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Hi there,
the wife's just accepted a position at the University, so we'll be of to the NW at the end of the summer. Naturally, this is my first port of call for advice.
Interested in:
Where's a nice area of the city to live? Looking for 3 beds, garage or outbuilding or cellar for bikes. A scan of Zoopla et c. and we've seen some places we like between Ryelands Park/Skerton, anywhere else? Would need to be within bike range of the Uni. and ideally walking to the centre.
Decent pubs? Old-man real ale pubs really.
Where to eat? Any good restaurants? Also a decent chip shop?
It doesn't look like there's any good biking from the city, but surely there must be something? Not interested in road riding.
Already found the Bog Trotters, so that's on the list.
Cheers,
Alex
Was covered a bit a short time ago
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/lancaster-short-term
Can't help you with housing ideas though, sorry
less than an hours drive will get you in the south lakes, you jammy sod. Enjoy.
Saw the previous thread when we were still waiting for news. Search just now didn't find it though, my Google-Fu is weak.
Could really do with housing tips from a local.
And a good pub 😉
APF
Avoid Ryelands and Skerton mate. Two of the worst areas in the city. Personally I would live on the south side, nearer to the Uni. It is less affordable for a reason! Scotforth, Greaves, Bowerham, Bailrigg (right next to the Uni), Barton Road, top of Hala Hill is ok. Area around Williamson's Park is nice. Hope that helps.
Yeah plus the university is a few (4?) miles from the centre of what is a small town so nowhere is especially close or far for biking really.
It's been a while since I lived there, but Skerton / Ryelands Park were always the bad end of (what is really quite a middle class) town. I'd avoid if you can.
Unfortunately there really isn't much mountain biking from the door, but you are close to the South Lakes by car. You may have to consider road rides if you're set on riding from home - the Trough of Bowland is really lovely.
Well for someone like me that lives in the Skerton / Beaumont area ( and has done for over 10 years..) I would strongly disagree with its reputation for being rough. Never had any trouble, unlike my parents ( who live south Lancaster - Bailrigg- near Lancaster Uni, have been broken into and had things take from their garden). From north Lancaster I can get to the uni in 25 minutes by cycling down the canal, probably less if going through town and the traffic lights are on my side. South Lancaster has some lovely houses but is more pricy due to student housing demand and access to the motorway. If you are happy to look in the north side then slyne-with-hest, hest bank are nice but just check where the new bypass is going first ( this is going to help easy the traffic situation in Lancaster).
I moved here from the south 20+ years ago and love it, a city that's not too big, not too small, good pubs and restaurants. Like other said, there is no mountain biking from the door but the Lakes and Dales are near enough.
Lancaster was the uni I always wanted to go to as the urban myth machine stated it had the greatest percentage of women to men at any uni. I went to Leicester in the end 😆
I lived in Ryelands/Skerton for a year off campus whilst I was at Lancaster Uni. Nice little terrace house right by the River. I shared the house with two other guys, we went to our local and ended up playing pool against some local lads. They didn't appreciate getting beaten and one of my mates ended up getting a pool cue smashed over his shoulders. We tended to stick to drinking in the town after that.
Apart from that one incident though the area was fine. The road I was on was out of the way and quiet. I used to cycle commute onto campus everyday from there without issue, easily doable. Also enjoyed riding up along the Lune and taking a trip up to Arnside/Silverdale but not really what you would call off-road stuff.
As for other areas I had friends who lived along Westbourne Road and also in the Bowerham area and they had their good points as far as I can remember.
I grew up in Bowerham, leaving ~20 years ago. It's a nice place, as are all the other bits around there. You're right on the edge of countryside and I had many fine rides out into the wilds of the Trough of Bowland. My experiences of Skerton are somewhat coloured by a few run ins with local yoof when I went over there to play Basketball every Friday. That only seemed to happen when I was in my grammar school uniform though 🙂
Lucky you. I'd be tempted to rent for a stretch till you find your feet. I'm a South Lancaster boy but sure there's plenty of places on the other side of the river that'd be nice. Good chip shop on Scotforth Rd if that swings it. There's a bit of MTB and a terrific ride over the trough around Dunsop Bridge. Lose the fear of road riding - it's great around there. Bit out of touch with pubs but it's not as hard to find decent beer these days is it? Say hello to my mum 🙂
What Bazwadah said. I've lived on the north side of the river for 7 years, never had a problem. The link road might make the traffic better.
If you have a road bike there are some splendid quiet roads within a short ride from the city.
Alex,
I don't know Lancaster well enough personally but I know that quite a few Bogtrotters live there. You could join the FB group and ask on there too.
Decent real-ale pubs are also a club speciality.
Jump on the boat at Heysham for a weekend on the Isle of Man, some great trails over here now.
You've got the Lake District on your doorstep for riding.
I lived there for 5 years in early/mid 2000's. Moorlands/Primrose area which was nice if a bit studenty (being right near the halls of residence up by the sports centre).
Great town though, really easy access to/from the M6, right on the west coast mainline, near to some great riding - road from the doorstep up to South Lakes, down to Blackpool or over into the Trough, MTB a bit more limited but still easy to Lakes, Dales and Howgills.
The town is still sort of finding itself, it went through a few years of having near zero decent restaurants, no cinema and no coffee shops but it seems to be more thriving now. And traffic can be a nightmare on the one-way system although the new link road (that they'd been talking about building for at least 10 years before I moved there!) should take some of that away.
That's all fantastic guys, thanks a bunch.
APF
As above really with the following points:
Coffee shops - I assume you mean the 2 Atkinson's run ones. The ground coffee at the shop is lovely.
Hestbank - gods waiting room. Nice houses but purely residential. There is nothing to do there. The hestbank hotel has a nice garden by the canal but the burgers are 13 gbp.
Scotforth - good area for the uni and the chip shop is good.
Canal is good for commuting - my parents house backs onto it and there's hundreds of cycle commuters using it.
Be careful about buying anything as the markets been flooded with new build flats so they are hard to sell on and there's ambitious build plans for new houses. Big new sites down by the lune and hestbank Bolton le sands.
I visit the area alot as have family there. Usually go to Lancaster and London and when I see my old mates in Lancaster I can't half tell the difference.
also look at the villages round Preston - woodplumpton, or live in s lakes and commute.
Hope it helps
It rains all the time
It rains all the time
This is an understatement.
It rains all the time
Not quite everyday. Some days it's foggy.
I live in Lancaster (originally from Morecambe - about 3 miles away, so I should know the area).
Lancaster c/centre is small and is becoming a large student residence. Traffic does ease off a bit during the vacation periods. Its mostly terraced houses (2 to 5 bed). I used to live in the Freehold area (5 doors from the Gregson and 5 minutes from town). This was quite a good area.
I now live about 2 miles north of the centre. These are 2/3 bed bungalows with large gardens. Getting to the Uni (I also work there) is a one hour jog along the canal, or 25 minutes on the bike, or a straight run through Halton/Caton then the lanes at the back. avoiding the traffic. I frequently make use of bus pass (issued through salary sacrifice by the Uni and costs about £7 a month). It takes about 45 minutes and I don't stress out with the traffic.
I am also in the Boggies.