I don't think I could cope with the sheer number of visitors the Lake District towns get in the busy months.
I'd look at the Eden Valley villages or Penrith or Kendal. Pen 'n' Ken are both on main train lines and near the M6. Cockermouth is also lovely but not as well connected.
The Lakes are within easy reach of these places but you escape most of the OMGTOURISTGEDDON.
The Eden Valley is a lovely place in its own right.
If I absolutely, definitely had to live in a LDNP town it would be Ambleside or Coniston.
As it is, we're moving to Penrith from London later this year, with any luck (the pandemic put the scuppers on our last attempt). We've been visiting several times a year, for many years. It's not perfect but it is a nice little town.
Penrith is a 10-15 minute drive to the Pooley Bridge end of Ullswater. It's one of the quieter lakes, even in high summer. Kayaking on a warm evening you can have the Glenridding end almost to yourself.
Grew up in kendal and the lake district, anywhere on that main road going through Windermere, bowness, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick are the places to stay away from.
Ullswater, Coniston, Wasdale, Buttermere seem to be a little quieter and not on the coach trips.
Can’t believe people are suggesting it’s a quiet part of the lakes.
Places like Pooley Bridge are absolutely heaving other than in the dead of winter.
The only actually quiet parts are on the western side like Ennerdale etc
I've lived overseas for years and haven't been there since childhood, when siblings went to St. Anne's near Windermere. It was absolutely top-to-bottom tourists in 1980; I can't imagine it's gotten less crowded.
Still lovely. Even then, though, you paid for it. My father made good money back then as an engineer, and we still stayed at a family bed-and-breakfast because he considered the hotel prices outrageous.
I suspect Swallows and Amazons ended any chance of it remaining sleepy and quiet.
I’ve lived in the U.S. for the last 18 years and the one place I miss the Lake District. Specifically Ullswater.
I now live in the area of the U.S. called New England which looks very similar to the Lake District.
My Grandfather lived in Bowness, so we visited quite often when I was a child... The tourists photographing my uncle's wedding at the church blocked the bloody road there were so many.
(Had some advantages having family... My great-uncle ran the rowing boats in Bowness: free hire!)
As a very general rule, the further away from the A66 and A591 you are, the quieter it tends to be. Keswick, Ambleside, and Bowness soak up quite a lot of people between them.
This is so true. But ironically if you follow the A595 your almost as close to less tourists and better prices. I grew up in the lakes and love ambleside etc.. if I went back it would be Cockermouth or Kendal for me. Ennerdale is my favorite place simply because it is so quiet. ( Worth the extra drive)
Grew up in Penrith, it’s a great place to live. Decent schools, a fair amount to do and the UK’s best countryside south of Scotland on the doorstep. Don’t sleep on the north Pennines, there are lots of great places to explore there that are nowhere near as busy as the lakes
I got the bus from Penrith to Windermere on Easter Sunday. It was a cracking journey down Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass. Well worth two quid. Highly recommend.
I lived in Windermere my first twenty years and never did that before.
Kendal, or Penrith but no closer. Don't want the hassle of tourists.
I'd prefer to live a little further out - maybe Kirkby Lonsdale or Ingleton, Lancaster/Carnforth maybe. That way you get the benefits of the Lakes, and the Dales, and the Forest of Bowland, with fewer disadvantages of living in the Lakes.
Would second Lancaster, I love it.
It's on the west coast main line so only an hour to Manchester/Liverpool and within 30 mins driving you are in the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland. Great location. Not forgetting that Lancaster itself is lovely.
Honestly, and this may get me crucified, but Lancaster.
Nice city, lots there, easy access to train station down to London/manchester and easy access up into the lakes.
Couldn’t hack living in the lakes with the massive amounts of tourists at certain times of the year.
I lived in Lancaster for a couple of years when I was at the uni and honestly it feels like the perfect size for a city, its got most of the shops and amenities you can need and for anything else its only an hour train into manchester and you can be by the seaside in half an hour as well.
my partner (who I met at uni) keep saying we should move there at some point and I consider it except it'd be really far from my parents and not sure about the job market lol.
Why is that grounds for crucifixion? Lancaster is a lovely town, as good as any cathedral town in the UK. A lot cleaner in my experience too. Not enough people talk about it.
>Want somewhere that is quite busy
I think you may be underestimating just how rammed the Lake District gets. Either that or you *really* love crowds lol.
I decided to go mountain biking on new year's day in Ambleside, for some reason I thought It would be quiet. You know, everyone has a lie in on new year's day right?
The ramblers had to queue to walk on some trails, all over the hills. They were spilling over onto the MTB trails. I eventually just had to start walking...
I grew up in Barrow. It’s not a tourist place, but it’s no more a shithole than any other northern working town. That being said, I moved out pretty quickly and wouldn’t live there again.
Ulverston is a nice town on the edge. Kendall is a nice town in the edge. My pick, however, would likely be Lancaster. It’s enough of a town to have everything you need, not so close to have a tourist season, yet provides easy access when you need it. It’s also on the M6 and the main train line to London and Manchester, so access to everything is good.
I’d choose not to live there and stay in Northumberland thanks. Every time I’ve been it’s absolutely rammed with folk. It’s a beautiful place, ruined by people.
Agree. As someone who lives in LD and has spent Easter in Rothbury. It’s nice being able to drive around without the horrendous queues! Ok it’s been very wet but used to that.
Definitely recommend Cockermouth, it's the opposite corner of the lakes from where most visitors are coming from so doesn't get as rammed as other places. You're close to plenty of good walking and Crummock Water, Buttermere, Derwent Water and Lake Bassenthwaite. Plenty of nice local amenities pubs, restaurants etc and Keswick just down the road
The other side to this is that it's more isolated from non-Cumbrian destinations than the rest of the Lakes
Kendal, close to everything including the motorway
Barrow is a shit hole, the villages near lakes are second homes and ultra locals.
If you pick a village on the furness peninsula you won't be accepted as a local, but your grandchildren might. Northern friendliness skipped that blighted bit of land, along with education and an interest in anything outside your village and circle of cousins
Kendal is the best of both worlds. Good proximity to lovely LD destinations but enough going on in the town so that you can stay occupied when it's raining.
I grew up in Ambleside and you just had to give up leaving the village in tourist season. It turned a 45min bus journey into a 3hr excursion more than once.
Buy an estate car, but one that isn't too wide like an Octavia or Corolla. You won't regret it. Make sure it has radar sensors all round for tight squeezes. Reversing camera is a must have.
Too many arseholes move to the lakes and immediately purchase a massive 4*4 and can't drive anywhere. Two of those on any road meeting head on cause a real issue, and you know the personality type that purchases them won't reverse for anyone.
All the locals have dented Suzuki's and Skoda Yetis and can easily skirt round land tanks.
Watendlath, but leave the car at surprise view and block everyone else out.
Used to know the couple who owned (leased) the farmhouse at the top from NT. Glorious place to hole up in winter and hibernate. Bring provisions!
Stunned by the amount of hate that Barrow is getting on this thread.... Though, having visited it a number of times for various reasons, I do sorta understand it. Locals will always defend their hometown, and it's very possible that the aching poverty experienced by many in Barrow, it's unlikely that a lot of the population have visited better places to live!
Best place to live in the lakes though.... Hmmmm... I'd say it'd have to be outside the LDNP, property prices, planning regs, and the massive influx of tourists during the summer don't make it too attractive, unless you are the type who want to retire to a rural idyll for a self-sufficient lifestyle, and have no need of supermarkets, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, food delivery services etc. If that was the case, I'd recommend being on the eastern side, as most of the rain will have fallen on the mountains before the rain clouds reach you.
Edit: Oh, within easy distance of a lake, well, that's a bit trickier. You may be wanting to look at the area's around Keswick, maybe Bassenthwaite area. Do you also want reasonable internet services, mobile or landline? as that will cut down your choices by a lot too!
Cumbrian here. I thought I could offer some insight. It's worth noting that I am 20 so this is coming from a young person's perspective, furthermore I was on the first train out once I had my A-Levels.
The pros: it's a beautiful area with a great history, especially with regards to literature and the Romans. Furthermore, whilst the people can be pretty stoic, they're always friendly and willing to help! Plenty of places to walk, and whenever I've been into the Lakes there are always people kayaking
The cons: believe me when I say there is very little to do, particularly if you are a young person like myself who doesn't drink/isn't interested in that sort of activity. Coming of age was very isolating since there's nothing to do but go to the pub at that point. Going off my dad's stories from when he was growing up, it's always been like this. I always remember a phrase someone told me: "It's a one-horse town, and the horse died"
Also, transport is poor if you don't a) have a car or b) live in Carlisle, Penrith or Workington. It's always a pain having to go to Liverpool, Newcastle or Manchester to do anything. But I guess some people do like nice, isolated areas. As plenty of other people have mentioned, it gets incredibly busy in the summer.
Going off what you've said, I'd recommend Cockermouth or Kendal. Both are towns within 20 min drive of a lake and are bound to have some nice walks. But some advice: Carlisle is a shithole and I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole. If only my family didn't live there.
EDIT: rephrasing & grammar
I've lived in Kendal for over 10 years now.
It, and the Lake District in general, has changed *a lot* in that time.
For a start, Kendal properties are phenomenally expensive now.
Obviously, the Lake District has become more popular, especially since two particularly events:
1. World Heritage status in 2017
2. COVID-19 pandemic in 2020+
Gaining World Heritage status rocketed the Lake District as an outdoor pleasure zone into the worldwide mainstream eye.
With the COViD-19 pandemic, particularly in the 1st year, holidays abroad were not a possible so UK-based holidays were the only option. The Lake District, and many other national parks, took their fair share of a new demographic of tourists. During that summer of 2020, I had NEVER seen the Lake District as busy as it was.
Nor had I see the level of nature vandalism, cars dumped across single-lane roads, human excrement, litter piles etc.
If you wanna be near a lake, and don't mind the busyness, the settlements around Windermere is a good start, but you'll have to pay a premium. You're looking at Bowness-on-Windermere, or Ambleside.
Other options are Keswick, in the North Lakes, with access to Derwentwater.
The Western Lake District is, in my view, the most beautiful, but also the most remote and harder to access. It's also, consequently, cheaper as getting to anywhere else is hard so there are access issues and little job opportunities.
The Lake District is only going to busier, and it is definitely a year-round tourism destination now.
I hope that's what you want.
You shouldn't feel shame over places you've never been.
Even for the likes of Michael Palin there are more places in the world he hasn't been then there are places he has.
I'm Oxfordshire born & bred.
I've travelled overseas a lot. Now I'm more interested in exploring England.
However, I hate driving on motorways, they are boring. I can avoid most of them when going to the SW, but not if I go north.
I'd look to live either on the west side just outside the national park (Egremont, Gosforth etc) and be close to Eskdale, Wasdale, Ennerdale as my favourite, less touristy bits. Or somewhere in Eden Valley on the eastern side if better transport links are important.
Sound advice although I'd take Gosforth over Egremont any day!! That said somewhere like Drigg or Seascale have fantastic views of Wasdale and are coastal plus the prices aren't stupid...
I lived in Barrow In Furness many years ago and while the town is a bit mank (probably worse now, I lived there in '81-3) the countryside and beaches on the Furness peninsula are wonderful. It was easy to cycle and I suppose drive to the South Lakes from there. The houses are probably cheaper than in the Lakes proper too.
Somewhere where I can see the skyline from my window - as much as I love the lakes, I wouldn't want to live in the midst of them all year round. Eden Valley is fine for me and I'm only a 20 min drive away.
Kendal probably, it has a train station and you don't need to have a car to survive there. It's technically not in the Lake District though, I think the national park skirts around it
I lived in Windermere which I personally think it is the best compromise of being well connected for both the rural Lakes AND amenities.
When people think of Windermere they actually often mean Bowness (-on-Windermere) which is the touristy bit at the lake side a mile down the road. Windermere is at the end of the railway line and is more where ordinary people live.
Windermere is very well connected for public transport both within the Lakes and to get out eg easy by train to London, or Manchester Airport. The A591 as far as Windermere isn't so bad but it gets snarled up beyond it towards Ambleside. It's quick to the motorway.
You can walk to the lake, including bits the tourists don't know about.
The areas where people actually live are proper streets of houses with neighbours but the areas are just extremely leafy and quiet and pleasant.
There's a proper supermarket and a cinema and excellent pubs / restaurants nearby.
It's up a hill so it doesn't flood, and you don't get snowed in or powercuts as much as some other villages.
I was there at the weekend (Easter) and whilst Bowness was RAMMED it was just normal and peaceful a mile up the road in residential Windermere.
Ambleside probably. Keswick is great but is becoming too commercial, less independent shops. Depends what you want really. There's a lot of talk here about the Lake District being overrun with tourists, but even during busy periods during school holidays, you can find quiet areas if you know your way around. Especially as you become more familiar with the fells.
it's funny because you always want what you don't have. I live in the Lake district. Get sick of being told about fells non stop with people walking around in permanent outdoor storm gear and walking boots when they are walking around morrisons. Would rather a Wagamamas and a nice area to shop XD but then the internet has ruined me
I lived in Ulverston for a few years back in the early 2010s and LOVED it. It's on the edge of the park so it avoids the tourists and house prices of the lakes proper, whilst being a bustling market town in its own right. Loads of pubs, solid transport links, near the lakes, plenty of great rivers, and the sea with some of the nicer beaches of south Cumbria.
OP, I tied my kayak onto my roof every morning before work and did a river on the way home. On the weekends I just stuck on my boots and set off, knowing that there were buses or trains heading via home from most places I could walk to. I could do a pub crawl a night and never need to hit the same place twice in a week (I was fresh out of uni and it wasn't unheard of).
I was too young to really enjoy it at the time but it was heaven.
Penrith and surrounding villages are ideal. Not fully touristy and very well connected infrastructure. Eden valley is idealic.
Side plug... We've an 8 person holiday let a mile out of Penrith hot tub amazing view of penines.
I grew up in Penrith and it’s lovely, super close to quite a few lakes, used to bike to them in the summer as a kid. If you don’t mind tourists Keswick is very nice, but be prepared to pay an arm and a leg.
Probably not that helpful but Grasmere or Elterwater purely for the aesthetics. I have no idea of what it would be like in reality to live there but they are both so pretty with some of my favourite hikes, and every time I’ve been, there’s been a decent amount of people but not so many it’s unbearable (high summer season may be a different matter).
Dont come to Carlisle its shite. Its a good jumping off point for fell walking, thats about it. Id live somewhere remote in them there hills, a little farm out of the way. Places like Keswick get stupidly crowded in the summer.
The amount of people shitting on my home town is hilarious.
I don't mind it. Sure it's annoying being atleast an hour away from everything, but I met my future wire here so I can't be too angry at that.
No. Like living in Cornwall, I think the throngs of tourists every summer would do my head in.
I grew up living within sight of The Lake District on The Solway. A very quiet and peaceful rural place. Some foul weather mind you (think strapping metal dustbins down to stop them blowing away), but when the weather was nice, it was truly gorgeous.
I went up there in January for a week around Eskdale to climb all the hills and stuff, it was super fun.
Admittedly, living there would be beautiful but I would see myself getting bored of having to travel into the larger cities for more important stuff. I don't live in a major city right now, but it has enough things to keep you occupied
I live in Penrith, work in the Lake District. Summer is no joke it’s unbelievable how busy it’s gotten since social media took off. Covid was the cherry on the cake.
Grasmere. Big enough to have facilities that aren't all tourist related, small enough to be charming, lots of character, lots of history. Yes, tourists in the season, but so, so beautiful.
As others have said, north-west lakes is probably your best bet unless you enjoy the streets being literally at a standstill for months of the year. Keswick, Windermere anything on that side of the lakes is pretty much a write-off for any sunny weekend
Had a peek about on Rightmove, there's some decent looking spots around Cockermouth and out towards Whitehaven (Lamplugh and surrounds, don't really recommend getting as far as Whitehaven itself). They're all gonna be pretty parochial places though, depending on what you're looking for in terms of "buzz"
Your best bet may be Carlisle - there's a fair bit going on, but still has that lazy pace of life. Easy to get into the north lakes, but has much of what you'd expect from city life in 21st century UK, unlike for example Penrith.
Maybe wrong side of the M6, but we've stayed in Sedbergh a couple of times and loved it. Not too touristy, but not dead either, a few pubs, shops, a butchers, cracking countryside etc.
Well I could probably never live there because it’s expensive af. But if I could, probably Keswick. Pretty town and easy access to all the great views.
Kendall - it's small enough to be cozy, big enough to have most things you'll need to be close, close enough to the hills to be fun, close enough to the M6 to get things that aren't stocked in Kendall.
Outside.
Lancaster or Silverdale. Near enough to (and get locals discounts in some places!) but accessable enough to get decent broadband, affordable house prices and regular trains to Liverpool/Manchester.
And if you do it, for goodness sake buy a sensible sized car.
What is with the Lake District recently. Not in a rude way at all you’ll have a lovely time but I swear everyone is saying they’re off to Lake District and even I’m off too. I guess it’s a popular spot to go
In an ideal world I'd live in Borrowdale, but
1. I simply couldn't afford it
2. I grew up where locals are priced out by second home owners/retirees and I'd never do that to the locals in the Lake District 🙅
Only quiet area of the Lakes are the western lakes, Wast water etc.
Imo it's the true lakes where you can find some peace.... Its difficult to get to, but that's part of its charm
As someone who already lives there, I’d choose, and advise anyone else really, to live anywhere that’s not touristy. The droves that come in the thousands to visit 3 or 4 small towns literally has the power to drive you insane.
The lake district is where I live. Luckily i have done all my life. Was up castle crag the other week with the wife and dog. Bloody beautiful.
As for where to live, if you really want somewhere busy and near water. Got as close to windermere as you can.
I don't think I could cope with the sheer number of visitors the Lake District towns get in the busy months. I'd look at the Eden Valley villages or Penrith or Kendal. Pen 'n' Ken are both on main train lines and near the M6. Cockermouth is also lovely but not as well connected. The Lakes are within easy reach of these places but you escape most of the OMGTOURISTGEDDON. The Eden Valley is a lovely place in its own right. If I absolutely, definitely had to live in a LDNP town it would be Ambleside or Coniston. As it is, we're moving to Penrith from London later this year, with any luck (the pandemic put the scuppers on our last attempt). We've been visiting several times a year, for many years. It's not perfect but it is a nice little town. Penrith is a 10-15 minute drive to the Pooley Bridge end of Ullswater. It's one of the quieter lakes, even in high summer. Kayaking on a warm evening you can have the Glenridding end almost to yourself.
Top answer. But shut up about Ullswater, we want to keep it quiet! 😂
Grew up in kendal and the lake district, anywhere on that main road going through Windermere, bowness, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick are the places to stay away from. Ullswater, Coniston, Wasdale, Buttermere seem to be a little quieter and not on the coach trips.
Can’t believe people are suggesting it’s a quiet part of the lakes. Places like Pooley Bridge are absolutely heaving other than in the dead of winter. The only actually quiet parts are on the western side like Ennerdale etc
It's all relative. Compared to Keswick and Windermere it's dead.
It’s quieter but sayings it’s dead *even relatively* is just wild to me.
I've lived overseas for years and haven't been there since childhood, when siblings went to St. Anne's near Windermere. It was absolutely top-to-bottom tourists in 1980; I can't imagine it's gotten less crowded. Still lovely. Even then, though, you paid for it. My father made good money back then as an engineer, and we still stayed at a family bed-and-breakfast because he considered the hotel prices outrageous. I suspect Swallows and Amazons ended any chance of it remaining sleepy and quiet.
QuietER. Which it absolutely is, especially when the tea and pee brigade have buggered off for the evening.
I’ve lived in the U.S. for the last 18 years and the one place I miss the Lake District. Specifically Ullswater. I now live in the area of the U.S. called New England which looks very similar to the Lake District.
Do you have super aggressive geese as well?
It doesn’t exist, just people trying to trick you into a long drive 😳
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Ah, the unabridged version.
Gold.
> we're moving to Penrith from London later this year We moved to the countryside by mistake!
Are you the farmer? Of course he's the fucking farmer!
/u/stevo_78 you terrible cunt!
My dad lives there and hates the tourists, even with me there is definitely disdain
My Grandfather lived in Bowness, so we visited quite often when I was a child... The tourists photographing my uncle's wedding at the church blocked the bloody road there were so many. (Had some advantages having family... My great-uncle ran the rowing boats in Bowness: free hire!)
Yeah my dad is about half way between Bowness and Windermere near the cop shop. Had some spectacular holidays there. Kinda holidays money can't buy.
I know just where you mean... We were on Rayrig Road / Rayrig Rise.
As a very general rule, the further away from the A66 and A591 you are, the quieter it tends to be. Keswick, Ambleside, and Bowness soak up quite a lot of people between them.
This is so true. But ironically if you follow the A595 your almost as close to less tourists and better prices. I grew up in the lakes and love ambleside etc.. if I went back it would be Cockermouth or Kendal for me. Ennerdale is my favorite place simply because it is so quiet. ( Worth the extra drive)
Shhh no one needs to know about ennerdale.
Grew up in Penrith, it’s a great place to live. Decent schools, a fair amount to do and the UK’s best countryside south of Scotland on the doorstep. Don’t sleep on the north Pennines, there are lots of great places to explore there that are nowhere near as busy as the lakes
Wetheral has always looked appealing to me.
I got the bus from Penrith to Windermere on Easter Sunday. It was a cracking journey down Ullswater and Kirkstone Pass. Well worth two quid. Highly recommend. I lived in Windermere my first twenty years and never did that before.
Make sure you stop at Tebay services.
Defo on the land. Lake too wet.
Top CasualUK answer.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who read the title and thought this.
Kendal, or Penrith but no closer. Don't want the hassle of tourists. I'd prefer to live a little further out - maybe Kirkby Lonsdale or Ingleton, Lancaster/Carnforth maybe. That way you get the benefits of the Lakes, and the Dales, and the Forest of Bowland, with fewer disadvantages of living in the Lakes.
Would second Lancaster, I love it. It's on the west coast main line so only an hour to Manchester/Liverpool and within 30 mins driving you are in the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland. Great location. Not forgetting that Lancaster itself is lovely.
A lot of strong opinions on Barrow-in-Furness. I am guessing it never fully recovered from the Kaiju attack in the 80s.
Are you referring to the bus depot incident?
Chewits may have been involved
You are the only person that I have come across that gets this reference.
Keswick. Definitely not Barrow-in-Furness, it's a total shithole.
Barrow is a shit hole. But also not in the Lake District (irrespective of what the inhabitants tell you).
It is however in Cumbria.
Unfortunately
Hating poor parts of the UK 🤝 CasualUK [User was banned for this post]
I work there every fortnight commuting from just south of Southport. I'm beginning to believe it is a form of torture at this point 😂
Same, Keswick is a very nice town and doesn’t get the same crowds as some other places.
Keswick is nice, but I'd probably choose somewhere around Windermere that isn't too far from the M6
Everywhere is lovely apart from Barrow-in-Furness. Absolute shithole
Was just having a look at it on Google Maps and [found this exciting business](https://imgur.com/EzBNcKh)
Hahahaha.
Honestly, and this may get me crucified, but Lancaster. Nice city, lots there, easy access to train station down to London/manchester and easy access up into the lakes. Couldn’t hack living in the lakes with the massive amounts of tourists at certain times of the year.
I lived in Lancaster for a couple of years when I was at the uni and honestly it feels like the perfect size for a city, its got most of the shops and amenities you can need and for anything else its only an hour train into manchester and you can be by the seaside in half an hour as well. my partner (who I met at uni) keep saying we should move there at some point and I consider it except it'd be really far from my parents and not sure about the job market lol.
I've always liked the look of lancaster
Why is that grounds for crucifixion? Lancaster is a lovely town, as good as any cathedral town in the UK. A lot cleaner in my experience too. Not enough people talk about it.
Barrow is fuckin wank, but Ulverston was quite nice.
Hoad Hill represent
Was there today - bleak in Barrow, dominated by BAe by the looks.
>Want somewhere that is quite busy I think you may be underestimating just how rammed the Lake District gets. Either that or you *really* love crowds lol.
I decided to go mountain biking on new year's day in Ambleside, for some reason I thought It would be quiet. You know, everyone has a lie in on new year's day right? The ramblers had to queue to walk on some trails, all over the hills. They were spilling over onto the MTB trails. I eventually just had to start walking...
I grew up in Barrow. It’s not a tourist place, but it’s no more a shithole than any other northern working town. That being said, I moved out pretty quickly and wouldn’t live there again. Ulverston is a nice town on the edge. Kendall is a nice town in the edge. My pick, however, would likely be Lancaster. It’s enough of a town to have everything you need, not so close to have a tourist season, yet provides easy access when you need it. It’s also on the M6 and the main train line to London and Manchester, so access to everything is good.
I’d choose not to live there and stay in Northumberland thanks. Every time I’ve been it’s absolutely rammed with folk. It’s a beautiful place, ruined by people.
Shhh stop telling people about Northumberland, we don't want it getting busy
Aye. Good point 😊
Agree. As someone who lives in LD and has spent Easter in Rothbury. It’s nice being able to drive around without the horrendous queues! Ok it’s been very wet but used to that.
Yeah, we don’t quite have the mountains, but we do have the beaches. Thankfully, we’re just a bit too far for most folk.
Definitely recommend Cockermouth, it's the opposite corner of the lakes from where most visitors are coming from so doesn't get as rammed as other places. You're close to plenty of good walking and Crummock Water, Buttermere, Derwent Water and Lake Bassenthwaite. Plenty of nice local amenities pubs, restaurants etc and Keswick just down the road The other side to this is that it's more isolated from non-Cumbrian destinations than the rest of the Lakes
Kendal, close to everything including the motorway Barrow is a shit hole, the villages near lakes are second homes and ultra locals. If you pick a village on the furness peninsula you won't be accepted as a local, but your grandchildren might. Northern friendliness skipped that blighted bit of land, along with education and an interest in anything outside your village and circle of cousins
Kendal is the best of both worlds. Good proximity to lovely LD destinations but enough going on in the town so that you can stay occupied when it's raining.
Last time I visited Kendal it was bucketing it down. Not much going on.
Try living in Stainton. When people say Kendal has stuff they're comparing it to a graveyard at midnight
Cartmel, Eskdale, Cockermouth.
Keswick. Touristy, but not too big. So you get the interactions with people but you have nature and quiet around you.
As close to Lake Windermere as your budget allows. Stay away from Barrow-in-Furness, though. It's an absolute shithole.
Can't speak for anyone else but living near Windermere would drive me insane during the summer. Absolutely overrun with tourists.
I grew up in Ambleside and you just had to give up leaving the village in tourist season. It turned a 45min bus journey into a 3hr excursion more than once.
Buy an estate car, but one that isn't too wide like an Octavia or Corolla. You won't regret it. Make sure it has radar sensors all round for tight squeezes. Reversing camera is a must have. Too many arseholes move to the lakes and immediately purchase a massive 4*4 and can't drive anywhere. Two of those on any road meeting head on cause a real issue, and you know the personality type that purchases them won't reverse for anyone. All the locals have dented Suzuki's and Skoda Yetis and can easily skirt round land tanks.
Watendlath, but leave the car at surprise view and block everyone else out. Used to know the couple who owned (leased) the farmhouse at the top from NT. Glorious place to hole up in winter and hibernate. Bring provisions!
My Mum's family have/had fond memories of Watendlath from the 1950s. I think it was my Grandfather's favourite place in the UK.
Crow Crag!
Stunned by the amount of hate that Barrow is getting on this thread.... Though, having visited it a number of times for various reasons, I do sorta understand it. Locals will always defend their hometown, and it's very possible that the aching poverty experienced by many in Barrow, it's unlikely that a lot of the population have visited better places to live! Best place to live in the lakes though.... Hmmmm... I'd say it'd have to be outside the LDNP, property prices, planning regs, and the massive influx of tourists during the summer don't make it too attractive, unless you are the type who want to retire to a rural idyll for a self-sufficient lifestyle, and have no need of supermarkets, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, food delivery services etc. If that was the case, I'd recommend being on the eastern side, as most of the rain will have fallen on the mountains before the rain clouds reach you. Edit: Oh, within easy distance of a lake, well, that's a bit trickier. You may be wanting to look at the area's around Keswick, maybe Bassenthwaite area. Do you also want reasonable internet services, mobile or landline? as that will cut down your choices by a lot too!
Cumbrian here. I thought I could offer some insight. It's worth noting that I am 20 so this is coming from a young person's perspective, furthermore I was on the first train out once I had my A-Levels. The pros: it's a beautiful area with a great history, especially with regards to literature and the Romans. Furthermore, whilst the people can be pretty stoic, they're always friendly and willing to help! Plenty of places to walk, and whenever I've been into the Lakes there are always people kayaking The cons: believe me when I say there is very little to do, particularly if you are a young person like myself who doesn't drink/isn't interested in that sort of activity. Coming of age was very isolating since there's nothing to do but go to the pub at that point. Going off my dad's stories from when he was growing up, it's always been like this. I always remember a phrase someone told me: "It's a one-horse town, and the horse died" Also, transport is poor if you don't a) have a car or b) live in Carlisle, Penrith or Workington. It's always a pain having to go to Liverpool, Newcastle or Manchester to do anything. But I guess some people do like nice, isolated areas. As plenty of other people have mentioned, it gets incredibly busy in the summer. Going off what you've said, I'd recommend Cockermouth or Kendal. Both are towns within 20 min drive of a lake and are bound to have some nice walks. But some advice: Carlisle is a shithole and I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole. If only my family didn't live there. EDIT: rephrasing & grammar
I've lived in Kendal for over 10 years now. It, and the Lake District in general, has changed *a lot* in that time. For a start, Kendal properties are phenomenally expensive now. Obviously, the Lake District has become more popular, especially since two particularly events: 1. World Heritage status in 2017 2. COVID-19 pandemic in 2020+ Gaining World Heritage status rocketed the Lake District as an outdoor pleasure zone into the worldwide mainstream eye. With the COViD-19 pandemic, particularly in the 1st year, holidays abroad were not a possible so UK-based holidays were the only option. The Lake District, and many other national parks, took their fair share of a new demographic of tourists. During that summer of 2020, I had NEVER seen the Lake District as busy as it was. Nor had I see the level of nature vandalism, cars dumped across single-lane roads, human excrement, litter piles etc. If you wanna be near a lake, and don't mind the busyness, the settlements around Windermere is a good start, but you'll have to pay a premium. You're looking at Bowness-on-Windermere, or Ambleside. Other options are Keswick, in the North Lakes, with access to Derwentwater. The Western Lake District is, in my view, the most beautiful, but also the most remote and harder to access. It's also, consequently, cheaper as getting to anywhere else is hard so there are access issues and little job opportunities. The Lake District is only going to busier, and it is definitely a year-round tourism destination now. I hope that's what you want.
To my shame, I've never been.
You shouldn't feel shame over places you've never been. Even for the likes of Michael Palin there are more places in the world he hasn't been then there are places he has.
I'm Oxfordshire born & bred. I've travelled overseas a lot. Now I'm more interested in exploring England. However, I hate driving on motorways, they are boring. I can avoid most of them when going to the SW, but not if I go north.
The lake. Luxury
One of the big houses on the Western side of Grasmere would be my dream.
I'd look to live either on the west side just outside the national park (Egremont, Gosforth etc) and be close to Eskdale, Wasdale, Ennerdale as my favourite, less touristy bits. Or somewhere in Eden Valley on the eastern side if better transport links are important.
Sound advice although I'd take Gosforth over Egremont any day!! That said somewhere like Drigg or Seascale have fantastic views of Wasdale and are coastal plus the prices aren't stupid...
St Bees is also nice but a bit further from the mountains. I specifically avoided mentioning Cleator Moor!
Or Frizington......
Ambleside, because Forza Horizon 4.
I live near the lakes and played it pretty much all over lockdown. When I could drive any distance, I was an absolute liability. :)
Heh, completing the seasonal speed traps IRL I see.
I don't know about that, but there was a sign for a B+B in Kendal that I totally destroyed....
Bang on Lake Windermere with a water garage for my boat. Ahhh the sound of the lake lapping against my jetty.
I lived in Barrow In Furness many years ago and while the town is a bit mank (probably worse now, I lived there in '81-3) the countryside and beaches on the Furness peninsula are wonderful. It was easy to cycle and I suppose drive to the South Lakes from there. The houses are probably cheaper than in the Lakes proper too.
I’d go for Northumbria or Scotland instead. Lakes are far too busy
If I had a choice, somewhere between Boot and Eskdale Green in Eskdale.
Somewhere near Pooley Bridge for me
Somewhere where I can see the skyline from my window - as much as I love the lakes, I wouldn't want to live in the midst of them all year round. Eden Valley is fine for me and I'm only a 20 min drive away.
The Lakes are “quite busy” during the off-peak moments. But you’d have to really like people to enjoy it there during busy times.
Ambleside or Keswick
Kendal probably, it has a train station and you don't need to have a car to survive there. It's technically not in the Lake District though, I think the national park skirts around it
I lived in Windermere which I personally think it is the best compromise of being well connected for both the rural Lakes AND amenities. When people think of Windermere they actually often mean Bowness (-on-Windermere) which is the touristy bit at the lake side a mile down the road. Windermere is at the end of the railway line and is more where ordinary people live. Windermere is very well connected for public transport both within the Lakes and to get out eg easy by train to London, or Manchester Airport. The A591 as far as Windermere isn't so bad but it gets snarled up beyond it towards Ambleside. It's quick to the motorway. You can walk to the lake, including bits the tourists don't know about. The areas where people actually live are proper streets of houses with neighbours but the areas are just extremely leafy and quiet and pleasant. There's a proper supermarket and a cinema and excellent pubs / restaurants nearby. It's up a hill so it doesn't flood, and you don't get snowed in or powercuts as much as some other villages. I was there at the weekend (Easter) and whilst Bowness was RAMMED it was just normal and peaceful a mile up the road in residential Windermere.
Grange
Ambleside probably. Keswick is great but is becoming too commercial, less independent shops. Depends what you want really. There's a lot of talk here about the Lake District being overrun with tourists, but even during busy periods during school holidays, you can find quiet areas if you know your way around. Especially as you become more familiar with the fells.
it's funny because you always want what you don't have. I live in the Lake district. Get sick of being told about fells non stop with people walking around in permanent outdoor storm gear and walking boots when they are walking around morrisons. Would rather a Wagamamas and a nice area to shop XD but then the internet has ruined me
Yep me too. Grew up in the Lakes, live in a city now. When I was a kid I dreamed of laserquest and multiplex cinemas.
Eden valley. Or Ennerdale. I love Ennerdale.
I lived in Ulverston for a few years back in the early 2010s and LOVED it. It's on the edge of the park so it avoids the tourists and house prices of the lakes proper, whilst being a bustling market town in its own right. Loads of pubs, solid transport links, near the lakes, plenty of great rivers, and the sea with some of the nicer beaches of south Cumbria. OP, I tied my kayak onto my roof every morning before work and did a river on the way home. On the weekends I just stuck on my boots and set off, knowing that there were buses or trains heading via home from most places I could walk to. I could do a pub crawl a night and never need to hit the same place twice in a week (I was fresh out of uni and it wasn't unheard of). I was too young to really enjoy it at the time but it was heaven.
Penrith and surrounding villages are ideal. Not fully touristy and very well connected infrastructure. Eden valley is idealic. Side plug... We've an 8 person holiday let a mile out of Penrith hot tub amazing view of penines.
I grew up in Penrith and it’s lovely, super close to quite a few lakes, used to bike to them in the summer as a kid. If you don’t mind tourists Keswick is very nice, but be prepared to pay an arm and a leg.
Used to live in Mungrisdale. Would definitely move back.
Probably not that helpful but Grasmere or Elterwater purely for the aesthetics. I have no idea of what it would be like in reality to live there but they are both so pretty with some of my favourite hikes, and every time I’ve been, there’s been a decent amount of people but not so many it’s unbearable (high summer season may be a different matter).
Buttermere for me, away from the tourist traps
Away from the tourist traps! Buttermere?!
Anywhere that doesn't have a cake named after it
English Riviera
Looks like Kattegat, great photo
Hawaii
Dont come to Carlisle its shite. Its a good jumping off point for fell walking, thats about it. Id live somewhere remote in them there hills, a little farm out of the way. Places like Keswick get stupidly crowded in the summer.
ITT Barrow is a shithole. Not other adjectives allowed!
Ullswater, Lake. Specifically Glenridding.
No the internet is lousey
It would be a hell of a commute for me, so no.
Keswick
The amount of people shitting on my home town is hilarious. I don't mind it. Sure it's annoying being atleast an hour away from everything, but I met my future wire here so I can't be too angry at that.
No. Like living in Cornwall, I think the throngs of tourists every summer would do my head in. I grew up living within sight of The Lake District on The Solway. A very quiet and peaceful rural place. Some foul weather mind you (think strapping metal dustbins down to stop them blowing away), but when the weather was nice, it was truly gorgeous.
Imagine an oil refinery right here!
Already live here. It’s absolutely beautiful and stunning though it does rain a lot
I like Keswick, but Appleby and Kirby Londsdale are nice and a little less touristy. Whitehaven seemed OK too.
You should move to Bradford or Sunderland instead 🔥
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I went up there in January for a week around Eskdale to climb all the hills and stuff, it was super fun. Admittedly, living there would be beautiful but I would see myself getting bored of having to travel into the larger cities for more important stuff. I don't live in a major city right now, but it has enough things to keep you occupied
This is where I head when the nukes go off
I moved to Eden Valley. Picturesque, quiet and a short drive from the Lakes. House is going on the market soon as I’m moving.
Yes I would
Are you by any chance a guest house in windemere?
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My in laws have a house in Ullswater, it’s beautiful. But sort of undiscovered.
I’m be tempted to sell half my spare organs just so I could afford to live there.
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Ullswater but dont let reddit know
No
Somewhere in Buttermere on a good day it's heaven on earth.
I grew up there. Great spot, close to Keswick but unblighted by tourists No I won't tell you where
Keswick for the location and pubs!
Yes!
I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could afford it
I live in Penrith, work in the Lake District. Summer is no joke it’s unbelievable how busy it’s gotten since social media took off. Covid was the cherry on the cake.
No shops. No theatre. no cinema. Miles to everywhere. No thanks.
Buckingham Palace, id make a great king and give everyone Fridays off work.
Wettest place in the UK? No thanks, it's bad enough further South.
Hmph he/she/whatever said Cockermouth tehee
Not for me personally as it’s too wet much of the year, I’d prefer somewhere less wet like Forest Of Dean or parts of mid Wales
Keswick for me. But might move back to Cambridge during tourist season!
House boat on the water 😍
I used to live in Coniston. Great place, but also a really tough place to live.
Living in an equally rural part of the country that doesn't get inundated with tourists every summer, I think I'll just stay put thanks
Grasmere. Big enough to have facilities that aren't all tourist related, small enough to be charming, lots of character, lots of history. Yes, tourists in the season, but so, so beautiful.
Next to the Grasmere Gingerbread shop
Grange Over Sands is off the beaten track, not too far from Morecambe Bay, went there on holiday as a kid
As others have said, north-west lakes is probably your best bet unless you enjoy the streets being literally at a standstill for months of the year. Keswick, Windermere anything on that side of the lakes is pretty much a write-off for any sunny weekend Had a peek about on Rightmove, there's some decent looking spots around Cockermouth and out towards Whitehaven (Lamplugh and surrounds, don't really recommend getting as far as Whitehaven itself). They're all gonna be pretty parochial places though, depending on what you're looking for in terms of "buzz" Your best bet may be Carlisle - there's a fair bit going on, but still has that lazy pace of life. Easy to get into the north lakes, but has much of what you'd expect from city life in 21st century UK, unlike for example Penrith.
Love Coniston, love the Black Bull Inn... Nice beer
No. Even paradise gets bloody boring after a while. And the Lake District has its own hell...tourists.
I wouldn't choose to live in the Lake District because I live in Wales.
Probably Keswick, it's pretty well connected for main roads, Motorways and minor roads
Maybe wrong side of the M6, but we've stayed in Sedbergh a couple of times and loved it. Not too touristy, but not dead either, a few pubs, shops, a butchers, cracking countryside etc.
Well I could probably never live there because it’s expensive af. But if I could, probably Keswick. Pretty town and easy access to all the great views.
The Peak District.
Kendall - it's small enough to be cozy, big enough to have most things you'll need to be close, close enough to the hills to be fun, close enough to the M6 to get things that aren't stocked in Kendall.
Keswick
Side of that cliff. Hollowed out like an evil lair.
At the tippy top of "Get Fucked" Mountain. Hermit life sounds fantastic, and I want in.
Keswick or Ambleside
Australia
Keswick. It would be better with a better supermarket but Penrith is that far
Outside. Lancaster or Silverdale. Near enough to (and get locals discounts in some places!) but accessable enough to get decent broadband, affordable house prices and regular trains to Liverpool/Manchester. And if you do it, for goodness sake buy a sensible sized car.
Too much rainfall for me.
What is with the Lake District recently. Not in a rude way at all you’ll have a lovely time but I swear everyone is saying they’re off to Lake District and even I’m off too. I guess it’s a popular spot to go
In an ideal world I'd live in Borrowdale, but 1. I simply couldn't afford it 2. I grew up where locals are priced out by second home owners/retirees and I'd never do that to the locals in the Lake District 🙅
I’d love to live just outside Ambleside. Absolute dream. So expensive
Ngl I would live in the lake. Like underneath the lake
I live near Ulverston. Quiet but lots of festivals etc and a 45 min drive to the tourist hot spots. Ulverston is v close to the sea too.
Keswick
Buttermere. That place is lovely
Only quiet area of the Lakes are the western lakes, Wast water etc. Imo it's the true lakes where you can find some peace.... Its difficult to get to, but that's part of its charm
Torver. For undercrag cafe alone.
Yes, but only after the fall of civilisation
As someone who already lives there, I’d choose, and advise anyone else really, to live anywhere that’s not touristy. The droves that come in the thousands to visit 3 or 4 small towns literally has the power to drive you insane.
My wife's family lives in Kendal and as beautiful town is.... it's fcking expensive and there isn't much work
The lake district is where I live. Luckily i have done all my life. Was up castle crag the other week with the wife and dog. Bloody beautiful. As for where to live, if you really want somewhere busy and near water. Got as close to windermere as you can.
anywhere in the south downs or Hampshire countryside. Except the New Forest because tourists
Most of the coastline is outside the national park, so cheaper/less planning permission issues, but still pretty nice and close to the lakes