Nice areas to live near York?

[LordHaveMurci]

Vaud said:

LordHaveMurci said:

My OH lived in Pocklington, she's lived in Exeter for 17yrs now & would never consider moving back.

Pock has changed a bit in recent years. Great art centre, beer festival and stuff. York is nicer than Exeter (aside from climate) in my view although they are both nice cities.

She loves York, she has yet to take me there though! She has been back to Pock a few times over the years, school reunions etc.

[JackRatt]

Vaud said:

LordHaveMurci said:

My OH lived in Pocklington, she's lived in Exeter for 17yrs now & would never consider moving back.

Pock has changed a bit in recent years. Great art centre, beer festival and stuff. York is nicer than Exeter (aside from climate) in my view although they are both nice cities.

I like York as a city. Exeter was one of our Christmas shopping destinations when I was growing up and I'd say York has more character.

That kind of sums up the Devon Vs Yorkshire dilemma for me. Yorkshire is better in terms of access to amenities - you've got York, Leeds and all the outdoors stuff that comes with the Moors and the Dales. Devon is generally prettier, cheaper (inland at least) and has more of an emphasis on community in the immediate area around small villages (because there isn't really the option of driving to a city).

[LordHaveMurci]

JackRatt said:

I like York as a city. Exeter was one of our Christmas shopping destinations when I was growing up and I'd say York had more character.

That kind of sums up the Devon Vs Yorkshire dilemma for me. Yorkshire is better in terms of access to amenities - you've got York, Leeds and all the outdoors stuff that comes with the Moors and the Dales. Devon is generally prettier, cheaper (inland at least) and has more of an emphasis on community in the immediate area around small villages (because it's not practical to drive to a city).

Bear in mind you have Exeter in the middle of Plymouth & Taunton with Bristol an hour or so away so lots of options here too.

Don't know York personally so not saying one's better than t'other.

[JackRatt]

LordHaveMurci said:

JackRatt said:

I like York as a city. Exeter was one of our Christmas shopping destinations when I was growing up and I'd say York had more character.

That kind of sums up the Devon Vs Yorkshire dilemma for me. Yorkshire is better in terms of access to amenities - you've got York, Leeds and all the outdoors stuff that comes with the Moors and the Dales. Devon is generally prettier, cheaper (inland at least) and has more of an emphasis on community in the immediate area around small villages (because it's not practical to drive to a city).

Bear in mind you have Exeter in the middle of Plymouth & Taunton with Bristol an hour or so away so lots of options here too.

Don't know York personally so not saying one's better than t'other.

True, but Plymouth and Bristol are both a long drive from where we're looking down south. The villages we're considering up north are less than half an hour into York and not much more into Leeds; some with their own train station. You could realistically head into the city centre a couple of nights a week and the Moors every weekend if you wanted to.

In practice, I'm not sure we'd actually do that and having a nice environment on the doorstep is where Devon/Somerset/Dorset scores really well. And being much hillier - Levels aside - there aren't the flood concerns.

Tricky one.

[Vaud]

It's tricky. My parents moved from Yorkshire to Devon (just south of Exeter) so I experienced both.

York: moors, dales, more cities, Leeds, more airport choice, nightlife etc. London 2 hrs away.

Exeter: warmer climate, I'd have a small boat to sail on the Exe, Salcombe and others not far. Slower pace of life once you leave Exeter... Cornwall not far, and faster to get to France for holidays.