Villages close to York
Discussion
I put up a thread a month or two back about potentially moving to York and loads of people kindly offered suggestions. We went up last weekend for something of a whistle stop tour of the area and had a look at some of the surrounding villages.
I come from a very rural area originally, so I really liked the idea of getting somewhere out in the countryside. Villages like Sutton on The Forest still appeal for that exact reason, but what struck me over the weekend was how much I like York itself and that got me wondering if somewhere closer to the city centre might make more sense?
I realise this is a totally subjective question, but what would you do? We want somewhere green with space to ride bikes, walk dogs etc (and we're on a fairly modest budget) so it couldn't be too central, but would you go for one of the villages around the ring road or look further out?
Unfortunately, we only had a very quick look at each of these places. Most of them we didn't even have time to stop, so I would never claim to have a representative view, but my thoughts were:
Bishopthorpe - Struck me as very well linked to the city - almost part of York itself - and yet impressively green for its location. Told the races can be a pain, though.
Nether Poppleton - Nice villagey centre, but seemed to be quite a lot of modern suburbia on the outskirts. Upper Poppleton looked nice, but we couldn't actually drive in due to a fete or something taking place. Both quite close to the Ouse, so possibly at risk of flooding?
Tadcaster - Speaking of flooding! Had a wander round near the brewery and got the best fish and chips I've had in years. I presume most of the houses are on the other side of the river that we didn't actually get to investigate. Again, looks like it might have been a bit swamped by modern development?
Copmanthorpe - Told there's a lot going on for families, but it seemed quite quiet and residential when we passed through?
So ... any thoughts (aside from 'shut up and buy somewhere')?
Ideally we want to an easy run to family on the western/northern side of York, plus decent transport links would be a bonus for me, hence the reason we've not really looked further round to the east. We've got a toddler, so 'family' type stuff is good, although a bit of life for grownups (a village pub as a minimum) would be good.
I come from a very rural area originally, so I really liked the idea of getting somewhere out in the countryside. Villages like Sutton on The Forest still appeal for that exact reason, but what struck me over the weekend was how much I like York itself and that got me wondering if somewhere closer to the city centre might make more sense?
I realise this is a totally subjective question, but what would you do? We want somewhere green with space to ride bikes, walk dogs etc (and we're on a fairly modest budget) so it couldn't be too central, but would you go for one of the villages around the ring road or look further out?
Unfortunately, we only had a very quick look at each of these places. Most of them we didn't even have time to stop, so I would never claim to have a representative view, but my thoughts were:
Bishopthorpe - Struck me as very well linked to the city - almost part of York itself - and yet impressively green for its location. Told the races can be a pain, though.
Nether Poppleton - Nice villagey centre, but seemed to be quite a lot of modern suburbia on the outskirts. Upper Poppleton looked nice, but we couldn't actually drive in due to a fete or something taking place. Both quite close to the Ouse, so possibly at risk of flooding?
Tadcaster - Speaking of flooding! Had a wander round near the brewery and got the best fish and chips I've had in years. I presume most of the houses are on the other side of the river that we didn't actually get to investigate. Again, looks like it might have been a bit swamped by modern development?
Copmanthorpe - Told there's a lot going on for families, but it seemed quite quiet and residential when we passed through?
So ... any thoughts (aside from 'shut up and buy somewhere')?
Ideally we want to an easy run to family on the western/northern side of York, plus decent transport links would be a bonus for me, hence the reason we've not really looked further round to the east. We've got a toddler, so 'family' type stuff is good, although a bit of life for grownups (a village pub as a minimum) would be good.
Tadcaster is pretty good but its not really got a village vibe and its not that much cheaper than houses inside the York ring road. Not sure how good bus links are but i can't see it been more frequent than 30mins.
Bishopthorpe is much closer, traffic on race day will be a pain but most of west side of York is anyway. Easy access to the river and walks.
Copmanthorpe is a nice area with good road links.
Bishopthorpe and Copmanthorpe both have good access to the York to Selby bike path which is good for walks, biking and a direct route to the city centre via the river.
Askham Bryan is nice (good pub and food) if the budget goes that far. Somewhere i'd be keen to move to when money allows. I think most walks from there would see you on a fast ish b-road.
Wheldrake further out but got a good school and pub local shop.
There are places inside the ring road with access to some large parks and woods such as Tadcaster road near knavesmire and hob moor. There is a large modern development at the end of Tadcaster road opposite Tesco.
Bishopthorpe is much closer, traffic on race day will be a pain but most of west side of York is anyway. Easy access to the river and walks.
Copmanthorpe is a nice area with good road links.
Bishopthorpe and Copmanthorpe both have good access to the York to Selby bike path which is good for walks, biking and a direct route to the city centre via the river.
Askham Bryan is nice (good pub and food) if the budget goes that far. Somewhere i'd be keen to move to when money allows. I think most walks from there would see you on a fast ish b-road.
Wheldrake further out but got a good school and pub local shop.
There are places inside the ring road with access to some large parks and woods such as Tadcaster road near knavesmire and hob moor. There is a large modern development at the end of Tadcaster road opposite Tesco.
Tadcaster, like Sutton on the Forrest suffers from a lack of a decent bus service IMO. However the latter is well placed to for being able to get into town when the main routes are snarled up.
Nether Poppleton suffers for being on the wrong side of the ring-road. Bishopthorpe I can't comment on, but I have friends in Copmanthorpe who love living there.
I'm biased, but the group of villages to the East are worth looking at. Dunnington, Gate Hemlsey, Warthill and Stamford Bridge. Three of them have a direct bus into town that runs regularly. Plus Murton and Holtby. All can use the same cut through as Stockon when required. Plus there is a good back route to Malton that avoids the A64 (which is a no-go area in the summer).
Nether Poppleton suffers for being on the wrong side of the ring-road. Bishopthorpe I can't comment on, but I have friends in Copmanthorpe who love living there.
I'm biased, but the group of villages to the East are worth looking at. Dunnington, Gate Hemlsey, Warthill and Stamford Bridge. Three of them have a direct bus into town that runs regularly. Plus Murton and Holtby. All can use the same cut through as Stockon when required. Plus there is a good back route to Malton that avoids the A64 (which is a no-go area in the summer).
DMN said:
Tadcaster, like Sutton on the Forrest suffers from a lack of a decent bus service IMO. However the latter is well placed to for being able to get into town when the main routes are snarled up.
Nether Poppleton suffers for being on the wrong side of the ring-road. Bishopthorpe I can't comment on, but I have friends in Copmanthorpe who love living there.
I'm biased, but the group of villages to the East are worth looking at. Dunnington, Gate Hemlsey, Warthill and Stamford Bridge. Three of them have a direct bus into town that runs regularly. Plus Murton and Holtby. All can use the same cut through as Stockon when required. Plus there is a good back route to Malton that avoids the A64 (which is a no-go area in the summer).
The west or northern sides are preferable for us, I think. Mrs JackRatt wants to be near her relatives in Haxby and Acomb; I'd like easy access to the A1 and the Moors.Nether Poppleton suffers for being on the wrong side of the ring-road. Bishopthorpe I can't comment on, but I have friends in Copmanthorpe who love living there.
I'm biased, but the group of villages to the East are worth looking at. Dunnington, Gate Hemlsey, Warthill and Stamford Bridge. Three of them have a direct bus into town that runs regularly. Plus Murton and Holtby. All can use the same cut through as Stockon when required. Plus there is a good back route to Malton that avoids the A64 (which is a no-go area in the summer).
Our budget could be a bit marginal. We won't be able to get a mortgage until next year, but we're probably looking at around £300k for which we want three bedrooms, a decent size garden and a bit of character. I assumed houses would get prohibitively expensive as they got closer to York, but we drove past what looked like a fairly nice (if rather bland) 3-bed semi in Nether Poppleton for £300k.
The other thing we're keen to watch out for is planned development. I really want somewhere I can get straight onto a footpath to some open countryside, but I'd be gutted if we stretched our budget to make that happen and then someone built 400 houses on it.
I'd recommend places like Strensall, Stockton on the Forest, Warthill, Holtby and Murton. They all have some great areas, nice houses usually with Gardens, it's the right side of York and you have monks cross nearby. Easy access to the a64 and York ring road and it takes nothing to get to the moors from there.
I replied originally and said Haxby, which I still stand by now
Good access north towards Helmsley area, excellent bus services into York city centre, good local amenities & generally well kept, no noise issues etc
Poppleton (old village) lives in it's own bubble and the prices reflect that. I'm not sure why really, it's not that amazing.
Access to Acomb would only be a pain during rush hour, I have friends there and I can get over to Acomb in 10 mins.
Good access north towards Helmsley area, excellent bus services into York city centre, good local amenities & generally well kept, no noise issues etc
Poppleton (old village) lives in it's own bubble and the prices reflect that. I'm not sure why really, it's not that amazing.
Access to Acomb would only be a pain during rush hour, I have friends there and I can get over to Acomb in 10 mins.
Grew up in Haxby, from before the days of the Ring Road - built while I was at JoRo. My brother now lives off Bishy Road - near the appropriately named River Street. I can see the benefits of being near the town to walk in and out at will. Equally see the benefits of being nearer the country.
I now live four miles outside Scarborough on the very edge of the National Park. Whilst its good - there are two lures - one is being within sight of the sea - the other being nearer to Pickering and greater access to other more inland areas.
Not really helping, but its going to be a trade off. Is the city more important or is access to other areas more important. Public transport is diminishing - how might that effect the offspring in years to come ? You need to look longer term at the families requirements.
Others have mentioned things like schools - and doctor's surgery's. You don't realise how important these are until you need them. We have a great doctors - and whilst we have no kids the schools seem good.
I would not like to have to use my mothers doctor in Wiggy - plan illness two weeks ahead seems to be the reality. But is that the reality for most and I'm just lucky where I am ?
I now live four miles outside Scarborough on the very edge of the National Park. Whilst its good - there are two lures - one is being within sight of the sea - the other being nearer to Pickering and greater access to other more inland areas.
Not really helping, but its going to be a trade off. Is the city more important or is access to other areas more important. Public transport is diminishing - how might that effect the offspring in years to come ? You need to look longer term at the families requirements.
Others have mentioned things like schools - and doctor's surgery's. You don't realise how important these are until you need them. We have a great doctors - and whilst we have no kids the schools seem good.
I would not like to have to use my mothers doctor in Wiggy - plan illness two weeks ahead seems to be the reality. But is that the reality for most and I'm just lucky where I am ?
Ruskie said:
For your budget I would be looking at Escrick. Very good bus service 0600 till 0000 roughly. Nice pubs, garage with a shop, gym, Thai restaurant, good primary school and catchment for Fulford School which is well regarded. Has a nice village feel.
Might not have the Thai restaurant for longhttp://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
JPJPJP said:
Ruskie said:
For your budget I would be looking at Escrick. Very good bus service 0600 till 0000 roughly. Nice pubs, garage with a shop, gym, Thai restaurant, good primary school and catchment for Fulford School which is well regarded. Has a nice village feel.
Might not have the Thai restaurant for longhttp://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Races traffic is no big deal really in Bishopthorpe. 5/6 race meetings per year on average, about 3 days per meeting. Traffic is busy but not crazy around lunchtime and 5-6pm on race days. I've been in Bishopthorpe for 3 years now and love it. Easy access in to town by car or bike, 5 mins on to A64. On the edge of the countryside too and 3 decent pubs, a few shops etc. Catchment area for 2 good secondary schools hence the inflated house pricing.
My family moved to Green Hammerton (mid way between York and Harrogate on A59) in the days before the village was bypassed. Despite the very busy main road at that time, it was a lovely place to live - very rural, but with good links to York, Harrogate and Leeds. I suspect it's not cheap though.
Also, Whixley, Nun Monkton and Kirk Hammerton were also delightful, peaceful little villages, as I remember them.
Also, Whixley, Nun Monkton and Kirk Hammerton were also delightful, peaceful little villages, as I remember them.
Matt Harper said:
My family moved to Green Hammerton (mid way between York and Harrogate on A59) in the days before the village was bypassed. Despite the very busy main road at that time, it was a lovely place to live - very rural, but with good links to York, Harrogate and Leeds. I suspect it's not cheap though.
Also, Whixley, Nun Monkton and Kirk Hammerton were also delightful, peaceful little villages, as I remember them.
That's the sort of area we started off looking at. I grew up in the countryside and that's the sort of environment I'd like to move back to... But I was surprised how much I liked the more central villages/suburbs around York too. I'm not fussed about being able to walk into the city centre, but somewhere you can get a bus or a taxi back from a night out would be a bonus.Also, Whixley, Nun Monkton and Kirk Hammerton were also delightful, peaceful little villages, as I remember them.
On a random note, does anyone know if there are any particular areas scheduled for major development?
Long Drax said:
Does the OP have an amphibious car? 
Was it on here that someone was talking about going to see a house near York and wondering why the seller had a load of sandbags in the garage and all the electrical sockets were at chest height? Haven't actually considered Naburn either way, but keen to avoid anywhere susceptible to flooding. We have family who were caught up in the floods at Christmas.
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