large

FrancisScotland

Edinburgh, lots of small hills in the city, pentlands right on the edge and 40 mins drive from glentress and inners.

paul.skibum

Why would you live IN Sheffield when you can live in say Hope and have the Peaks around you rather than on your doorstep and not have Sheffield itself to contend with?

Briggo

paul.skibum wrote:

Why would you live IN Sheffield when you can live in say Hope and have the Peaks around you rather than on your doorstep and not have Sheffield itself to contend with?

I agree, I'd rather live outside of it but have a city location nearby so you can hop on in and use the facilities but living in a city for me would be a no no if I could.

oxocube1

Well I'll tell you where not to live: Leicestershire. Flat as a pancake around here, as is the majority of the East Midlands. It's over an hour to Cannock Chase or Sherwood Pines, which are the two closest trail centres, and neither offer the descents/hills/mountains I'm used to from back home in Newport, South Wales. You never realise how much you will miss something until its not there!

Briggo

oxocube1 wrote:

Well I'll tell you where not to live: Leicestershire. Flat as a pancake around here, as is the majority of the East Midlands. It's over an hour to Cannock Chase or Sherwood Pines, which are the two closest trail centres, and neither offer the descents/hills/mountains I'm used to from back home in Newport, South Wales. You never realise how much you will miss something until its not there!

Try Lincolnshire, driving on the A17 through it to get to anywhere else is the most depressing thing in the world.