Good areas to move to for hacking (and dog walking and cycling)

Muddy unicorn said:
Thanks everyone - I realise it is property-specific but it’s good to have an idea of general areas to look at or avoid. My OH is dead set against very flat bits of the country which rules out much of East Anglia/Lincolnshire. I’ve got this week off work so I’m going to spend a lot of it Rightmove-trawling (and viewing if possible..)
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If you want hills then West Yorkshire is the place to be, hills everywhere but also good hacking and just 2.5 hrs from Leeds to London
 
Scottish Borders and North Northumberland around the Cheviot hills is great hacking and walking country. Not too sure about cycling but where I am on the Borders /East Lothian border has excellent cycling too. Probably too far to commute to London on a regular basis though. (Between 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours from Berwick upon Tweed to Kings Cross).
 
North Norfolk coast east of Hunstanton and west of Cromer.

There are loads of walks, hacking, cycling options including beach possibly the lack of hills might be a drawback but it’s not as flat as the fens.
 
Agree areas can be very specific, I'm half way between Wakefield and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, a small village , there is a lot of off road hacking just here, but if you went out of this exact area there is less.
If I wanted lots I'd say somewher near something like cannock chase, or my friend in Shropshire seems to have good areas to explore.
 
Scotland? Im in Aberdeenshire, for your budget you'd get a very decent size house and acreage for that easily within an hours drive to Aberdeen city. We also have a right to roam here so you can basically walk/ride anywhere you want (obviously using common sense). Loads of forestry trails, beaches, quiet roads for biking etc. Certainly not flat which your OH didnt want. Very horsey here too. 1 hour flight to London or you could get the train.
 
Somewhere in the Midlands within reach of Cannock Chase. Plenty of off road hacking, dedicated mountain bike trails, loads of free parking (that may be about to change). Easy access from most directions. Live in one of the nice villages like Yoxall, Penkridge, Great Haywood.
 
Lovely hacking around Petworth/Midhurst area. Sandy tracks, woods and open heathland but not sure if it is too expensive. We used to go camping with the ponies in that area years back. Just south of Petworth. The fields went straight onto a bridlepath and you could ride for miles and hours. Also, area near Shere, Surrey, same type of countryside but probably pretty pricey. Near the South Downs is a good bet and it covers a wide are so you may find something not too expensive in some areas.
 
it can be property specific for hacking, but where we are in the Forest of Dean, bordering on the Wye Valley would tick a lot of the boxes (not close to the sea... but not far to drive!) and not as pricey as the cotswolds. I see a fair few equestrian properties pop up round here and it's a pretty horsey area so we are well served with vets etc. outdoor recreation is really good round here.
 
milliepops said:
it can be property specific for hacking, but where we are in the Forest of Dean, bordering on the Wye Valley would tick a lot of the boxes (not close to the sea... but not far to drive!) and not as pricey as the cotswolds. I see a fair few equestrian properties pop up round here and it's a pretty horsey area so we are well served with vets etc. outdoor recreation is really good round here.
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This - you could stretch into Monmouthshire too. The very south of Monmouthshire does have the sea but the northern end (Monmouth, Raglan, Abergavenny, Usk area) is better for horses.

Or Gower, just outside Swansea - although you're further from (affiliated) competitions there.
 
Ugh … still looking .. either the house would need a huge amount spent on it to get it right, or the land is wrong (way too steep/marsh in the middle of the paddock/too small etc) or you'd effectively be imprisoned by beautiful views but with nowhere to hack/walk. Saw two in Powys today - one house was lovely but the paddocks were really only suitable for sheep or mountain goats and the other had lovely land, facilities and hacking but the house needed masses of work and it was just a bit too remote for me. Starting to wonder if we'll ever find anywhere that ticks enough boxes and is in budget :(
 
Here would tick your boxes (Welsh borders) and we are just about to put our place up for sale. In this area hacking is lovely as is dog walking; I wouldn't choose cycling myself but plenty of folk do that too!! I don't think our place would suit you specifically as it is quite a bit under your budget so I suspect you would be wanting different to what this offers but it is a brilliant area for horses, dogs, cyclists though deffo not near the sea!!
 
I'm in south Worcestershire, close to the Malvern Hills. There's plenty of cycling both off road and not, loads of competition venues and access to trainers and it is a lot cheaper than the Cotswolds. Hacking is brilliant if you are close to Castlemorton Common, which takes you up to the hills, literally miles of off road tracks for dog walking and horses. It's also a freindly area with people who live here F/T so who are invested in the local community. There's a train to London and decent shopping in Cheltenham or Worcester, Malvern is OK too. The sea is miles away of course!
 
Leicestershire is by far the best hacking but not the cheapest. I am in Lincolnshire which is cheaper and the hacking is good, lots of odd road lanes and big grass verges. If your horse will pop the drains it gives you even more options ?
 
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