what's it like to live there?

Violette I, too, know and love that area! I was up there in February, visiting two school friends who live in the Tynemouth area. ( One lived and worked in New Zealand for 40 years before returning to the North East, along with her Kiwi husband - who loves it there.) The coast was always lovely, but I must say that it is better now than when I was a girl. For example, I remember open-cast mining sites behind the sand dunes of Druridge Bay, but these sites are now nature reserves, carefully planted with native species. I do hope that the GP situation is resolved soon so that you can move into your flat!

The outskirts of Hull is really nice with some lovely villages. Beverly would be a nice place to live not too big with lots of amenities. Also a lovely visit to York not far away. I was born in Hull and lived there for many years I still have family living there and visit when I can. I remember our family holiday to Primrose Valley each year. Going to Hornsea, Bridlington, Scarborough or Filey for the day. We had lots of fun.

VIOLETTE - I think you will find that the local CCG (health service clinical commissioning group) is obliged to allocate you to a practice - might be worth contacting therm.

Violette I know the area well and absolutely agree that the coast around Tynemouth/Whitley Bay is both gorgeous and has access to all amenities.

If only it were not so far from all our friends and family.

...though I'd avoid Great Yarmouth, not to my taste at all!

Most of the Norfolk coast is lovely but not as cheap as it used to be. You get a lot more for your money in Lincolnshire than around East Anglia, and the south coast is astronomically expensive wherever you look.

The east coast can be very cold but it is drier too.

I agree with the posters who say think carefully about moving to somewhere small and with few - and, in my experience - ever dwindling amenities. Shops, post offices, pubs and buses are disappearing at an alarming rate in very rural areas. Where my Mum lives (Suffolk), the buses aren't too bad - every hour or so, but stop at 6pm, none on Sunday, and the largest shop has closed, leaving only a very small shop with very limited stock. Even if you can drive, you may, at some point, not wish to continue driving but anyway it is a nuisance having to go some distance to get to a shop or a town.

Southwold is very nice and extremely popular but it's expensive.

If it were me, I would choose the south coast. It has the most sunshine and is very clean. My personal choice would be Eastbourne. It has good amenities - shops, theatres, restaurants, a famous tennis tournament, a lovely promenade and beautiful surrounding countryside. I've found the people to be friendly and helpful too. Battle is also an attractive little town.

I presently live in rural France but have just bought a retirement flat on the North East coast between Whitley Bay and Tynemouth.....why I hear my friends say ??? because it is a gorgeous place …..15 minutes from the city centre of Newcastle Upon Tyne …..which has an international airport, a ferry offering sometimes cruises to Norway , etc …..a metro service serving all of the towns and cities in the region ...and if the Metro doesn't, then the thousands of busses do ..a metro annual pass for OAPS is £12 …...cheaper bus fares also, plus special taxi rates for over 60's (not sure yet if you have to live within the City Council area)the only problem, there are numerous doctors surgeries and health centres within walking distance or a short bus ride ...BUT when I went to register, NOT ONE was taking new patients and as I need regular medication I have had to stay in France until I can find one …..not good !! its a shame as I really want to move...where I am you simply cannot live without driving 5km for bread or the paper …… I did consider firstly living in the actual city of Newcastle ….marvellous ...theatres, museums, art galleries, LIFE ...of which there is little here unless you count a distant field of cows

Agree about Louth well worth a look, also Horncastle. Sutton on Sea is lovely in the Summer, a lot of retired people seem to live there. Go to Mablethorpe to roll some pennies. None of these places have a railway, you will need a car. Kings Lynn better from that point of view, you could join the Queen at Sandringham!

We live in a rural area, without any access to public transport at all. There is a tiny shop and a pub, and that is the sum of the local amenities. We didn’t consider the implications of this when we moved here around 20 years ago, (in our 40’s).

I would say think very carefully about how you will get to shops, doctors, chemist, social activities etc if you don’t drive. We both do, but recently due to illness we had a dreadful couple of months when neither of us could, and it was borne in on us very forcefully how extremely awkward (and expensive) it was to get taxis etc. It is likely we will have to relocate in the not too distant future. Preferably before we absolutely have to, and won’t struggle with the practical aspects of a move.

We have noticed that people in our village are often forced to relocate when they get into older age, even if their property is suitable, so I think you do need to look at the ‘what if’ scenario.

I don't know the area granbabies123 but my advice when looking for a new area to live (I've done it twice, downsizing both times). Check where nearest Doctors & Hospital are, what sort of shops/supermarkets are there, can these be reached by bus or walk, don't forget as your DH gets older he may no be able to drive.

I would definitely rent for a while, don't be downhearted if you can't find what you want straight away. I live on the outskirts of a lovely Town, lots going on if you want to join/get involved. I presume this is meant to be a final move. Good luck with your property hunt & keep an open mind whilst house hunting.

I think it would help if we knew why OP is choosing this relatively remote area to retire to. It could be because it takes her and her DH to an area convenient for their family, or because house prices in that area are much lower than elsewhere, or, or, or.........

In remote areas like this I would also check where the nearest hospital is and how to get there. Looking at the map it is probably Lincoln but at the north and south extremes you may need to get to Peterborough or Hull and that could mean long bus journeys for visiting if neither of you can drive and possibly not being able to get there and back in a day if you are dependent on public transport.

Beverley is a lovely place, a few miles from Hull with lots of interest and quite busy and thriving. Hornsea a pretty little seaside resort and a few miles from Hull, and reasonably flat, the further up you go along that coastline it becomes much hillier. Also though inland slightly is Driffield, another small busy town not too far from coast and Hull. I was born and brought up in East Yorkshire and still have family living there although I don't live there now. Many little villages all around the area, although the ones I've mentioned are quite busy and active with good bus services. House prices are very favourable too compared to some parts of the country. My husband is a Lincolnshire man so we are familiar with a lot of places there too.
Spalding (south Linc's) which used to host an annual tulip festival is a nice busy little town and is about 25 miles from Kings Lynn, although you are going into Norfolk there. Most of the coastal resorts in Lincolnshire have nice flat beaches which you can walk along for miles. A lot of retired people choose Sutton on Sea, but there are several other resorts along this coast. Cleethorpes a little seaside resort although in Linc's is easy to get to from Hull via the Humber Bridge. Louth a busy town in north Linc's not too far away from coast, and Alford although very pretty would be stuck without a car and reliant on buses.

Having lived in East Anglia for over 20 years before moving abroad I would say you wouldnt find where you are looking for along the Lincolnshire coast. You only have to look at a map to see how sparse communities are in the eastern area of Lincs. Kings Lynn has more to offer year round. But I wouldnt consider Lowestoft as it is very run down in the town centre and doesnt have a lot to offer. I have relatives who live there and they would move away if they could .

123coco louth is gorgeous!. i used to live in Market Rasen which is about 25 mins from louth. I,d move back tomorrow but due to family logistics i cant sadly. Main town of mabelthorpe is indeed horrible but up by the seal sanctuary is nice

Alford is a tiny little town with nothing going for it at all.
For those of you recommending it. Have you been there lately.?

Please don’t move there. Much nicer places to live.

Oh yes surgery, make sure you can walk to the doctor's

A friend has just moved to E Anglia for family reasons. I put her in touch with an old friend who's lived there decades. Her advice was make sure there's decent public transport system (ie not just one bus every couple of hours that could be scrapped because it doesn't make enough money). And make sure there's a supermarket nearby (again a little shop could close and leave you high and dry).

Look at renting in the area first to get a proper feel for it before diving in.
We moved to the west coast of Ireland several years ago and it’s been an excellent move for us.
However, I do think you need to stay in a coastal area throughout the ‘two seasons’ as October to April in what appears to be a thriving town/village in the summer, can be a very different experience!
We sold up in the U.K. and put our belongings into storage then rented a house in Ireland for 9 months from April. After extensive touring around the south west, we bought our house in December. However, it wasn’t in the area that we first considered as we discovered most of the shops and amenities were closed during the winter months. Another area we considered was very pretty and had a lovely little harbour that unfortunately ensured the nearby streets were rammed with tourists during July and August and caused endless traffic jams, a bit like Cornwall.

Hornsea East Yorkshire is a delightful town, plenty of shops, a good bus service to Hull and Beverley and reasonably priced.

I live in Kings Lynn which as someone else said has a lot going on. Also an excellent bus service to town and all the way round the east coast. If you don’t want the town there are lots of villages. We live in North Wootton which is 3 miles from town with great bus service. Also any of the villages between us and Hunstanton have a lot going on especially Dersingham. Or how about Suffolk?

We're relocating to Devon soon. We have stayed in the area in a caravan and hotel several times over the last 3 years, in all weathers winter and summer. Spent hours just driving around and visited lots of pubs to get a feel of the areas. Also worked out where hospitals and doctors are, train services and prices, local supermarkets places to take grandchildren etc etc. Have now picked ideal area and as soon as we sell our house we're off. Do lots of visits and prepare well. Hope this helps All the best xxx

If possible make a few visits and if intending to buy your own then estate agents and local newspapers.I would not rely on local inhabitant views/opinions.

My thought would be to live somewhere with a train station too. My daughter lives Carlton Colville near Lowestoft. I get train there from Brundall

Yes, I forgot that Ethel. Sidmouth has a lot of buses going all over the place. Honiton about 12 miles away has a train service.
You can do the famous coastal walk from Sidmouth too.