Yep, you guessed it – they are all tied as the 18th least stressful places in the UK to move to, according to container storage company Pay Less For Storage.
Yes, there is the other minor fact that they all boast cathedrals, but I thought it a fine example of the myriad press releases that us journos find in our inboxes every morning, and, as somebody that has indeed recently moved to Carlisle, one that piqued my interest.
An obscure, questionable accolade perhaps, one based on concrete ‘facts’ such as percentage of homes available chain-free, people per storage facility and van hire location etc.
All very sensible, practical, and definitely not boring factors to consider when moving house, and all very reassuring for those lucky folk that have decided or been strongarmed by work or personal obligations to move to our mighty city.
It also rings true, from personal experience for Carlisle to mentioned in this context, as moving to Carlisle was, for me, a delight.
But not because of the bounteous quantity of storage containers dotting the map like the jewels in Carlisle’s crown.
No, it’s the stuff that criminally few people in the UK, the wider world, and even the city itself appreciate or know about what makes moving to and living in Carlisle such a joy.
So thanks to the good people at Pay Less For Storage, I thought I’d outline my experiences of being an honorary citizen for a year, and why, and I don’t exaggerate, there’s no place I’d rather be.
I’ll admit now that I didn’t consider or know any of the prize assets I’m about to mention when I moved here in September 2024.
Having nobody else to consider in the matter, I thought it would be fun to dive in and live in a strange city with a bit of a grim, shadowy reputation – ‘just a massive flood plain’, I’d been told.
All I’d seen of Carlisle was the train station up to that point, aside from a quick peek down Botchergate and a wet afternoon at Brunton Park to bear witness to a pre-season friendly when Paul Huntington was a teenager.
After a panicked week of looking for a flat to rent before starting my job, I found myself looking out at a storybook skyline from the top floor of Shaddon Mill, gazing past the spire to the distant majesty of the Skiddaw massif and the Lake District beyond.
Looking toward Skiddaw over the south of Carlisle (Image: Darren Shield) Fast-forward nine months, and at age 43 I had the keys to the first ever home of my own, and here’s why it’s in Carlisle.
Carlisle is a first-time buyer’s dream. I’d flirted with the idea of setting up home before in other places, Kendal being one, with my budget stretching about as far as a standard iPhone charging cable – in other words far short of anything practical or convenient, let alone comfortable.
Take a round figure of £100,000 – a Rightmove search in many towns would reveal the depressing ‘your search returned no results’ line.
But Carlisle, with its industrial heritage, has a massive choice of characterful, solid houses at somewhere around that figure.
Yes, if your budget is higher you can go posh, but at every level, you get a lot of house for your money in (most of) Carlisle.
But, you may ask, there must be areas to avoid – there must be crime-ridden hellholes like every town up and down the realm, where the few law-abiding citizens are terrorised by gangs of masked feral youths?
Unless I’m missing something obvious, no, there aren’t. This is one of the most refreshing, and surprising positives about Carlisle.
As a dedicated bachelor with a curious mind, I’ve plodded round every area of Carlisle, during the day mostly, granted, and have felt safe absolutely everywhere I’ve been.
I’ve seen forums with faceless keyboard warriors advising enquirers on this very topic – and have heard in turn about the no-go zones of Currock, Raffles, Morton, Botcherby and so on.
I don’t see it – yes, there are always pockets of dereliction and delinquency, but on the whole, I see healthy, distinct communities, people washing cars, painting fences, kids playing in the numerous parks dotted around every estate.
They all have their own charms, and the number of parks, green spaces, rivers and streams means there’s no hint of the ‘concrete jungle’ feel that characterises some similarly-sized towns that I’ve lived in.
In short, house-hunting in Carlisle is fun, not only because of the wide choice of housing, but the areas, all of which I for one would happily reside in.
Having not had access to a car and living in Cumbria can be a logistical nightmare, unless you live in Carlisle.
We have a soon-to-be-revamped railway station on the main west coast line, with direct trains to Manchester, London, Glasgow Edinburgh, and even glitzy fleshpots such as Crewe – not to mention direct services down the Cumbrian west coast, and over to Newcastle and Northumberland.
The proximity to the soaringly glamorous and deliciously quaint Lake District would be a massive bonus for most, for as soon as you cross that national park boundary, watch the house prices quadruple.
For drivers, (in theory) you could be there in 20-30 minutes, when people jet from all over the globe to see the same sights, wheeze up those fells, and take those tiresome selfies.
We’ve also got perhaps the most serene stretch of motorway in the country running right past us.
The lack of a commercial airport to speak of is a downside, but an hour or so on the train can give you a choice of three or four.
So, the city itself aside, we’ve got a coast, not one but TWO World Heritage Sites, with the Lake District on our doorstep and Hadrian’s Wall running pretty much through the city and beyond, fantastic commuter links, and fabulous countryside whichever direction you travel.
Is another city so well-endowed location-wise?
We’ve touched on Hadrian’s Wall, which gives a clue of the historical provenance of Carlisle.
No history lessons here, but the visual impact of Carlisle’s rich, varied history has left a legacy that has created one of the prettiest cities around.
Carlisle Cathedral is perhaps the star turn of the historic centre, surrounding as it is by a sort of mini-Vatican cathedral grounds, a tranquil, majestic place to step back in time away from the hustle and bustle of the centre.
We have the squat, brooding Carlisle Castle, well worth a few hours of exploration to discover its brutal history.
I’ve recently been astounded by a visit to the newly-reopened Tullie – in my opinion one of the finest, most fascinating, most innovative museums in the UK outside of London (a full account of this to come, you’ll be delighted to know).
As mentioned, aside from the superstars, the general visual appeal of Carlisle’s streets is several cuts above most other towns and cities.
I’ve wandered around and marvelled at the grandeur of Portland Square, the almost Lovecraftian architecture of Chatsworth Square, and even the red-brick maze of terraces in Denton Holme, where you can almost visualise the street parties of years gone by in its quaint cobbled streets.
One of Denton Holme’s Victorian cobbled streets (Image: Darren Shield) I’ve heard and asked the question many times as to why Carlisle doesn’t make more of its Roman history like, say, Bath, York or Chester do.
I can only assume that it isn’t known as a ‘Roman city’, purely because there’s so much more to Carlisle than that.
The sweet smell of baking biscuits wafting in the Caldewgate air of an eve serves to remind one of Carlisle’s fascinating industrial past.
This, plus the violent history of the ‘Great Border City’, and its medieval and Roman histories potentially make for something of an historical identity crisis – perhaps a reason Carlisle hasn’t quite the fame that attracts hordes of tourists, but a massive bonus for those of us that are lucky enough to be immersed in it every day.
READ MORE: Searching for Carlisle’s hidden historical gems – here’s what I found
A lazy Google search has just revealed to me that Carlisle is ranked pretty low in terms of green space in the city – this surprises me.
Not that I’m suggesting that thoroughly crunched numbers should be ignored in favour of my wildly subjective and vague observations, but you’re never too far from a park, or tranquil green space in Carlisle.
Rickerby Park, for example, is a haven in the heart of the city that has the feel of a countryside walk, with the River Eden babbling softly on an idyllic summer day.
Even in the aforementioned suburbs, we have Chances Park, Keenan Park, Melbourne Park, Holme Head Bay with its stunning green vista and backdrop of grand old Victorian mills and waterfall.
The waterfall and Victorian mills at Holme Head Bay (Image: Darren Shield)Along with the critical de-stressing factor of storage containers, the tranquility of nature that is always within easy reach in Carlisle has been a huge positive of living here.
A somewhat contentious topic, as in most towns and cities, but probably the most important barometer of the overall desirability of a place as somewhere to set up home.
As eagle-eyed readers may have noticed, there are a few construction projects going on around the centre at the moment, so Carlisle currently isn’t looking its brilliant best.
Painful as it may currently be, the end is seemingly in sight, and the promise of a revamped, modernised city centre may just be worth it.
I’ve heard plenty of, how to put it, yes, moaning, that Carlisle was ‘miles better in the 80s and 90s’ – didn’t everywhere seem better when we were 30 years younger?
New York or London, Carlisle is not (thankfully), but most major high-street retailers have seen enough to set up shop here, though it is the independents that for me, make Carlisle a unique (in a good way) shopping experience.
I have to mention my current favourite, Castle Chocolates, a relatively young independent business on Castle Street that are going great guns, with a rapidly growing national following.
Bookends is a fabulously quirky bookshop, while House of Malt is another Carlisle institution garnering UK-wide attention.
The list goes on, but discovering these fabulous businesses, often tucked away in pretty courtyards and narrow cobbled lanes, is a real treat for newcomers.
Carlisle excels in its variety of restaurants, some well-established with far-reaching reputations, such as the iconic Casa Romana on Warwick Road, a favourite of Carlisle food critic Grace Dent.
Alexandros, the exemplary Greek restaurant on Warwick Road, is another Carlisle institution, offering wonderfully authentic dishes, as good as anything I’ve tried in the Hellenic lands.
Carlisle’s restaurant scene deserves more attention and space than can be afforded here, and will get it in due course, but on the whole, appears to be thriving, with a multitude of establishments offering something for every taste and budget.
In terms of bars and pubs, Carlisle is similarly well-served, with distinct area, dependant on your mood.
The area around Warwick Road and Devonshire Street is well-endowed with classier establishments – the Halston, Thin White Duke, and my favourite cocktails in Carlisle at Yellowjacket.
Botchergate is the without doubt the liveliest, loudest area if you’re in the mood for a party and the odd police siren, but it’s not all bad – the Caledonian for example is a vibrant, buzzing venue to watch sports.
READ MORE: What is Carlisle’s nightlife really like? First impressions of a city centre
There are dozens of independent little bars offering something different, like the chilled, welcoming vibe of Open Mind, and the West Walls Brewery, an amazing brewery tap pub that’s always popular.
For all that Carlisle has going for it as a place to live, the Citadels project that aims to bring the university into the centre could be a real game-changer, hopefully acting as a shot in the arm to make Carlisle the destination it should be for students, professionals, and businesses to invest in the city.
READ MORE: What’s Carlisle really like? Impressions of my first two weeks
There is a palpable sense of paralysis currently, with whispers in the air and plans seemingly on hold until the regeneration work is complete and the next phase goes ahead.
But now is an exciting time to move to Carlisle with the city potentially on the brink of a golden era (if plans come together).
The Southern Link Road and massive housebuilding projects will be yet another boost to Carlisle’s economy and infrastructure.
Overall, I’d say relocating to Carlisle is the best move I’ve ever made.
Affordable, fun, beautiful, down-to-earth, and not in the least bit stressful, Carlisle has it all. And it’s a veritable Garden of Eden for storage enthusiasts.
