Best place to retire in the UK has beautiful views – but a haunting history

After 40 or 50 years of the daily grind, many like to take retirement as an opportunity for a change of scenery and a new chapter of life in a quieter area.

To help retirees make the move, Howden Insurance has ranked a list of the best towns and villages within the UK to relocate.

Taking into consideration house prices, distance to essential facilities such as shops and hospitals, the crime rate and nearby green spaces, the company found that Pendle is the nicest part of the country to retire in.

A peaceful borough in Lancashire, Pendle features a number of small towns including Nelson, Brierfield and Cole.

Howden Insurance highlighted that whilst the area offers incredibly picturesque views, best admired from Pendle Hill, it is also well connected to facilities.

Pendle’s history can be traced back to the Bronze Age, with the area featuring a burial site which is believed to have been created up to 10,000 years ago.

Perhaps the area is still best known for the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, in which 12 women from two rivalling families in the area accused one another of witchcraft.

Whether retirees believe that the supernatural does exist or not, visitors can still go on ghost hunts in the area and stay in a 700-year-old manor house which some claim is haunted.

Howden Insurance also recommended nearby Hyndburn as another good location to retire, particularly due to its surroundings.

With a population of under 81,000, the company noted that Hyndburn has a diverse appearance, including plenty of wide-open spaces and a rich industrial heritage.

House prices in the area are also reasonable, beginning at under £125,000, yet are still well connected, with key services being a quarter of an hour away by car.

Finally, for retirees looking to remain in a well-populated area whilst still having access to a variety of green spaces, Howden Insurance recommended Stoke-on-Trent.

The city in Staffordshire was formed from six different towns in 1910, with the area best known as a producer of pottery and steelworks.

The rough industrial heritage may still be visible in the area, through attractions such as the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, however Stoke-on-Trent is also a stones-throw away from the tranquil Staffordshire Moorlands, which makes for the perfect spot for a walk in the country.