Great story Tom, I love your idea of "window shopping" for homes. I have never focused on walkability, but some of the places I visited on my motorcycle and car trips I like are The Finger Lakes, anywhere along the Chesapeake Bay (many good towns there), and numerous small towns in the middle of nowhere.
We also have our house exactly as we like it but it will probably not be our last house. My wife and I are both retired and someday will on the search.
Yeah, those two placed--the Finger Lakes and Chesapeake Bay--would fit nicely. I wonder if Americans’ love for their private property would make the walkability more difficult?
Gorgeous photos, Tom! Thanks for sharing. Walkability has been important for us as well, and we're in an area that ranks pretty high. However, the negative noise is also high. The main paved trail runs parallel to a road, and the freeway is just close enough that you can hear the faint hum of trucks on the quietest of nights. It's a constant reminder to go elsewhere, away from it all and enjoy real freedom, but I don't think we would ever move. At least not until the kids are out on their own.
Thanks Brian. The biggest thing that drives my consideration of moving is the noise--there’s a small airport nearby, and a state highway not terribly far off, and we never truly escape their sounds. When I go camp places, I’m reminded that it doesn’t have to be that way.
What a brilliant metric. We are likely to move in a year or two somewhere more permanent, so I’ll take your database advice! Our walkability is great in Basel, but I think England in general has so many wonderful walks that are beautiful and challenging but not quite hikes that need preparation or tents (eek). As I mentioned before, I’ve encountered this area and can’t wait to really WALK it.
In 2007, I took a picture of you and Sara walking in the sunshine of our Riverfront Trail as a Repeat Photograph of an historic image in a series titled "Snohomish Then and Now" -- a series happily moved from WordPress to Substack -- https://warnerb.substack.com/p/riverview-looking-west -- it's good to "bloom where you're planted," as the saying goes.
Beautiful pictures. Makes me want to go there as I love to walk.
That said ,as a permanent place to live, Manhattan, uptown, near Central Park, is hard to beat, because I can walk to 90% of the places I want to go, often going through the park.
Thanks David. We’ve spent a bit of time walking around Manhattan and I do love Central Park ... and the sheer variety of food and stuff there is amazing.
Walkability at night has always been important to Liz and I. As you know Tom, our little town provides walking routes on street lit sidewalks with low vehicle traffic. That scores big during long winter nights.
Hey! You could create another spreadsheet with categories just on walkability.
It’s why I bought an RV. Instead of settling on one place, I can move around (though I still have my farm as home base!). I wanted a sailboat, (imagine the destinations) but cats don’t like water and I, and they, are too old for that much work to change them!
Great photos and description of what seems to be a magical place! Thanks for sharing!
We’re now planning to meet up with these friends from England to barnstorm the Maritime provinces ... they’re so small I can just ask around for you, right?
And the quality of the hosts there, impeccable. Did you know that they serve you the cocktail of your choice on an elaborate silver tray, served by a fair maiden?? It’s fucking remarkable.
I've enjoyed living in Hoboken, NJ, San Francisco, and Chicago, which are all imminently walkable cities. But that's in the truly urban living sense. Finding nature in those cities requires a car, and public transportation leaves a lot to be desired.
Since moving to Chicago we've become a major biking family, which we find superior to walking from an access standpoint. We can make our way 7-10 miles on bikes around Chicago, even during winter, which has redefined our relationship to the city.
I'd add bikability to your spreadsheet and see how that might change your outcomes.
Jul 23, 2023·edited Jul 23, 2023Liked by Tom Pendergast
Sure, I live in Kilsyth, Scotland, and the walking here is so good, that we have been awarded the coveted 'Walkers are welcome' award. The main advantage of the Campsie Fells is that house prices here are much more sensible, and tourism is less frenzied.
Man, that sounds like it fits the bill! We didn’t hit the tourists when we were there, but you could sense that they were coming... Chris said that was the big downfall to living there.
Jul 24, 2023·edited Jul 24, 2023Liked by Tom Pendergast
Incomers and holiday homers can seriously pressure house prices in National Parks - driving less affluent locals - key workers such as farm workers and nurses - out of the area.
This often causes major resentment and conflict - it got so bad in North Wales that the radical nationalists slogan there was : "Buy a holiday home in Wales : come home to a living fire"!!
Yes, over tourism is a problem in the Lake District at times and in certain places, and I think it will get worse before it gets better, though it's still pretty easy to get away from it. The advantage of tourists of course is they support lots of great restaurants, pubs, theatres, cinemas and cultural events.
All four of us are ready to move to the Netherlands. Just waiting for that lottery win. You can drive the entire country in a couple of hours, which means you can literally bike between cities. And you can walk to everything you need in most places. Real estate is very different over there. Not many single-family homes, but the town house style communities offer so much in terms of shared green space and access to services, shops, recreation, etc. We love it there.
I'd like to know what score we would get on your sheet. Maybe on next visit. There is something very magical to me about those parts of England. Old, charming, and almost mystical that they are "original" for hundreds of years.
You know, the highest rated place on our sheet is currently in Leavenworth, not far from you. In fact, east slope of the Cascades is generally pretty tempting ... except for the smoke. I wonder how magical those English hills would be in late November?
The only thing I miss being on the east side is rain. I bet those English Hills are more like English Bogs that time of year. Tricky/Challenging might be the fun part though.
There is such a slowness that comes from not needing a vehicle. The other day, I walked out of my house, through a few neighborhoods (Not crossing any major roadways), up 1500' trail, back down, stopped by a minor league baseball game for a few innings, and continued my walk to a brewery along the river and then back home. Total walk < 5 miles.
Great story Tom, I love your idea of "window shopping" for homes. I have never focused on walkability, but some of the places I visited on my motorcycle and car trips I like are The Finger Lakes, anywhere along the Chesapeake Bay (many good towns there), and numerous small towns in the middle of nowhere.
We also have our house exactly as we like it but it will probably not be our last house. My wife and I are both retired and someday will on the search.
Yeah, those two placed--the Finger Lakes and Chesapeake Bay--would fit nicely. I wonder if Americans’ love for their private property would make the walkability more difficult?
Gorgeous photos, Tom! Thanks for sharing. Walkability has been important for us as well, and we're in an area that ranks pretty high. However, the negative noise is also high. The main paved trail runs parallel to a road, and the freeway is just close enough that you can hear the faint hum of trucks on the quietest of nights. It's a constant reminder to go elsewhere, away from it all and enjoy real freedom, but I don't think we would ever move. At least not until the kids are out on their own.
Thanks Brian. The biggest thing that drives my consideration of moving is the noise--there’s a small airport nearby, and a state highway not terribly far off, and we never truly escape their sounds. When I go camp places, I’m reminded that it doesn’t have to be that way.
What a brilliant metric. We are likely to move in a year or two somewhere more permanent, so I’ll take your database advice! Our walkability is great in Basel, but I think England in general has so many wonderful walks that are beautiful and challenging but not quite hikes that need preparation or tents (eek). As I mentioned before, I’ve encountered this area and can’t wait to really WALK it.
In 2007, I took a picture of you and Sara walking in the sunshine of our Riverfront Trail as a Repeat Photograph of an historic image in a series titled "Snohomish Then and Now" -- a series happily moved from WordPress to Substack -- https://warnerb.substack.com/p/riverview-looking-west -- it's good to "bloom where you're planted," as the saying goes.
Funny that you found a photo of us there ... I don’t even think we knew you then!
Sometimes you have to jump feet first and just do it. That's if you're “serious “
Serious? Surely you jest
Beautiful pictures. Makes me want to go there as I love to walk.
That said ,as a permanent place to live, Manhattan, uptown, near Central Park, is hard to beat, because I can walk to 90% of the places I want to go, often going through the park.
I love the High Line in New York. My absolute fave place to walk when I’m there
Thanks David. We’ve spent a bit of time walking around Manhattan and I do love Central Park ... and the sheer variety of food and stuff there is amazing.
Walkability at night has always been important to Liz and I. As you know Tom, our little town provides walking routes on street lit sidewalks with low vehicle traffic. That scores big during long winter nights.
Hey! You could create another spreadsheet with categories just on walkability.
I know, all the comments make me think that there are about 2 dozen flavors of walkability ...
It’s why I bought an RV. Instead of settling on one place, I can move around (though I still have my farm as home base!). I wanted a sailboat, (imagine the destinations) but cats don’t like water and I, and they, are too old for that much work to change them!
Great photos and description of what seems to be a magical place! Thanks for sharing!
You bet, thanks for your note
Glorious words and pictures, Tom - such a treat of a post! 🙌
Oh thank you, thought of you and your Sycamore Gap article a lot while I was there
😊
Stunning photos, looks like a wonderful time! I might need to cop that spreadsheet trick, as we start to toy with selling our place.
We’re now planning to meet up with these friends from England to barnstorm the Maritime provinces ... they’re so small I can just ask around for you, right?
😂 Absolutely!
Stupendous pictures, Tom! I can see how the miles might have melted into nothing (until the next morning, anyway.)
Thanks Troy .... it’s a good kind of weary.
Glad you enjoyed yourselves. As you say, the Lake District is not perfect (far from it in many ways), but it is rather wonderful all the same.
And the quality of the hosts there, impeccable. Did you know that they serve you the cocktail of your choice on an elaborate silver tray, served by a fair maiden?? It’s fucking remarkable.
That's normal in England of course.
I've enjoyed living in Hoboken, NJ, San Francisco, and Chicago, which are all imminently walkable cities. But that's in the truly urban living sense. Finding nature in those cities requires a car, and public transportation leaves a lot to be desired.
Since moving to Chicago we've become a major biking family, which we find superior to walking from an access standpoint. We can make our way 7-10 miles on bikes around Chicago, even during winter, which has redefined our relationship to the city.
I'd add bikability to your spreadsheet and see how that might change your outcomes.
That takes balls to bike in Chicago in the winter! I’ll walk in anything, but I think I’m probably a fair-weather biker.
Sure, I live in Kilsyth, Scotland, and the walking here is so good, that we have been awarded the coveted 'Walkers are welcome' award. The main advantage of the Campsie Fells is that house prices here are much more sensible, and tourism is less frenzied.
Man, that sounds like it fits the bill! We didn’t hit the tourists when we were there, but you could sense that they were coming... Chris said that was the big downfall to living there.
Incomers and holiday homers can seriously pressure house prices in National Parks - driving less affluent locals - key workers such as farm workers and nurses - out of the area.
This often causes major resentment and conflict - it got so bad in North Wales that the radical nationalists slogan there was : "Buy a holiday home in Wales : come home to a living fire"!!
Yes, over tourism is a problem in the Lake District at times and in certain places, and I think it will get worse before it gets better, though it's still pretty easy to get away from it. The advantage of tourists of course is they support lots of great restaurants, pubs, theatres, cinemas and cultural events.
All four of us are ready to move to the Netherlands. Just waiting for that lottery win. You can drive the entire country in a couple of hours, which means you can literally bike between cities. And you can walk to everything you need in most places. Real estate is very different over there. Not many single-family homes, but the town house style communities offer so much in terms of shared green space and access to services, shops, recreation, etc. We love it there.
That sounds pretty fantastic ... I would be happy to live in that kind of environment.
I'd like to know what score we would get on your sheet. Maybe on next visit. There is something very magical to me about those parts of England. Old, charming, and almost mystical that they are "original" for hundreds of years.
You know, the highest rated place on our sheet is currently in Leavenworth, not far from you. In fact, east slope of the Cascades is generally pretty tempting ... except for the smoke. I wonder how magical those English hills would be in late November?
The only thing I miss being on the east side is rain. I bet those English Hills are more like English Bogs that time of year. Tricky/Challenging might be the fun part though.
There is such a slowness that comes from not needing a vehicle. The other day, I walked out of my house, through a few neighborhoods (Not crossing any major roadways), up 1500' trail, back down, stopped by a minor league baseball game for a few innings, and continued my walk to a brewery along the river and then back home. Total walk < 5 miles.
Unbelievable. Then you need to visit the Scottish outer isles for more unbeatable beauty.
That’s been my conclusion too. I’ve got a couple Scottish friends who have a list of places for me to go; can’t wait.
I have to recommend Harris. It is for me one of the most beautiful place on this stunningly beautiful outer isles