Student Houses in Moorlands, Lancaster

The housing is largely Victorian terraces on a grid of streets, the sort with bay windows and a small yard at the back. Three to five bedroom houses are the norm. Because the streets are close together and close to town, this is one of the more sociable parts of Lancaster to live in as a student.

Williamson Park is the area's best feature. It is a proper park, with the Ashton Memorial at the top, woodland paths and views out over Morecambe Bay on a clear day. Having that on your doorstep makes a real difference over a long winter term.

For the city centre you are looking at a walk of fifteen minutes or so, downhill on the way in. That means no bus fare for a night out and no waiting around at the end of it. The return journey is uphill, which is the price you pay.

For Lancaster University you will be taking the bus, from the city centre or from a stop on the main road. It is a longer commute than Scotforth or Galgate, so Moorlands tends to suit people who value being near town over being near campus.

Parking is tight, as it is in most of Lancaster's terraced streets. If someone in the group is bringing a car, check what the arrangements are before you sign anything.

The hill is worth taking seriously when you view. Streets that look close together on a map can involve a proper climb, so walk the route from the house to the nearest bus stop and into town before you decide. It is the difference between a fifteen minute stroll and something you start avoiding by November.

Moorlands houses are popular precisely because they are walkable, so the better ones tend to be taken early in the house hunting season. If this is where you want to be, get your group settled and start looking sooner than you think you need to.