Harrogate to Leeds commute - the truth!?

[Nyloc20]

I know York was mentioned earlier, and I'm no doubt biased having lived on the southern outskirts for over 30 years in Copmanthorpe, but I would have thought there's plenty going for it. Regular train service into Leeds, fast bus service direct or the slower Coastliner that goes through the villages and Tadcaster. Plenty of Park and Ride schemes from the outskirts into York centre. If I was house hunting here I'd be wary of the northern outskirts, it's a pain getting onto the A64 for Leeds with the traffic and it's a bit fiddly on the cross country routes. We're 2 minutes onto the A64 and 10 minutes to the A1.
York centre shops are struggling like everywhere due to online shopping but the history and tourists will always ensure it's reasonably lively. We're under an hour to the coast when we fancy a run out, obviously picking our times and back roads.

[CRA1G]

When the wife and I downsized to an apartment I fancied Harrogate she wanted Wetherby and not surprisingly she won but I have to say absolutely no regrets whatsoever overlooking the river,a lovely town with easy access to Leeds,Harrogate and York.

[soxboy]

Lemming Train said:

Harrow-gayt*. They like to say Harrwood instead of Harewood, too.

That’s how you can tell someone who’s not from Harrogate. Correct pronunciation is gut not gayte, people who have a sense of entitlement think it’s gayte and end up looking stupid.

Re Harewood/ Harrwood, I always understood it was ‘Harrwood’ when referring to the house and the people who live there, but Harewood when referring to the village.

[Lemming Train]

soxboy said:

That’s how you can tell someone who’s not from Harrogate. Correct pronunciation is gut not gayte, people who have a sense of entitlement think it’s gayte and end up looking stupid.

Re Harewood/ Harrwood, I always understood it was ‘Harrwood’ when referring to the house and the people who live there, but Harewood when referring to the village.

It wouldn't have an 'e' in it if it was pronounced Har(r)wood house. Pretentious considerably-richer-than-yow types call it Harwood.

Much the same as Bramhope. Everyone not from Bramhope calls it "Bramope" (which I know is strictly incorrect). People who live in Bramhope like to tell you that they live in BramHope, with much stress on the 'h'.

[Teebs]

janesmith1950 said:

Nowhere does a faux sense of entitlement and wealth like Harrogate (I say as someone born and raised there).

Posh shops and bars for all the wealth that lives in the countryside around and a town full of people from 'arrergut.

This. Nice place ruined by its residents.

[soxboy]

Teebs said:

janesmith1950 said:

Nowhere does a faux sense of entitlement and wealth like Harrogate (I say as someone born and raised there).

Posh shops and bars for all the wealth that lives in the countryside around and a town full of people from 'arrergut.

This. Nice place ruined by its residents.

I would disagree. It's big enough to make it what you want it to be. You can show off and hit all the 'posh shops and bars' with all the self-entitled people, or you can seek out the decent pubs and restaurants that don't shout about it.

[MitchT]

Burgmeister said:

If you want a Harrogate 'feel' then consider Otley. If not Otley then there's always Rawdon or Pudsey Ilkley.

FTFY.

[TheFungle]

soxboy said:

Teebs said:

janesmith1950 said:

Nowhere does a faux sense of entitlement and wealth like Harrogate (I say as someone born and raised there).

Posh shops and bars for all the wealth that lives in the countryside around and a town full of people from 'arrergut.

This. Nice place ruined by its residents.

I would disagree. It's big enough to make it what you want it to be. You can show off and hit all the 'posh shops and bars' with all the self-entitled people, or you can seek out the decent pubs and restaurants that don't shout about it.

Or you could just go where you want to regardless of reputation it may have.

Love to hear about the decent pubs that don't shout about it..

[Nyloc20]

I've worked around the Leeds -Harrogate-Wetherby golden triangle for many years. They all have good and not so good points in my opinion. I lived in Roundhay, Leeds in the seventies when it was considered posh. I'm always happy to get back to York.
The Harewood pronunciation is a funny one. When the previous Earl was Leeds United president he was always called Harrwood but when anyone talks about the hill climb venue it's Harewood.
I've only ever heard of the Harrow-gate pronunciation once and that was by my long departed aunt who I lived with in Roundhay.
Good traditional pubs? York every time for me.

[Lemming Train]

Nyloc20 said:

I've worked around the Leeds -Harrogate-Wetherby golden triangle for many years. They all have good and not so good points in my opinion. I lived in Roundhay, Leeds in the seventies when it was considered posh. I'm always happy to get back to York.
The Harewood pronunciation is a funny one. When the previous Earl was Leeds United president he was always called Harrwood but when anyone talks about the hill climb venue it's Harewood.
I've only ever heard of the Harrow-gate pronunciation once and that was by my long departed aunt who I lived with in Roundhay.
Good traditional pubs? York every time for me.

Did she live in Roundy or RoundHAY ?

[Nyloc20]

Lemming Train said:

Nyloc20 said:

I've worked around the Leeds -Harrogate-Wetherby golden triangle for many years. They all have good and not so good points in my opinion. I lived in Roundhay, Leeds in the seventies when it was considered posh. I'm always happy to get back to York.
The Harewood pronunciation is a funny one. When the previous Earl was Leeds United president he was always called Harrwood but when anyone talks about the hill climb venue it's Harewood.
I've only ever heard of the Harrow-gate pronunciation once and that was by my long departed aunt who I lived with in Roundhay.
Good traditional pubs? York every time for me.

Did she live in Roundy or RoundHAY ?

Ha ha, it was definitely RoundHAY!

[R8FUN]

Lemming Train said:

It wouldn't have an 'e' in it if it was pronounced Har(r)wood house. Pretentious considerably-richer-than-yow types call it Harwood.

Much the same as Bramhope. Everyone not from Bramhope calls it "Bramope" (which I know is strictly incorrect). People who live in Bramhope like to tell you that they live in BramHope, with much stress on the 'h'.

Harewood House have just spent a fortune re-branding for 2020 & officially its now Harewood not Har(r)wood !

[Wills2]

janesmith1950 said:

Wills2 said:

There is no way Otley, Rawdon, or Pudsey have a Harrogate feel....

Nowhere does a faux sense of entitlement and wealth like Harrogate (I say as someone born and raised there).

Posh shops and bars for all the wealth that lives in the countryside around and a town full of people from 'arrergut.

I understand what you're saying I used to live in Burnbridge, but the comment still stands...

If it were me I'd look at Wetherby, I also used to live on the Linton side of it (but not in Linton I'll add) and it's a decent town and well placed for many things.

Edited by Wills2 on Thursday 26th December 22:02

Edited by Wills2 on Thursday 26th December 22:02

[Mr Whippy]

Anywhere accessing Leeds by road from the top half is very bad, and likely to get a lot worse.

Lots of planned housing development, no new roads, or improved roads.

So anywhere in the zone radiating to the NW, N, NE is a bad choice.


I’d either live in Leeds so it’s a short car run/walk or get the train in along a nice route.

If it were me I’d be looking in Leeds proper or York.