The Five best Counties To Live In
Words: Violet
To fashionable, metropolitan types England only really has a few places that people live in. Obviously everybody lives in London and, on occasion, you might visit that fusty old uncle who lives in some place called ‘the Cotswolds’. Oh yeah, and Glastonbury’s outside London too, so I guess that counts… We jest, of course. Believe it or not, some people actually live in an area that doesn’t start with an SW postcode. At any rate, here are the five best counties to inhabit.
Cornwall
Cornwall is not just a county, but also a duchy and a semi-nation in its own right. Much of the land is owned by the crown and Cornwall forms one of the six ‘Celtic’ nations. The county has a tradition of surfing and of contemporary art – with the St Ives School being one of the most important artistic movements in British art history. If this wasn’t enough, the place even has its own language.
West Sussex
Often derided as the county where waspish stockbroker types live, West Sussex is commuter land but there is so much more to the place than just this. Much of the county is situated within the South Downs national park and is predominately rural. The great thing about West Sussex is despite the fact that it feels like the middle of nowhere; London is just an hour away.
Avon
Avon is actually no longer a county and is now made up of Bristol and parts of Somerset and Gloucestershire. However the ideal of the county still works for our purposes. Within its traditional boundaries are Bristol and Bath, with the former being one of the coolest cities in the UK and Bath being one of the most beautiful – combine that with some breathtaking countryside and you’ve got a great place to live.
Herefordshire
England is one of the most urbanised and densely populated countries in the world. Despite this, Herefordshire retains a rural tradition and way of life that could be from the last century. Hay-on-Wye, known for its bookshops and festivals is just outside the county, on the border with Wales. It’s location, in a fairly southern and western position ensures a pleasant and temperate climate.
North Yorkshire
One of several counties that made up the traditional county of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire is the one that remains pleasant. The county has a mixture of breathtaking countryside and charming towns including York and Harrogate. ‘God’s own county’ has traditionally always been seen as one of the finest places to live in England.
By Guy de Vito
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