So money is no object, where would you live and why?

We often discuss this and come up with rural Portugal where we can have sustainable lifestyle grow our own vegetables, make wine, and there is plenty of open space.

Within the UK: The Lakes (grew up there); NW Scotland

Outside the UK: maybe Alaska

NW Scotland and Alaska both have that wilderness appeal.

Scottish Highlands. Why. Just look.

Possibly the alps. Why. Just look again.

Although colorant looks rather nice too.

But my kids live here. 40 mins from me. So I'll stay put till I'm old and mad.

Colorado. Toured through it about 15 years ago. It would be the perfect place if it wasnt for the bears ....

Within the UK, probably Keswick

Outside the UK, Chamonix

Can you tell that I like places with shops, bars and restaurants, yet are in the middle of the hills

Lots of places come to mind...for cycling and lifestyle - Arizona, Colorado, Montana, British Columbia, Victorian high country or Nth NSW. If language was also no barrier, the foothills of the Andes, Himalayas or Atlas mountains would be nice. Then again, the geek in me says Tokyo, the musician in me says N'orlins and my heritage calls me to Skye. So many beautiful places to live on this planet of ours.

Greetz

S.

What do you mean language no barrier?
You Aussies have made a fine job of butchering our language into something almost indecipherable.

I don't have a problem deciphering it...nor the half million local dialects on this little island. Black Country slang threw me for a loop early on, but it's not so bad now. :)

Greetz

S.

Early retirement plan.

House in Northumberland for miles and miles of beaches and un spoilt countryside for walking and riding, close to Scotland, the Lakes and cities but in a lovely spot.
3 to 6 months travelling in a motor home wherever we want to head to in Europe, then home for a rest.
And if money was no object a spare motor home over in Canada (northern USA) for 3 month visits every couple of years and another motor home over in New Zealand as well.

With John Climber

Northumberland sou ds great but my experience says it's not reality. Takes hours just to get to the cast from anywhere rural and more than hours to get to Scotland on a busy weekend.

I'd rather just be in breamar From the start

UK: Brecon (oh, wait...)

Outside UK: Iceland* I don't believe this requires an explanation for the why part

* the country, not the frozen food chain.

... Or if there's no room in his camper, then I'll settle for a small uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland*.


*and a boat.

I haven't traveled much to but UK I would say lakes

We left the UK for somewhere in Europe when the kids were little, but nowhere ticked all the boxes for us, so we came back.

Having said that I'd be happy to spend the winter months somewhere warmer than here.

After several years refining our search for a suitable place to move to, we have hopefully found it.
Situated about half way between Barcelona and Valencia, just north of the River Ebro Delta, there are 3 mountain areas, the El Port, Cardo and Priorat massifs are riddled with trails which the locals ride in and offer spectacular scenery which is hardly known outside Spain. We are moving there in August, having bought an 8 acre olive/almond farm which, given the current state of the Euro is getting cheaper all the time.
Once a period of intense recce'ing has been done, we will be offering mountainbiking tours with yours truly and staying in the 4 bed apartment which is attached to our house.
Reus airport is 40 mins and it's 20km from the Med for beach types. Mrs PB has taught English for 30 years and has recently passed the TEFL (teaching english as a foreign language) course with distinction so this could become an income stream for us.
We have visited the area at most times of the year and never found it too hot or too cold so the biking thing could be an all year round deal.
The best resource for learning about the riding is Wikiloc which has literally hundreds of trails posted in the area, there are several you tube clips such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0rNbSxbpGc which give a flavour of the riding.
In the meantime anyone want to buy a house in South Yorkshire, 2 miles from the end of Cut Gate?

I change my mind regularly on this one. I want open space with hills, trees and greenery. And not far from the coast and mountains. And not too far from a town, but far enough away that I can't see it.

I think for me this means the Peak District or the Lake District, but for my other half it's Northumberland.

Warwickshire is great, but the other criteria of great biking just doesn't quite cut it.

Here

Within the UK, I'd move back to Ponterwyd in Mid Wales. Best 5 years of my life as far as location goes. Outside the UK, me and the wife would love to live in Spain. Ideally on the south coast, probably in Nerja but there are plenty of other areas we'd settle for.

North York Moors - looks like a move there in about 10 years is now go and which very excited about. Just need to sort out legals which in the process of discussing now.

in the process of making the place will be moving to fully sustainable which is again very exciting.

trails from the front and back door!

Anywhere that has a small-town feel and mountainous open spaces would feel right. Oregon, Montana, France, there's a lot of places like that I'd jump at the chance to live in. I could live in Taiwan for a while too, I really like it over there but would miss the mountain biking. Family and friends being elsewhere would be difficult though.
Within the UK, the Brecons, Black Mountains, that Herefordshire/FOD/Cotswolds corner; all near 'home' and a nice part of the country.

Here or Tromsø or Longyearbyen. I do have a deep fondness for the north.

I think about this a lot, as I get increasingly disenchanted with a job I used to love, but after two decades the time for a change is not far off. Without the drag of family I could easily relocate, but having travelled a bit, I realise that not only are there some great options out there, but potentially loads more I've never even heard of! Near Mountains and not too far from the coast, preferably with a pleasant climate, good trails (obviously), and community spirit. So many places that are almost there... If it had to be the UK, the West coast of Scotland has a lot to offer, but the weather and midges where big factors in my re-location south many years ago!
Sadly I can't afford to retire altogether and will still need to earn a crust for some time, so employment prospects will still be a factor.

My adopted home in the South-West isn't too bad, with Moor, Ocean and great villages; nothing particularly adventurous, but I always appreciate coming home here.

Alaska, Rural California (yosemite, lake tahoe etc.) and Iceland are both great from travels. Basically anywhere with great climbing and mountain biking!