[Closed] Where to live, Southampton, Portsmouth, Poole...?

Having grown up between Southampton and Portsmouth, I’d suggest Poole.
I suppose much of the reason is seeing the change in the area since the time I lived there. My dad still lives in the house we moved into in 1963. The parish he lived in ( Hedge End) then had approximately 1500-2000 residents. I believe now it’s 20 000 plus. The area around Poole centre is less built up I think but I may be out of date on this. Certainly there are nice beaches in the area.

Slight tough combination of requirements there. Climbing - you want to be as close to Swanage/Portland as possible. For MTB /road in the south downs and Surrey hills you'd be better off towards Portsmouth or inland from there.
But I have done a couple of Charlie's Gravel Dashes and the Purbecks and surrounding areas were lovely... so maybe Poole is good.

I’ve lived in the BH9/10 area for the last 33 years there loads of decent riding in the area.

All mtb, 1st heat map is all from home, 2nd is the Purbecks, 20 minute drive to either the Ferry or Corfe. (Corfe is a far better staying point) Them you have Puddletown forest 35-40 minutes away, and Okeford bike park with an uplift a similar distance.

Dorchester? Nice town from the few times I've been there, 15 miles to Portland, 10 miles to Weymouth, close to Puddletown Forest for MTB.

Might be a bit further west than you wanted, but I'm counting it as south coast in the geographical sense 🙂

Well as someone who has driven down from Southampton to Swanage/Portland more times than I can care to remember. I wouldn't want to be further east for the climbing. As long as you leave early and come back early (or very late) to avoid the daytripping traffic it is quite doable in a day. Southampton is obviously pretty good for connections to London etc.

Depending on budget I’d recommend Broadstone, Colehill, Ferndown, etc, good rising from the door stop and close but just out of the town centres.

Good options for various cycle types near Petersfield. I'd say eastern suburbs of Southampton over other areas within ~5 miles of city centre.

Of the 3, Poole. I live in Portsmouth. It’s nice being close to the South Downs but I’d move to Poole area myself if I could make it work commuting etc.

We have a caravan on a seasonal pitch in Wareham & spend as much time as possible down there, the Purbecks are ace for walking, climbing, and the riding is pretty good too.

I'm in Portsmouth and if I could I'd move further inland, Rowlands Castle/Clanfield/Buriton/Petersfield areas

All close to the A3 for commuting or visiting Portsmouth/Southampton/Winchester, close to the downs, Surrey hills/Guildford only 40ish mins away

Petersfield area is great for mtb/road and the beach at Hayling Island is c 25mins down the A3....but it will be a drag to get down to Swanage/Portland on a regular basis. For climbing walls - Guildford or Fareham.

where are you going to be working? it’s a fair distance between poole and portsmouth. i used to live in lymington. of the places you have on your list, Poole would be my choice.

something you need to keep in mind is the traffic in the summer, especially on friday evening commuting time. lots of day trippers and holiday makers on the move. it gets especially congested where the M27 meets the A31.

there are a lot of pleasant places to live along that coast once you are west of southampton. unfortunately travelling east from there is a chore.

Depends whereabouts you work really. Someplace like Romsey is nice. Decent access into the Forest and towards Purbeck etc but also good access to Southampton and the major roads. The guys I know who live over towards Poole etc all complain about the drive/commute.

Portsmouth is a dump, don't do it :). Further east ticks the riding and beach boxes (South Downs and Witterings) but its a mission to get to a crag.

If I could make it work I would probably move to Wareham because Purbeck is magical.

Don’t forget the whole of the new forest is absolute shite for mtb. (As is Wareham forest)

Poole + surrounding.

I have worked out the ideal place to be for riding, living and working. I'm not saying where it is, but it's not far from Poole 🙂

I live just north of Poole nr Wimborne. Mtb round here is rubbish (loads of gravel) but within an hour quite a few good options ranging from nice xc (perbecks and Shaftesbury) to bike parks (UK bike park and windhill) to woods (puddle town and somewhere near Yeovil I forget) to jumps. Fod is 2:15 hr, bpw 2:30hr so a day trip easy but not just a morning. Very good skatepark scene and old BMX scea well. I used to go to a climbing wall I. A school and that was good to but I am very much an amateurs. Very popular.

Personally I don't like Poole, Wimborne or Ringwood are nicer, and easier to get out places from have most things you need. Ferndown is south coast retirement stereotype. Dorchester is nice as well but further to some places closer to others!

Also consider Blandford. Cheaper still close to the coast. Less traffic.

I reckon I'd be pretty familiar with a lot of stuff in your first heat map, jimmy748!

And the second, obvs.

This thread makes me want to go home (via Nine Barrow Down).

Is Wareham Forest bad? I have ridden gravel bike around that way and the big classic xc loops up onto the Purbeck ridge etc but not much MTB?

Thanks for the replies, work doesn't really affect where I could move to, I could pick anywhere in the country really but my wife wants the sun and better weather of the south coast, and beaches. As long as there's some riding and climbing I don't mind.

For the climbers, what's Swanage and Portland like? I'm used to trad stuff like lakes, Wales mountains and Anglesey sea cliffs. Done a lot of bolted stuff aborad but none in the UK really apart from the odd slate route.

I'm sort of torn between biking and climbing, I love climbing but if the local crags are nothing special then I'd probably pick a biking area and save climbing for weekend trips away to better places. I know Portland and Swanage are big areas but never climbed there and haven't looked at a guidebook yet.

I'm also lucky that I can get away in weekdays instead of weekends if areas get mega busy at weekends as well. Not meaning all this to sound like a humblebrag, the reason for move is change of location as I'm now off sick from work permanently, ( luckily I have some income protection insurance). The only problem is I have all this free time but due to my sickness reason being major anxiety, stress and depression i struggle a ot of days to even get motivated to do anything. I'm hoping a new area and new start will help, away from all the previous troubles I've had where I am now.

OK, knowing that, defo Poole and definitely not the others IMO. There's nothing like a summer evening walk/swim on Poole/Bournemouth beaches to cure the soul.

Thing is - obviously the Dorset coast is nicer than Hampshire.. but house prices reflect that. Poole is gonna be way more expensive than Portsmouth!
To ask that question in the first place - oh where's better to live, somewhere with house prices average half a million quid or where they average £250K? well that's a hard one!

Personally, I'd go nearer Brighton!

Is Wareham Forest bad? I have ridden gravel bike around that way and the big classic xc loops up onto the Purbeck ridge etc but not much MTB?

Depends on what you want. As you say some lovely classic xc routes heading out to perbecks and some gravel stuff if that's your bag but nothing interesting if you're into burns and jumps, head to p town instead.

I’ve never climbed, but from what I’ve seen when riding there Portland is very popular around the Eastern side of the Island, as is the coastline around Windspit in the Purbecks. (The coastal path from St Aldhams head to Windspit is also great on a bike)

If you can ride Wareham from your doorstep it’s ok, but very little elevation and very short runs, if your driving then keep going for the extra 10 minutes to Puddletown.

@ed34 feel free to peruse my Strava to see if the riding looks like what you are after
https://www.strava.com/athletes/jcallis

I used to live in Poole 20 years ago and that's where I got my love of mountain biking. As others have said, over the chainlink, past Studland, up into the hills - obelisk, 9 barrow down, corfe, golf course, harry's tank.. some great riding, variety of trails, hills.. and nice scenery. Apart from circling the harbour or doing the seafront I never ventured further afield, New Forest seemed boring in comparison- trails are sandy with not a lot of views, roads are busy with cars. If you had a road bike there's good riding heading up around the Cranborne Chase area. When I left the area you could still get a nice 3 bed semi in Upper Parkstone for around 135k. Probably not as cheap now

Won't be long before Southampton and Portsmouth merge into one big mega city. Huge amounts of building going on especially Fareham area. Traffic a nightmare and standard of driving on M27 is frightening.

Southampton and Portsmouth merge into one big mega city

The good folk of Pompey wouldn't even let their special tower be painted red, let alone allow that to happen 😆

Spinnaker Tower?

I'd say the beaches Bournemouth/Poole way are nicer than Southampton/Portsmouth way, and there's no climbing around the latter. Good riding Portsmouth way towards the South Downs, really depends on what you want to be able to 'pop' to and what you're happy to drive to. Do you want to do anything from your front door? i.e. walk or cycle to

For the climbers, what’s Swanage and Portland like? I’m used to trad stuff like lakes, Wales mountains and Anglesey sea cliffs. Done a lot of bolted stuff abroad but none in the UK really apart from the odd slate route.

I’m sort of torn between biking and climbing, I love climbing but if the local crags are nothing special then I’d probably pick a biking area and save climbing for weekend trips away to better places. I know Portland and Swanage are big areas but never climbed there and haven’t looked at a guidebook yet.

Portland is probably the best place in the country for sport climbing up to around 7c. If you are looking for 8a and above then Cheddar and Anstey's Cove are the next nearest areas. Nowhere else comes in the UK close to Portland in terms of shear number of low to midgrade route in one area. Parts of the isle of Portland itself are a bit scruffy but all the climbing is on the cliffs around which is pretty idyllic and away from people. There is also a whole Rockfax guide of bouldering on Portland - the Cuttings is probably the best area. Again prefect for low to medium grade stuff (plenty up to bouldering grade 7B).

Trad climbing in Swanage is mostly on the sea cliffs - most stuff requires an abseil in and the top outs can be a bit chossy. So it is not the most accessible for the inexperienced. But if you know what you are doing the climbing is superb - like Pembrokeshire but with better weather. Proper adventure climbing. There is also quite a lot of deep water soling around.

I reckon there are probably twice as many good climbing days in Portland/Swanage than the lakes/peaks. Partly because of the weather but also because it is very quick drying.

If you are into climbing in terms of training, then Southampton has half a dozen top quality walls in and around. Poole has "The Project" bouldering wall but I can't think of anything else other than what is in Southampton. So ironically, if you are looking to get "strong" you might be better in Southampton away from the outdoor stuff.

yep, loads of indoor climbing around Southampton. Boulder Shack in Southampton and Red Spider in Fareham are well regarded.

I'd live near a beach if I could. Not to have to drive to a beach in the summer would be great.
On beaches, Poole wins. Southampton and Portsmouth technically have beaches, they're not that nice (Hill head etc isn't bad). And travelling to nice beaches from this way to nice beaches on beach days is difficult.

Regardless of the posts about over development, you're never that far from the countryside in the Southampton/Portsmouth region (excluding the cities themselves). the South Downs national park isnt that far away.

What martin_t said about the climbing. I haven't climbed for a while now, but my early climbing days were there.

The best bit is the deep water soloing - just fantastic. Get down to Conner Cove for the classics like The Conger, Freeborn Man, Fathoms etc. Top stuff.
Then once you have used up all your dry kit, beer at the Square and Compass at Worth Matravers. Days out don't get much better.

Re trad - if you enjoy Gogarth, then the bigger Swanage trad crags like Boulder Ruckle are great. Chossy top-outs in places, but good climbing in atmospheric positions. Abseil access.

Spinnaker Tower?

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2015-06-08/council-u-turn-over-spinnaker-tower-paint-job/

Grew up in Pompey (so Southampton is immediately out) but all joking aside i moved to Bournemouth around the age of 15, so 20 years ago.

Depending on area i would say Poole, good location for riding, and loads of beaches around for the wife and lots of climbing about.
Puddletown, purbecks and locally there is a lot, im also in BH9, but would want to be closer to Poole ideally as easier access to better riding spots.

Thanks db, didn't know about that! It's due to be lit up in green to raise awareness of Lyme disease, not sure when that's happening though.

I live in the New Forest near Lyndhurst , its only good for Gravel bikes and its getting increasingly busy and there is an undercurrent that any cyclists road or offroad are not welcome by Militant locals and the Verderers who manage the Forest.

Go west towards the Purbecks for some decent mtb trails or towards Winchester area.
There are a couple of established MTB clubs worth checking out.

dorsetroughriders (more Dorset)
newforce.org.uk (more Hampshire)

The best bit is the deep water soloing – just fantastic. Get down to Conner Cove for the classics like The Conger, Freeborn Man, Fathoms etc. Top stuff.
Then once you have used up all your dry kit, beer at the Square and Compass at Worth Matravers. Days out don’t get much better.

Did that for my 30th birthday. Best day ever.

I left Poole along time ago, was born there, lived in Bmth then back to Poole for a little while after Uny. Funny place, can't say i love it.

But the nature in that part of the country is magic. Problem is everyone else there is at the same time. I am comparing this to the north of sweden where I am now where you dont' see a person for days. Bliss.

I moved to Ferndown (just north of Bournemouth) 6 years ago and wouldn't live anywhere else in the UK now.

It's ideal for travel. Salisbury and Southampton are within 30 minutes. Poole and Bournemouth are 15 minutes away.

Traffic is much reduced compared to the more popular areas of Poole and Bournemouth and you'll get more house for your money being a touch further out. It has all the amenities you'll need other than a train station.

Riding wise I can head out in any direction and be off road in less than 2 miles. I can get to the New Forest, up to the Salisbury Plains or west to Exeter without doing more than a couple of miles of road. The maps are criss-crossed with bridleways. Road riding (not that I do that!) is plentiful on really quiet roads all over the area.

Climbing on Portland or Swanage can be reached within 30 min to 1 hr. The gradings are really hard compared to all other areas I have climbed in the UK though.

Beaches are within 6-8 miles.

The kids love it here and it's like being on holiday year round with all the activities that are available and within easy reach with or without a car.

New Forest is lovely. Problem is, about a bazillion other people also know that it is lovely. Ditto Meon Valley.

My dad still lives in the house we moved into in 1963. The parish he lived in ( Hedge End) then had approximately 1500-2000 residents. I believe now it’s 20 000 plus

My dad was born pre-war in Hedge End and still lives there (in a different house).

American Tanks assembling for D Day, bombed out house opposite, finding unexploded incendiary bomb while out playing, etc.

I've only been there once despite living in Southampton since '92 and that was something like 15 years ago on holiday...

IOW?

If you're into biking and climbing and your mrs is into beaches and sun then I wouldn't be looking at cities. Unless you like driving everywhere of course

mr goat above has the right idea, the Isle of Wight has everything you mention (well, not loads of official climbing routes but a climbing gym and more bouldering than you can shake a stick at) within walking/riding distance

I may be biased on that though, I live here but I've lived elsewhere in Europe in cities and out of cities and keep coming back here

Similar to others I grew up in Fareham - lived there until I was 20 in the late 90s. Riding was ok, some local woods etc, QE park etc. But better for road and gravel now I'd say. But personally I wouldnt want to bring my kids up there. Parents bought their house in the 70's and still live there. Lots of planned building of 1000's more houses and the whole Portsmouth to Southampton stretch is one giant housing belt. From what I've seen the infrastructure and services as a result will be completely over stretched in 5-10 years (they already are now). Even when I went to secondary school there was only choice of one, and that was over 30yrs ago.

Beaches are ok, but all pebbles and stones and shipping lanes on the Solent so not particularly good other than walking the dog on. If I had to move around there with specific beach access it would be Lee on Solent I'd guess. But id prob look towards Poole direction.