Where is a seaside version of keswick, to move too?

[JumbleDuck]

I fear that even the advertised service is optimistic. And it is a long long way by road. From anywhere.

Indeed. My other half dislikes sailing but likes Gigha and has joined us there in the past. It's a heck of a bus trip, though. Ardrossan to Campbeltown would have been worth it if the service wasn't so rubbish, so Glasgow to Macrihanish by Loganair is looking like a better option.

If you get the timing right, Ardrossan - Brodick is 55 minutes, Brodick - Lochranza is 35 minutes and Lochranza - Claonaig is 30 minutes, Since Ardrossan - Claonaig is three hours by road, those of us coming from the south can shave up to an hour off the trip to Kintyre that way. In theory. I have never actually done it, but I have gone Wemyss Bay - Rothesay, Rhubodach - Colintraive, Portavadie - Tarbert and returned Tarbert = Portavadie, Hunter's Quay - McIlroy's Point which are both scenic routes but not much faster than the road.

 

[Romeo]

Indeed. My other half dislikes sailing but likes Gigha and has joined us there in the past. It's a heck of a bus trip, though. Ardrossan to Campbeltown would have been worth it if the service wasn't so rubbish, so Glasgow to Macrihanish by Loganair is looking like a better option.

If you get the timing right, Ardrossan - Brodick is 55 minutes, Brodick - Lochranza is 35 minutes and Lochranza - Claonaig is 30 minutes, Since Ardrossan - Claonaig is three hours by road, those of us coming from the south can shave up to an hour off the trip to Kintyre that way. In theory. I have never actually done it, but I have gone Wemyss Bay - Rothesay, Rhubodach - Colintraive, Portavadie - Tarbert and returned Tarbert = Portavadie, Hunter's Quay - McIlroy's Point which are both scenic routes but not much faster than the road.

I have used all these ferry services for great wee cycling holidays around the Clyde. Love it. Ardrossan to Campbletown is a great idea, but the problem really comes down to not having good enough or reliable enough ships in the CalMac fleet.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Ardrossan to Campbletown is a great idea, but the problem really comes down to not having good enough or reliable enough ships in the CalMac fleet.

Agreed. It's not a bad idea to do it as an extension of the Brodick run[1] although it slows things down a bit, but if they want to make a go of it they need a dedicated ship and a sensible timetable. Maybe they'll have something to spare if the new Glen Sannox can be got working before it bankrupts Fergusons.

Kintyre Express tried and failed, but maybe a rib side across for £35 single wasn't an attractive proposition.

[1] My father did a summer as purser on that route. TS Duchess of Argyll, 1954, I think.

 

[zoidberg]

Where is a seaside version of keswick, to move too?

You could always try Dunoon.

There's something to be said for the western end of the Jockinese Rust Belt, but I'm embargoed from saying it on here.....

 

[NormanB]

If it was just me, places like helensburgh would work, but its not an attractive place. Needs to be pretty, thriving, popular and forward thinking.

Someone mentioned brixham, that might be worth a look.

Helensburgh has a lot of rabid anti English folks too.

 

[moomba]

You could always try Dunoon.

There's something to be said for the western end of the Jockinese Rust Belt, but I'm embargoed from saying it on here.....

Dunoon is nice and just outside the area my Aunt and Uncle have just bought a house outside Dunoon from Loch Ard were they stayed for 15 years , they find it life style much better and good transport links

 

[JumbleDuck]

You could always try Dunoon.

Has it really managed to make the shift from "unspeakable dump" to "vaguely respectable"? I suppose stranger things have happened., and it's a long time since the Yanks left.

When my last boat was based on the Gareloch we had a standing joke that if anyone ever asked "Where's Dunoon?" - have been asked, perhaps, to steer towards it, answering "under that raincloud" without bothering to check was almost always accurate.

 

[moomba]

Has it really managed to make the shift from "unspeakable dump" to "vaguely respectable"? I suppose stranger things have happened., and it's a long time since the Yanks left.

When my last boat was based on the Gareloch we had a standing joke that if anyone ever asked "Where's Dunoon?" - have been asked, perhaps, to steer towards it, answering "under that raincloud" without bothering to check was almost always accurate.

No way it s the New Brighton

 

[Scotsailor]

How about Fort William?

 

[Minchsailor]

How about Fort William?

I thought one of the OP's requirement was for a place without too much rainfall. And a reasonable cultural life. Look elsewhere.

 

[Sybarite]

Pont Aven?

 

[jimi]

Move to Kalymnos. Sailing in the sun and all the climbing you could throw a rope at.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No way it s the New Brighton

New Brighton, maybe. The new Brighton, no.

 

[alant]

I spent 20 years in keswick, in the Lake District, and it's a great place to live if your into the outdoors.
Things I like for living there,
Huge range of pubs
Lots of cafes, restaurants, galleries etc,bi weekly markets.
It's a pretty and compact town.
Good mix of locals, and incomers.
Temp folk coming to live and work there so they can climb/walk/mountain bike etc for a season or three keep it young, outward looking and vibrant!
Small enough you get to know many faces ( pop is 5000)
Tourists keep the economy humming, provide plenty of work, ( albeit low paid) means a larger than normal amount of pubs and restaurants survive and thrive, and add an interesting dynamic to the social scene.

The only thing wrong with it is it's not on the coast with a harbour/marina/moorings. Plus my wife thinks the lakes are too wet and cold

So we are looking for somewhere to live in the future, currently Tynemouth, Newcastle is favourite, because it's within fairly easy reach of keswick and the lakes, it has a lot of those keswick plus points above, and is on the coast, has surfing, and my wife is a geordie and fancies going home.

The sailing is not great from around there though, so where else in the country, ( England Scotland Wales) would we find a small pretty market village with the good parts of keswick I outlined above, but is on the sea, I can keep our boat there and has good local sailing and is a good base for multi day/week long and several week long cruising from?
And ideally has a decent climate!

I'm hoping the combined knowledge and experience on here will give me some great ideas and counter my my ignorance of the rest of the country

Milford on Sea, just a cycle ride from Lymington.
Friendly, great eateries/pubs & tourists start appearing around easter.
http://www.milfordonsea.org/

 

[steve yates]

I thought one of the OP's requirement was for a place without too much rainfall. And a reasonable cultural life. Look elsewhere.

Correct, plus it's a dump, I spent years around it.

 

[steve yates]

Move to Kalymnos. Sailing in the sun and all the climbing you could throw a rope at.

Now we're talking, I've had two climbing trips there. Fabulous place!

 

[JimC]

You could carry on enjoying the fleshpots of Keswick and make a short and very scenic commute to....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4esb3WKF_8

 

[Topcat47]

Milford on Sea, just a cycle ride from Lymington.
Friendly, great eateries/pubs & tourists start appearing around easter.
http://www.milfordonsea.org/

It's even closer to Keyhaven, which is a bit more tidally constrained even for a bilge keeler. it's much nicer than Lymingtonk, easier to get out through Hurst (no one ever wants to push the tide that way ).
Handy for the New Forest, Christchurch and Bournmouth but otherwise pretty much a dead end. Southampton for decent shops, although lymington has some boutiques, an M&S food and a Waitrose.

 

[steve yates]

You could carry on enjoying the fleshpots of Keswick and make a short and very scenic commute to....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4esb3WKF_8

I already have maryport as my home port, which I prefer to Whitehaven, and an even shorter commute.

 

[wully1]

Oban?