The best place to live in the north of England

As owners of Kendal Holiday Cottages, we look after a luxury riverside apartment that overlooks the beautiful River Kent. We realise we might be a little biased when it comes to our home town. That said, recently-published independent research from LocaleIQ has declared that Kendal is ranked as the fifth best place to live in the UK, and the best in the north of England (with Chester being the only other place in the north to make the list).

By drilling down and looking at the data for towns and postcodes throughout the UK, LocalIQ is able to produce a detailed map of what places are safest, which have the best schools or which show the greatest economic resilience, to give just a few examples. In short, its an intelligence platform that shows a level of detail like no other thanks to combining official government data with land registry figures, and thereby providing independent quality-of-life rankings.

The top places to live in the LocaleIQ rankings are as follows:

1. Guildford
2. Cambridge
3. Bath
4. Winchester
5. Kendal
6. Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
7. Shrewsbury
8. Chelmsford
9. Chester
10. Reading

Furthermore, Kendal is ranked #4 in the UK for affordability, and #5 in the UK for young professionals. Given that it is a relatively small town – especially when compared to the others that make the list (all of which are at least double the size in terms of population) – Kendal seems to be punching well above its weight.

Dominated by grey limestone architecture, Kendal is traditionally known as the ‘Auld Grey Town’, but this is somewhat misleading as it is also a very green space, with plenty of small parks and surrounded by the rural fells of South Cumbria. The ‘Gateway to the Lakes’ is perhaps a more fitting description – Kendal is easily reached from the M6 motorway and is the town that many visitors will pass on their way to the Lake District National Park.

And Kendal is actually close to not one, but two, national parks – the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales – making it perfectly situated for anyone who loves the outdoors. Visitors love to walk the fells, admire the some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, be it the fells of the Lakes or the rolling hills of the Dales ( I did say we are a little biased, but we think with good reason!).

Watersports enthusiasts will love everything from paddle boarding and sailing to windsurfing and wild swimming. Visitors can explore ruined castles (Kendal Castle can be seen from the balcony of our riverside apartment), wander down narrow historic yards, browse independent shops, and enjoy the many cafés, pubs and restaurants.

The town is also a bustling hub for arts and events, hosting world-renowned gatherings like KMF (the Kendal Mountain Festival) and LICAF (the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival), alongside year-round live music, comedy and theatre at the iconic Brewery Arts Centre, or the leisure centre’s very own Westmorland Hall.

Kendal scored mostly highly for ‘wellbeing’ in the LocaleIQ rankings. We like to think that might be down to the outdoor lifestyle and the low stress levels that come with that. Think fresh Cumbrian air and access to beautiful landscapes. To give an example, our most recent guests at our luxury riverside apartment have enjoyed repeated sightings of otters and kingfishers. If passing the time admiring wildlife and watching the river go by isn’t enough to relax you, I don’t know what is. If instead you prefer something a little more active, there is abundance of outdoor activities to take part in that are sure to provide you with a healthy, balanced frame of mind.

Combine all fo this with a warm and welcoming community and it’s easy to see why Kendal is a great place to unwind and enjoy a peaceful, restorative environment.

Some recent comments on Facebook when the news of LocaleIQ’s rankings was unveiled include:

“Choosing where to live in my 60s, I moved from Sussex to Kendal. I love the town and its proximity to The Lakes and The Dales.”

“An amazing place to live and be born , l have lived in quite a few places in this country nothing touches Kendal.”

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If you’ve not visited our little corner of England before, we hope you get to do so soon.