Cumbria

Cumbria is a county in the north of England, and one of the most beautiful places to live. There are many factors that go into choosing where to live, but Cumbria has something for everyone! From the beautiful scenery to the great schools, there’s no wonder why it has become such a popular place. Read on for more information about this wonderful region.

4.44
Average Location Score

Excellent

56%

Very Good

36%

Average

7%

Disappointing

0%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Cumbria

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Where is Cumbria?

Cumbria is located in the north of England and is bordered by Scotland to the north and west, Northumberland to the east, and Lancashire to the south. It covers an area of over three thousand square miles, making it one of the largest counties in England.

Areas in Cumbria

There are many different areas in Cumbria that prospective home buyers might be interested in. The coastal towns such as Whitehaven, Workington and Barrow-in-Furness offer stunning views of the sea as well as a range of activities for those who love being outdoors.

 If you’re looking for a more rural lifestyle, there are plenty of villages throughout the county with rolling hills and picturesque scenery.

 And finally, if you’re looking for somewhere with a bit of both, the Lake District is perfect – it has beautiful lakes and mountains as well as lively towns and villages.

Some of the more popular areas include:

Carlisle – a historic city with a cathedral and castle, Carlisle is a lively and popular area with plenty of shops and restaurants. It is also close to the Lake District.

Carlisle cathedral

Kendal – lying on the edge of the Lake District, Kendal is a charming town with independent shops and a range of pubs and restaurants.

Ulverston – a charming town in the Furness Peninsula, Ulverston is home to the world’s largest Laurel Festival.

Barrow-in-Furness – located near the Lake District, Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town with a shipyard and steelworks. It has plenty of pubs and restaurants and is also home to the Lakeside Holiday Park.

Keswick – located in the heart of the Lake District, Keswick is a popular tourist destination with activities such as hiking and climbing available nearby

Penrith – a historic town with plenty of independent shops and restaurants, Penrith has an impressive castle and beautiful countryside nearby. Located just to the northwest of Kendal, Penrith has great transport links throughout Cumbria and beyond via its railway station so is an excellent choice for commuters

Whitehaven – a port town on the coast of Cumbria, Whitehaven has excellent transport links and is very popular with tourists visiting nearby attractions such as Workington’s beach. There are also plenty of shops in the centre so it makes an excellent choice for prospective homebuyers looking to set up their own business or just wanting somewhere to go shopping.

Universities in Cumbria

Cumbria is home to The University of Cumbria which has both campuses in Carlisle and Lancaster and has a reputation for being a very friendly and welcoming university. It’s also one of the smaller universities in the UK with around 7000 students, so it’s perfect for those who want to get to know their lecturers and fellow students well.

Carlisle castle

Top Schools in Cumbria

Cumbria is home to some excellent schools which have been recognised both nationally and internationally, including:

Keswick School – an independent boarding school located in the Lake District National Park, the Keswick School has a stunning location and is regularly ranked as one of the best schools in the country;

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School – a selective grammar school located in Penrith, which is consistently ranked as one of the top state schools in England; and

Barrow-in-Furness Girls’ High School – a comprehensive school that has been awarded an “outstanding” rating by Ofsted.

St Bees School – an independent co-educational boarding school located on the coast of Cumbria, which is regularly listed as one of the best schools in England.

Population of Cumbria

The population of Cumbria was estimated at just under half a million people as of 2019, making it one of the smaller counties in the UK.

 

Reviews in Cumbria

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Edgehill Park updated

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Apr 2023

Whitehaven Town centre is a short drive away, about 50 mins walk. No public transport currently serves the estate but I believe there are plans for a bus when the estate is finished. Parking is fine for our street but the newer parts of the estate are very close together with few additional spaces. Bins are collected regularly. No anti social behaviour and no traffic noise. There’s a bit of noise from the houses still being built.

Please review your development:

The first two phases of the estate were well thought out. Spaces for parking, grassy areas, nice planting, houses nicely spaced out. Newer houses are crammed together with very narrow roads and small gardens. We are still waiting on a park which we were promised in phase 2.
We pay around £150 a year for the service charge.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Get a snagger! Story’s will sort what they find. Also, don’t expect your garden to have beautiful lawn. Underneath the topsoil is rubble and rubbish.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

We had a few snagging issues that were sorted quickly.

3
Facilities
3
Design
4
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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Nice estate – Story Homes are useless

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Apr 2023

Cockermouth is a nice independent little market town. Very friendly with good shops and restaurants.

Please review your development:

Story Homes are a nightmare. They are lovely when they want your money. Afterwards they are not keen on correcting faults. If you are intending to buy here the best thing you can do is get a professional snagger. Property management company are useless. Lots of dead trees and plants which haven’t been replaced.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I’d known how badly Story Homes are thought of. Lots of faults and extremely poor aftercare.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They don’t respond! Issues have been raised but very little in the way of response.

1
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
3
Value
1
Management
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Great house but has issues

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Apr 2023

The place is excellent for living here except we are a end terrace and have wild edging which runs at side of ours where we get loads of dandelions keep coming thru I have had three professional lawn care companies in but still get em back every year

Please review your development:

Development good gardens are another matter tho need to come to a decision on what to do lots of damp issues and lack of storage in the building has caused massive headaches for us the service charge as gone up but still no gardening done or sorted but house location spot on

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The damp and lack of storage is a issue and the amount of dandelions and moss is out of control

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They come and do it every year for the damp new measures to try to sort it

2
Facilities
3
Design
5
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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Snagging list wasn’t fully completed had to prompt for this a year later for issues to be resolved

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Dec 2022

Roads leading to our street have parking issues. Residents parking opposite junctions as not enough allocated parking spaces. Very occasional anti social behaviour from young children.
Our street we have lovely neighbours who all get along and help each other out.

Please review your development:

Snagging list wasn’t fully completed had to prompt for this a year later for issues to be resolved, there was however no issue from persimmon about honouring this . Still awaiting code for alarm system in order to set our own code which is very frustrating.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

How long it would take for snagging issues to be resolved.

What is the best feature of your home:

The view. Hopefully no future developments built in front of us in the future.

3
Facilities
3
Design
5
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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