North East UK - Where to Live?

Hello!

I'm not sure if this is the best location for this question, but I'll give it a try!

We are considering an expat assignment to the North East part of the country, coming from the US (Detroit, MI).  I would be working in Peterlee and we have been trying to find a nice family community within 30 minutes or so of Peterlee.  We have 2 young sons (ages 4 and 2) so having access to things to do is important. 

Some towns we've considered include Durham, the Stockton-On-Tees area (Eaglescliffe, Ingleby Barwick, Yarm, Hartburn), and Sunderland. 

Does anyone have any familiarity with these areas?  Is there one you would recommend highly?

Also, are there any areas we should consider that aren't on our list?  I'm curious if there might be some nice areas on the South side of Newcastle.  Or we found a gorgeous looking town near the coast called Tynemouth.  I'm curious to learn more about it and the surrounding areas.

Any advice we can get is much appreciated!

-Brandon

Hi and welcome!  I'm afraid I don't have specific advice about the areas you mention, but have recently married and now live near Ryton in Tyne & Wear.  It's a lovely area and every time we take an outing I'm impressed with the beautiful countryside.  Of course for 2 young boys the countryside may not hold the same appeal it does for me. 

I've visited Durham twice now, and absolutely love the feel of that historic town.  I've only driven through Sunderland so don't have any basis for opinion really, although it did strike me as a very large city and I'm not really the city type.  What I do think you might want to consider is the route you will have to take between where you live and where you work.  It isn't always about the miles between the two, but the types of roads you have to traverse - if that makes sense. 

Anyway, good luck and congratulations on your new adventure (should you decide to take it)! 

Hi there! I'm just north of Newcastle city center, which I really love, though I think that's probably too far for you. I haven't spent time in many of the places you mention except for Durham, which is absolutely charming! That being said, I would choose to live in Newcastle over Durham because we don't have a car and the access to shops, entertainment, etc. available via the Metro is essential. Also there are drawbacks to living in a tourist town, which Durham is much more of than Newcastle. (Unless you count the idiots who come into Newcastle on the weekends to get plastered, but since we have a toddler we're never around that crowd!)

My friends here speak pretty poorly of Sunderland, though I can't give you any personal experience there.

As far as areas south of Newcastle, I have heard good things about Whickham and another neighborhood some friends were looking at moving to but whose name I cannot recall for the life of me! I'll post again when I figure it out.

Tynemouth is one of my favorite places to go in this area - it's so cute and right on the Metro! I have no idea what it would be like to live there (as far as schools or whatnot) but even if you don't choose to live there you definitely need to go!

Good luck with your decision!

The name of the area south of Newcastle is called Low Fell, in Gateshead.

I haven't spent time in many of the places you mention except for Durham, which is absolutely charming! That being said, I would choose to live in Newcastle over Durham because .....the access to shops, entertainment, etc. available via the Metro is essential. Also there are drawbacks to living in a tourist town, which Durham is much more of than Newcastle.
.....
Good luck with your decision!

This is pretty much what I would say! 

I'm also from (Metro) Detroit and my husband works in Peterlee, small world!!

I live in Sunderland, there are some decent places around the Sunderland area and it's very well located for a commute to Peterlee.  I'd suggest looking around the Herrington area as it's local to the A19 and there are some nice houses depending on your budget.  What sort of (ballpark) budget do you have for housing?

Tynemouth is nice, I'd say it's a little too far for a commute to Peterlee as you'll be the wrong side of the river (although there is a tunnel).  It's 23 miles each way.  Somewhere like Herrington would be half that distance and still only a few miles from the coast.

If you want to be right be the sea, Seaburn/Roker/Cleadon are both worth considering and are the "right" side of the tyne for a commute to Peterlee.

I'd probably avoid the areas immediately around Peterlee as IMO they're not the best areas.  In the other direction (south), there are some very nice places near Wynyard, Billingham, which is about 12 miles away.  Obviously there's Durham too which is very nice.

My friends here speak pretty poorly of Sunderland, though I can't give you any personal experience there.

That'll be nothing more than tribal football related nonsense so I wouldn't let that be a factor.  There are some nice areas in Sunderland and although Newcastle is a fantastic city, it isn't best placed for a commute to Peterlee.

Well they're not football fans, so that's not it. But given that you live there, you obviously know better than me!

Hello!

I'm not sure if this is the best location for this question, but I'll give it a try!

We are considering an expat assignment to the North East part of the country, coming from the US (Detroit, MI).  I would be working in Peterlee and we have been trying to find a nice family community within 30 minutes or so of Peterlee.  We have 2 young sons (ages 4 and 2) so having access to things to do is important. 

Some towns we've considered include Durham, the Stockton-On-Tees area (Eaglescliffe, Ingleby Barwick, Yarm, Hartburn), and Sunderland. 

Does anyone have any familiarity with these areas?  Is there one you would recommend highly?

Also, are there any areas we should consider that aren't on our list?  I'm curious if there might be some nice areas on the South side of Newcastle.  Or we found a gorgeous looking town near the coast called Tynemouth.  I'm curious to learn more about it and the surrounding areas.

Any advice we can get is much appreciated!

-Brandon

When our 2 chhildren were aged 5 and 3 we moved to Kirklevington which is a mile or 2 south of Yarm and about 30 minutes drive to Peterlee.  We absolutley loved it, great little primary schoool for the kids, very friendly neighbours, short drive into Yarm for shops, doctors etc.  We still have friends there and visit from time to yime when we are in England. The secondary school, Conyers, at Yarm has an excellent reputation. (I was working in Billingham at the time)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conyers'_School

Thank you everyone.  This is all so helpful!  We have decided to take the assignment and will be arriving in mid to late June.  Initially we will stay in a temporary apartment while we select a school and then a home nearby.  I will look in to each area you all have recommended as well!  It is truly helpful to have others willing to share their experiences and knowledge with us!

Thank you everyone.  This is all so helpful!  We have decided to take the assignment and will be arriving in mid to late June.  Initially we will stay in a temporary apartment while we select a school and then a home nearby.  I will look in to each area you all have recommended as well!  It is truly helpful to have others willing to share their experiences and knowledge with us!

Good luck!!  I've sent you a PM with a bit more detail.  With your budget, personally, I'd be tempted to live in Durham, it's a beautiful old city and I'm sure you'd like it.  Let me know if you need any more help/tips before you move over.  My husband has lived in the Durham/Sunderland area his whole life.

Good luck!!  I've sent you a PM with a bit more detail.  With your budget, personally, I'd be tempted to live in Durham, it's a beautiful old city and I'm sure you'd like it.  Let me know if you need any more help/tips before you move over.  My husband has lived in the Durham/Sunderland area his whole life.

I grew  up 12 miles from Durham City and can say that  I loved the city, still do, and go there always when over visiting relatives. 

Thank you everyone.  This is all so helpful!  We have decided to take the assignment and will be arriving in mid to late June.  Initially we will stay in a temporary apartment while we select a school and then a home nearby.  I will look in to each area you all have recommended as well!  It is truly helpful to have others willing to share their experiences and knowledge with us!

Bow prep school in Durhsm is very highly rated if you decide on Durham.

For a commute to Peterlee on your budget there's probably nowhere better to live than Durham in my opinion.

There's owt wrong with Sun'land, mate. Been ere 8 year now. But, given a choice, I would love to live in Durham. It's got such historic charm. A great city, for sure.

Bit late to this message, but I'll add my two cents.  I moved to Durham in Oct '13 and absolutely love it.  I love the charm of the city, which yes, is a bit of a tourist/college town, but I think it retains it character.  Good public transportation, but it is better to have a car.  It's an easy train ride to bigger cities like Newcastle, York, and Leeds (even Edinburgh is only 2 hours away!), and an easy drive to the shore and villages off the beaten path. 
Best of Luck!