NICEST Town to Live in if you want Weather/Outdoor stuff?

itaa

I'm considering purchasing another property and moving somewhere down south as Most of my clients are from there and It's really soul crushing having at least one whole-day commute per week.
What would you say is the Nicest Smallish town you have ever lived or have visited within about 100mile range from London?

-Best weather overall (Not just the temperature,but the least wind/gloom/rain possible ,most sunshine and all that,but specially the least wind...)
-If possible Good Bicycle Infrastructure connecting with other towns ( I cycle a lot, but I hate cycling on open road but love all the paths)
-Clean,quiet, Not Overpopulated ,but within 10-30miles from a Large city in case you need something.
-Has a Nice countryside/Nature places where you can go and enjoy yourself,Don't really care about the Sea as you can't go and swim in it anyway, only more wind...

I realise ''the best'' is way different for every person, but what is your Dream City/Town to live in and why?

shirley_basso

New forest.

I grew up in Burley and parents still live there.

5 mins to Ringwood and 30 mins to Bournemouth or Southampton. 1h20 to London from Brockenhurst by train. 5-10 mins from the sea.

cooldad

Anywhere in the Surrey Hills.

02gf74

I'd be looking at somewhere between exmoor and dartmoor, south England so warmer than up north also sea is never too far away.

itsnotarace

South Oxfordshire - 45 mins to Paddington, vast swathes of lovely countryside - Chiltern Hills, Ridgeway all right on the doorstep. Good transport links north and south

lostboysaint

Avoid the south coast if you don't want wind.

I do, so I love living here, but the rest of your moaning f&&kers can stay away!

figbat

itsnotarace wrote:

South Oxfordshire - 45 mins to Paddington, vast swathes of lovely countryside - Chiltern Hills, Ridgeway all right on the doorstep. Good transport links north and south

This. I live in the Vale of White Horse area, 10 minutes' ride from the Ridgeway and its intersection with the Icknield Way, in the North Wessex Downs AONB. I am in a village near the A34 so good links to the Midlands and the south coast, with the M4 just along the way for east-westness. Mainline station in Didcot, decent shopping in Newbury, Reading just up the road if we have to, Oxford the same. I work about 14 miles from home and can ride it about 90% offroad, or find a quiet (longer) road route that avoids busy roads. Lots of villages and market towns around this way, not many large towns or cities. The River Thames runs through it, pushing prices up - plus being easy London commute territory does the same.

The only thing missing is any proper hills, but there is some climbing to be found if you want it. There's not a lot of singletrack or trail centres around either, but loads of bridlepaths and byways, and Swinley Forest is not that far away. Weather is average south-eastern stuff, nothing extreme.

02gf74

^^^^^ Surrey Hills is a good call, just come from there, stayed overnight near Merrow, rode parts of the North downs way, loads of tracks, feels like I barely scraped the surface.

FishFish

Normandy has some fine options.