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Big life change and everthing is now for sale

Rural , space, detached , away from the rat race
Great. Does it need to be striking distance from London, for family, friends, etc or do you really want to be in the sticks? The thing is that a lot of people think that having spent their life in a city they want to live at Wisteria Cottage, but when they find out that there's no pub and when you run out of bread it's a 5 mile hike in the car, the gilt wears off the gingerbread. Be careful what you ask for, and all that.

I know this at first hand, a few years ago I moved to rural France, I'd always dreamt of working in France and I did. I loved it, but after 2 years in a small town I'd been round the houses twice and I was doing very little with my life.

Similarly I remember that about 15 years ago there was a survey on "the best place to live" with points awarded for short commutes, low crime, inexpensive housing, etc. Alnwick, Northumberland, was the place. It was near the sea and a National Park, no unemployment, no crime, average commute 8 minutes, blah blah. House prices went through the roof for 2 years, then fell like a stone. All the incomers realised that a small town 30 miles north of Newcastle was a long way from anywhere else, and sold up because they were bored. How many teashops do you want to visit, how often do you want to sit in the pub talking to Albert and his dog?
 
I would avoid the South Coast at the moment as the property market down there is ludicrous. My neighbours have been looking for the last year around Cornwall, Dorset and parts of Devon and have now given up! Very little is on the market and what does come on goes almost instantly, and more often than not, for around 15% above the asking price! Which is just insane! They have been gazumped on a number of occasions and are are now looking much further afield, Welsh coastline etc. I assume it is down to many people moving out of London, being cash rich buyers and looking for a more relaxed environment to work from home etc.
 
Be careful what you ask for, and all that.

It is 20 years since I lived in Totnes, but the same sort of thing applied across a lot of the SW then - loads of people moved there in retirement, but were lost for something to do and had left everything and everyone that they knew, behind. Summers are great except for the hoards of tourists (grockles), winters are mild but wet and grey a lot of the time.
It drove anyone with any hint of a gregarious nature, up the wall.
 
It is 20 years since I lived in Totnes, but the same sort of thing applied across a lot of the SW then - loads of people moved there in retirement, but were lost for something to do and had left everything and everyone that they knew, behind. Summers are great except for the hoards of tourists (grockles), winters are mild but wet and grey a lot of the time.
It drove anyone with any hint of a gregarious nature, up the wall.
And a few who aren't. My parents aren't the going out sort, but they moved from rural Lincolnshire to a village outside York, and they much prefer it. My mother will still insist upon keeping 2 freezers full of food (there's a Tesco in the village, and Monks' Cross Shopping Centre is 10 minutes round the ring road, but you never know) but the location came in handy when she had a fall. An ambulance was on the ring road and got the call, 10 minutes later the paramedics were standing in the kitchen looking at her. You're not doing that in rural Lincolnshire when the nearest ambulance station is 20 minutes away even with the blue lights on and knowing exactly where to go.
 
Great. Does it need to be striking distance from London, for family, friends, etc or do you really want to be in the sticks?
( I can cope with being alone as I have for 18 years now , Live alone , Work alone , My only relative is my daughter and we did cope OK during lockdown not seeing each other for over 1 year ) The thing is that a lot of people think that having spent their life in a city they want to live at Wisteria Cottage, but when they find out that there's no pub ( Don't do pubs ) and when you run out of bread ( I make my own bread ) it's a 5 mile hike in the car, the gilt wears off the gingerbread. Be careful what you ask for, and all that.

I know this at first hand, a few years ago I moved to rural France, I'd always dreamt of working in France and I did. I loved it, but after 2 years in a small town I'd been round the houses twice and I was doing very little with my life.

Similarly I remember that about 15 years ago there was a survey on "the best place to live" with points awarded for short commutes, low crime, inexpensive housing, etc. Alnwick, Northumberland, was the place. It was near the sea and a National Park, no unemployment, no crime, average commute 8 minutes, blah blah. House prices went through the roof for 2 years, then fell like a stone. All the incomers realised that a small town 30 miles north of Newcastle was a long way from anywhere else, and sold up because they were bored.( I have lots of hobbies so wont get bored ) How many teashops do you want to visit, how often do you want to sit in the pub talking to Albert and his dog?

Thnaks for the comments
 
Arran has a lot to recommend it if those are your priorities. Decent climate, feels far away from civilisation but isn't and Lochranza always looks to be a boaty persons paradise to me.
What I like about Arran is that it forces all the westerlies up over its mountains and catches all the precipitation before it gets over to me. This is late May, it’s usually obscured in rain clouds-

Jtu4954.jpg


Also as stevec67 said, you might find life in the countryside turns out be bucolic misery unless you have have the temperament.
 
What I like about Arran is that it forces all the westerlies up over its mountains and catches all the precipitation before it gets over to me. This is late May, it’s usually obscured in rain clouds-

Jtu4954.jpg


Also as stevec67 said, you might find life in the countryside turns out be bucolic misery unless you have have the temperament.
That's most of the west coast, and snow in May is not unusual at all. I love the Highlands, but I've seen frogs at 3000ft above sea level in Torridon (yes, really, frogs just down from the mountain summits, hopping about in the puddles, no I am not making this up). Torridon also suffers from the densest clouds of midges I have ever seen, to the point where everyone with any sense stays indoors or only goes out in a midge hood. You see beautiful houses and gardens, with views across the loch, and it's either too cold to sit out or the midgies are standing on each others' heads waiting for you.
 
The thing is that a lot of people think that having spent their life in a city they want to live at Wisteria Cottage, but when they find out that there's no pub and when you run out of bread it's a 5 mile hike in the car, the gilt wears off the gingerbread. Be careful what you ask for, and all that.

That pretty much describes the reality of where we live in Herefordshire, but we've been here for 35 years after moving out from Stourbridge. I'm from Leeds originally, and my wife's from Reading. I lived in Frankfurt/Main for a couple of years. All great, and loved Ffm particularly, but then the rural "idyl" quite suited us, especially bringing up the kids, though a lot of driving was involved !

I know this at first hand, a few years ago I moved to rural France, I'd always dreamt of working in France and I did. I loved it, but after 2 years in a small town I'd been round the houses twice and I was doing very little with my life.

That was going to be the retirement plan, but something happened that means we can't now afford it. ;) We're thinking about Ireland (one of the sons lives in Dublin) or Dumfries and Galloway instead.

Good luck with finding the right solution.
 
I would avoid the South Coast at the moment as the property market down there is ludicrous. My neighbours have been looking for the last year around Cornwall, Dorset and parts of Devon and have now given up! Very little is on the market and what does come on goes almost instantly, and more often than not, for around 15% above the asking price! Which is just insane! They have been gazumped on a number of occasions and are are now looking much further afield, Welsh coastline etc. I assume it is down to many people moving out of London, being cash rich buyers and looking for a more relaxed environment to work from home etc.
Not necessarily so if you know where to look.

Here is a live web cam of Carbis Bay beach where we have our holiday flat https://carbisbayholidays.co.uk/Webcam/carbis-bay-webcam/

Its just around the corner from St Ives itself (we take the cliff top walk) or one stop on the train or a free (for bus pass holders) short bus ride into St Ives. Tesco is 10 min walk away and if you have a car you can be wind surfing and watching seals off Godrevy lighthouse chewing on a fabulous Phillps pasty within 20 mins.

The local train feeds onto the mainline to London so an occasional overnight visit is on the cards if you don't want to drive all that way.

Most people miss Carbis Bay tucked away however after the G7 summit in June who knows........... However the area is full of interest and things to do we sometimes go horse riding for example. We have yet to get to the Scilly Isles but we'll probably take the chopper rather than the boat!

Cheers,

DV
 
Not necessarily so if you know where to look.

Here is a live web cam of Carbis Bay beach where we have our holiday flat https://carbisbayholidays.co.uk/Webcam/carbis-bay-webcam/

Its just around the corner from St Ives itself (we take the cliff top walk) or one stop on the train or a free (for bus pass holders) short bus ride into St Ives. Tesco is 10 min walk away and if you have a car you can be wind surfing and watching seals off Godrevy lighthouse chewing on a fabulous Phillps pasty within 20 mins.

The local train feeds onto the mainline to London so an occasional overnight visit is on the cards if you don't want to drive all that way.

Most people miss Carbis Bay tucked away however after the G7 summit in June who knows........... However the area is full of interest and things to do we sometimes go horse riding for example. We have yet to get to the Scilly Isles but we'll probably take the chopper rather than the boat!

Cheers,

DV

We got married in Carbis Bay at the hotel there. It is a stunning area however we were saddaned to see the development work done on the hotel recently. Some may like it be we felt it completely ruined the charm. Bit to 'Fullham on Sea' for us. By far my favourite beach round there is Hayle. Just magnificent (though I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that)!
 


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