Yes, Keswick is generally considered a very good place to live, especially for those who love the outdoors, offering stunning scenery, abundant activities (hiking, kayaking), strong community feel, good amenities (shops, cafes, theatre), and low crime, though it can be expensive due to its popularity and significant second-home/holiday let market, making housing a challenge for some locals.
Keswick is a wonderful and bustling market town in the heart of the Lake District and just 20 minutes from the M6 motorway. Whether you choose to live in Keswick or one of the many accessible towns or villages within commuting distance, there is something for everyone!
Where is the nicest place to live in the Lake District?
Grasmere. Among all Lake District hotspots, Grasmere perhaps has the biggest 'X-factor' of all. The combination of its natural beauty, community spirit and cultural history is hard to resist, and those that call it home are lucky souls – there is a wonderful quality of life here for residents.
The Cumbrian town housed approximately 4,658 residents according to the 2021 census. However, it's believed that roughly 40 per cent of properties in the town sit empty, with about half of sold houses being converted for tourist use. Rightmove data shows the average property price in Keswick stands at around £359,880.
Keswick is famous for its stunning location in the Lake District, serving as a hub for outdoor activities like hiking and watersports, its rich literary history linked to poets like Coleridge and Wordsworth, its historic pencil industry (now the Pencil Museum), and landmarks such as the Castlerigg Stone Circle, making it a popular tourist destination.
Not only is the pretty town surrounded by stunning mountain scenery - under the protection of famous fells like Skiddaw and Blencathra - it's right next to the lake of Derwentwater, and offers a huge amount of things to do.
Where is the cheapest but nicest place to live in the UK?
The nicest but cheapest places to live in the UK often combine affordability with access to nature or culture, with top contenders including Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Hull, Burnley, and County Durham for low housing/rental costs, offering seaside access (Sunderland), rich history (Hull), or proximity to natural beauty like the North York Moors (Middlesbrough). Carlisle also stands out for its proximity to the Lake District and affordability.
In my opinion Keswick is the nicer of the two. The town centre in Keswick is largely pedestrianised, whereas Ambleside will have cars going through it all day. There's plenty of walks from the door, and Derwentwater is going to be a very short walk if you stay in town.
The next most dangerous is Barrow-in-Furness, and Carlisle comes in as third most dangerous. There are safer parts of Cumbria, identified using the same Crime Risk measurement, starting with Egremont which ranks as the safest area in Cumbria, followed up by Ulverston in second place, and Cockermouth in third place.
Where is the cheapest place to live in the Lake District?
“Copeland remains the most affordable area in the North West of England, despite average prices rising 11% over the last year. While the area includes parts of the western Lake District, its main settlements are along the Cumbrian coast from Millom to Whitehaven.
Keswick has a history of flooding with records dating back to the 1700s. Since then, approximately 20 significant flood events have been recorded. Two major events occurred recently in 2005 and 2009. The 2005 event was estimated to have a 1.33% annual exceedence probability (AEP).
This neighbourhood has a consistent population, and is popular with people in their 20s, people in their 30s, people in their 40s, and people in their 50s. Keswick is a community situated north of Toronto on Cook's Bay (part of Lake Simcoe). Keswick was originally known as Medina.
This town is packed with outdoor equipment shops and boutiques. It's a short walk to the Theatre by the Lake and banks of Derwentwater, just south of the town. There's a choice of cafes, restaurants and a range of accommodation in and around the town.
Sitting between Derwentwater and the dramatic peak of Skiddaw, Keswick offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the entire national park. With a population of around 5,000, it's a small, friendly community known for its outdoor lifestyle, bustling high street, and active arts and cultural scene.
Kendal is a lovely town but more like Penrith and Carlisle than Keswick, which are larger, less touristy towns that sit around the edge of the Lake District. I walked around a bit and stopped for a lunch of Thai pea soup at the oldest pub in Kendal, Ye Olde Fleece Inn.
Nestled in Southwest Edmonton's Windermere area, Keswick is a thoughtfully planned, up-and-coming neighborhood inspired by England's Lake District. Featuring constructed wetlands, parks, and scenic walking trails, it's a peaceful, picturesque place to call home.
