Moving away from the South East
Discussion
worsy said:
defblade said:
worsy said:
defblade said:
Ffordd Ar Gau said:
South Wales is a big area…
Depending on where you go, you may have the option of a Welsh language education for the kids. Can you cope with that? (That’s not meaning that they’ll only speak Welsh btw!)
Much as I love Carmarthenshire - we moved here from Oxfordshire nearly 16 years ago now - this is one thing I would be very careful about for your children, especially primary age. There are now no primary schools with an English stream anywhere near us, and English steam secondary is limited. Some of the schoools give detention for speaking English at any time during the school day!! And children taught in Welsh, quite simply, don't do so well in GCSEs etc as those taught in English. This goes double in science and maths.Depending on where you go, you may have the option of a Welsh language education for the kids. Can you cope with that? (That’s not meaning that they’ll only speak Welsh btw!)
(My BinL is a teacher in Swansea, wife has been a part-time GCSE/A-level maths tutor, if you'd like some qualification for those statements.)
Happily, we got our daughter through with English streams closing up behind her, and drove her to a more distant secondary/6 form that taught in English.
Otherwise, it's lovely here - as others have said, make a tiny bit of an effort and you'll be welcomed.
(And if you move into a house with a Welsh name, learn to pronounce it. Don't change it to an English one... we've been told that's what all the (rural-ish) locals watch out for with in-comers - leave it Welsh and you're automatically half-way to OK before anything else!)
Up here, there is the option of welsh speaking schools but 95% of schools are English led. Obviously there is compulsory Welsh language study but that is addressed in the same way Modern languages are provisioned.
On the face of it, it can't be a Wales policy as there simply isn't enough Welsh speaking teachers to do that.
Overall, based on survey data from StatsWales, only 29.65% of Welsh people claim to be able to speak Welsh, but going beyond that, it will come as no surprise to know that the Plaid-voting areas of Gwynedd (77.02%), Ceredigion (57.72%) and Carmarthenshire (48.92%) are right up at the top of the list, but so are the Tory voting Anglesey (65.29%), the other half of Carmarthenshire, Conwy (38.26%) and Denbighshire (37.97%), the last county with above average spoken Welsh.
After that, it drops off pretty rapidly as you get closer to England and even to a Labour MP, with Blaenau Gwent propping up the table on 16.56%, behind even Monmouthshire and its droves of English pensioners on 16.58%
Shaoxter said:
Contrary to most people's opinions on here, I can't imagine anything worse than living out in the sticks. We've done plenty of holidays to Wales, Scotland, SW England etc. and while it's great for a bit of detoxing from London life, I could never imagine actually living there.
Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
Each to their own. We have got used to the driving now, we plan better than we did before so not a bad thing. We do miss the dining options of the south east however we do have some fairly high quality restaurants near by so that is good. Take aways don't deliver which is a pain as the idea is to sit on your arse and not have to move for your dinner! Haven't noticed any sunday closures. Internet not always that bad these days it improves year on year.Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
croyde said:
I've just spent 5 weeks 'living' in Tenerife and you can rent a 2 bed for £400 outside one of the Spanish non tourist towns.
I'm 61 and seriously thinking of moving there as I think it may well be survivable on the UK pension alone.
Could you give the names of some of those towns?I'm 61 and seriously thinking of moving there as I think it may well be survivable on the UK pension alone.
Shaoxter said:
Contrary to most people's opinions on here, I can't imagine anything worse than living out in the sticks. We've done plenty of holidays to Wales, Scotland, SW England etc. and while it's great for a bit of detoxing from London life, I could never imagine actually living there.
Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
It depends on the people doesn't it. Most living in inner London think that way about the suburbs let alone the sticks!Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
I have debated moving out of London, but have come to realise that most of the places I'd actually consider living that still have good access to town, decent links and places to eat/drink etc are still expensive and mostly are a compromise if you still need to semi regularly need to be in London for work, hence at that point in life suburbs begin to work for people.
For me, I think we're going to stay London based until we retire, obviously at that point we can live wherever we want as all parents will be dead and kids can travel
- but I say that as someone not particularly affected by the things that OP mentioned as detractors. In the OP position I'd not be living in the SE, it is expensive and the instant upgrade in life you can get for £2k a month elsewhere and for your children in terms of space is going to be transformative. That all said, it really depends where OP is specifically today, as that same type of place may well easily be in reach elsewhere for less.
Edited by okgo on Tuesday 23 January 12:36
Tom8 said:
Other downside is you put more miles on your car as everywhere is a drive. Isolation is a good point. We nearly bought a place that was very remote. Actually glad we didn't as it could be a bit lonely if I was away for any time with work. We had criteria of land, outbuildings, woodland and a pub that is easily walkable. We are the opposite side of worcester to you!
That's another one, more miles on the car. I work in Leamington so when I go to the office it's a 1hr drive. But more space means more cars so you can average the mileage down. Plus WFH means I only use the car 2 days a week if I go in. Driving to places can be a bind but then I don't spend the money I would have. I miss walking into town for drinks/night out and now have to plan the way home but I'm not a big going out person and have a family. I live in a small village in Sussex, having moved from Shirley (near Croydon) around 12 years ago.
We have train lines to London, small towns nearby and lots of countryside and around 30 mins to the coast.
My journey to London was similar in time to the struggle across London that some colleagues faced.
I work from home now with international travel via the airports being the main reason to leave the village.
The people here are great, friendly and very helpful. I didnt even know my nextdoor neighbours in London.
We have wonderful schools and full fibre (1Gb) so WFH is ideal.
I would move to have more sun but that is about it!.
We have train lines to London, small towns nearby and lots of countryside and around 30 mins to the coast.
My journey to London was similar in time to the struggle across London that some colleagues faced.
I work from home now with international travel via the airports being the main reason to leave the village.
The people here are great, friendly and very helpful. I didnt even know my nextdoor neighbours in London.
We have wonderful schools and full fibre (1Gb) so WFH is ideal.
I would move to have more sun but that is about it!.
Shaoxter said:
Contrary to most people's opinions on here, I can't imagine anything worse than living out in the sticks. We've done plenty of holidays to Wales, Scotland, SW England etc. and while it's great for a bit of detoxing from London life, I could never imagine actually living there.
Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
We're lucky in that the internet is really fast, faster than I've ever had but agree that it can be a pain. There is never a lack of things to do though, just depends what it is you want. Logs for the fire, any kind of exterior maintenance/gardening and all other associated things are enjoyable for me so never a lack of things to do. Just depends what you like doing though. Things like driving 30 mins to a supermarket, most shops/restaurants closed on a Sunday, slow internet and general lack of things to do wouldn't be tolerable for me personally.
Taunton in Somerset has fantastic links to London.
House prices are reasonable.
Chap I know moved down from
London, still commutes 3 days a week to London by train but reckons the money he saves vs the quality of life is unmatched.
The fast train to Paddington makes it much closer than it appears on a map:
House prices are reasonable.
Chap I know moved down from
London, still commutes 3 days a week to London by train but reckons the money he saves vs the quality of life is unmatched.
The fast train to Paddington makes it much closer than it appears on a map:
You might well save £1800 a month on your rent, but you'll spend that easily on waterproof clothing.
If you do choose to move to Wales, pick your area very carefully. I've got 40 years of experience of what it's like with an English accent in Carmarthenshire, as my Mum's been there all that time. She isn't even fully English, just born and raised in England to Welsh and Maltese descended parents. I won't hijack this thread but some of the prejudice she's faced would raise your hair, even from the Local Authority.
I can well believe the stories about schools in Carmarthenshire, a friend of the family moved there from Surrey with school aged children and had to beat a rapid retreat because the only school they could get in was very hostile to the English language, and these were children at senior school age, so too late to learn Welsh and be taught in to from scratch.
Maybe consider Gloucestershire or, as others have said, Herefordshire or perhaps even Worcestershire or Shropshire. Path of lesser resistance.
If you do choose to move to Wales, pick your area very carefully. I've got 40 years of experience of what it's like with an English accent in Carmarthenshire, as my Mum's been there all that time. She isn't even fully English, just born and raised in England to Welsh and Maltese descended parents. I won't hijack this thread but some of the prejudice she's faced would raise your hair, even from the Local Authority.
I can well believe the stories about schools in Carmarthenshire, a friend of the family moved there from Surrey with school aged children and had to beat a rapid retreat because the only school they could get in was very hostile to the English language, and these were children at senior school age, so too late to learn Welsh and be taught in to from scratch.
Maybe consider Gloucestershire or, as others have said, Herefordshire or perhaps even Worcestershire or Shropshire. Path of lesser resistance.
OP asks about moving to South Wales and the thread descends into a conversation almost exclusively about places which most people would consider to be WEST Wales (which starts at Swansea according to even Wales' own tourism site)
The west is as close to living near civilisation as it is to telling the OP to move to the isle of Skye or Belfast... It might be close-ish on a map but it isn't the same as moving to Cardiff or it's surrounding areas
The west is as close to living near civilisation as it is to telling the OP to move to the isle of Skye or Belfast... It might be close-ish on a map but it isn't the same as moving to Cardiff or it's surrounding areas
Jaska said:
OP asks about moving to South Wales and the thread descends into a conversation almost exclusively about places which most people would consider to be WEST Wales (which starts at Swansea according to even Wales' own tourism site)
The west is as close to living near civilisation as it is to telling the OP to move to the isle of Skye or Belfast... It might be close-ish on a map but it isn't the same as moving to Cardiff or it's surrounding areas
It's an odd geography people call South Wales anything below a notional line, but agreed its West Wales, although I've never heard of East Wales.The west is as close to living near civilisation as it is to telling the OP to move to the isle of Skye or Belfast... It might be close-ish on a map but it isn't the same as moving to Cardiff or it's surrounding areas
Moving over the bridge you really want before / North of Newport, brecons, mid Wales or Pembrokeshire.
Amazingly weve got gb speed Internet in the sticks, supermarkets, shops, amazon deliveries, gwr rail direct to London from Carmarthen.
Vasco said:
No need to move to Wales. Just go to Northants, Beds, Leics etc - much cheaper, easy access to trains or motorways. Good internet etc
This, in spades. Even north Oxfordshire is cheaper than you might think, and has great links back to London and the rest of the south east.Vasco said:
No need to move to Wales. Just go to Northants, Beds, Leics etc - much cheaper, easy access to trains or motorways. Good internet etc
Sadly all way more populated, no craft breweries, white sand beaches, deserted roads, rolling hills and houses are 3 for the price of 1 in parts of Wales. We've one roundabout and 1 set of traffic lights within a 20 mile radius, traffic just doesn't exist.
bennno said:
Vasco said:
No need to move to Wales. Just go to Northants, Beds, Leics etc - much cheaper, easy access to trains or motorways. Good internet etc
Sadly all way more populated, no craft breweries, white sand beaches, deserted roads, rolling hills and houses are 3 for the price of 1 in parts of Wales. We've one roundabout and 1 set of traffic lights within a 20 mile radius, traffic just doesn't exist.
I've not read every post so apologies if I've picked it up wrong OP-is it just Wales because a friend has done it? I know plenty of people who have gone the other way and moved to London and suburbs and I just can't fathom how they afford to live. I was born and raised in rural Cumbria (inside the Lake District National Park) and while I like visiting cities I couldn't live in one or join the rat race of commuting daily etc. Lots of people move to the area from down south for a more rural existence. I travel quite a bit with work (lots of work with UK Universities) Infrastructure isn't great in some places but there's plenty of nice places which aren't overly expensive to live that are within 20-30 mins of the M6 and west coast main line. It's a completely different climate to Southern England though IME, e.g. the last week we've had snow days of sub zero temps and now 10 degrees and lashing it down.
I think if moving will allow you to 'live' as opposed to 'exisiting' and don't have any major ties then it's worth doing regardless of where you end up.
I think if moving will allow you to 'live' as opposed to 'exisiting' and don't have any major ties then it's worth doing regardless of where you end up.
We lived to he West of London, just outside the M25 for 29 years until 2020, when we were finally overcome by the costs, noise, urban creep (and associated issues) and general dissatisfaction with the area. After much research, we settled for looking in an area comprising a triangle between the M4 junctions 16 & 17 and Cirencester and settled 4 miles west of Swindon in a hamlet of 22 houses, a mile outside the nearest village. It's perfect! Quiet, friendly, the pace of life is much slower and I can still access all the places I need to visit for work within an hour or so (including Westminster).
Our neighour is renting and pays £1800 a month for a 4 bedroon detached house with large garden!
Our neighour is renting and pays £1800 a month for a 4 bedroon detached house with large garden!
okgo said:
It depends on the people doesn't it. Most living in inner London think that way about the suburbs let alone the sticks!
I have debated moving out of London, but have come to realise that most of the places I'd actually consider living that still have good access to town, decent links and places to eat/drink etc are still expensive and mostly are a compromise if you still need to semi regularly need to be in London for work, hence at that point in life suburbs begin to work for people.
For me, I think we're going to stay London based until we retire, obviously at that point we can live wherever we want as all parents will be dead and kids can travel - but I say that as someone not particularly affected by the things that OP mentioned as detractors. In the OP position I'd not be living in the SE, it is expensive and the instant upgrade in life you can get for £2k a month elsewhere and for your children in terms of space is going to be transformative.
That all said, it really depends where OP is specifically today, as that same type of place may well easily be in reach elsewhere for less.
How old are you, out of interest?I have debated moving out of London, but have come to realise that most of the places I'd actually consider living that still have good access to town, decent links and places to eat/drink etc are still expensive and mostly are a compromise if you still need to semi regularly need to be in London for work, hence at that point in life suburbs begin to work for people.
For me, I think we're going to stay London based until we retire, obviously at that point we can live wherever we want as all parents will be dead and kids can travel
- but I say that as someone not particularly affected by the things that OP mentioned as detractors. In the OP position I'd not be living in the SE, it is expensive and the instant upgrade in life you can get for £2k a month elsewhere and for your children in terms of space is going to be transformative. That all said, it really depends where OP is specifically today, as that same type of place may well easily be in reach elsewhere for less.
I'm questioning whether London will be worth living in/near even for another 8-10 years before I can retire. Much beyond that and I can see it becoming ever more of a ghost town. Why would you keep living here if you don't have to for work? More to the point, why would the people on low wages in shops, restaurants and bars keep working there?
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