Living in rural lincolnshire
Discussion
I have no real family ties (kids already live many miles away), my business can run from anywhere and I am not big on the 'going out to theatres and pubs' thing.
I have been looking to buy somewhere semi-rural, edge of village/small town and Lincolnshire looks remarkably good value.
So what's the catch?
I can see the road/rail/air links to 'civilisation' are not great but broadly that won't bother me except for a monthly trip to London.
I am more concerned about bleak winters, flooding and high food/fuel charges in remote villages.
So, put me off.
Four Cofffee said:
Stuff.
I am from a village in rural Lincolnshire and I now live in a town in rural Lincolnshire. I enjoy living in a rural setting; maybe it's because of my 'roots'.I spent 3 years living in Nottingham when I was at university and although city life is nice, I still enjoyed being back home.
I cycle for exercise and love the fact that within 5 minutes I can be out in the sticks, in amongst fields and cycling along country roads. Some of the roads round here are also good for a hoon in the car, however you must watch the bumps!
Lincolnshire seems to be ok in terms of flooding etc, but I suppose it depends on where you live. The South Holland and North Kesteven areas where I am from are quite flat. But if you travel a bit (Lincoln/Louth way) you hit the wolds and some hills.
Transport links are pretty much like anywhere else, it all depends on what part of Lincolnshire you are in. The village I am from has a train station and the town I am in now has one too. For London (which I visited at the weekend) we usually head to Peterborough station, catch the First Capital Connect train and get the tickets for £22.00 inc zone 1-6 underground travel.
There is another town in Lincolnshire called Grantham which also has a direct rail link to London (its on the East Coast mainline), so maybe living there would be useful if London required regular visits.
Bus services in Lincolnshire aren't the best and with it's rural setting it does tend to make you rely on a car. But saying that some towns have good services.
To sum up I love the 'rural' element of Lincolnshire and the rolling fields and country lanes. I can probably give a slightly balance opinion as I have lived in a city for three years too, but maybe I like Lincs so much as it is home.
All I can advise is that you read up on the area before making a decision. Magazines like Lincolnshire Life may help you, or general council/tourist board stuff may help.
Let me know if you want help with anything specific within Lincolnshire.
Edited by funkyrobot on Thursday 5th November 17:27
Edited by funkyrobot on Thursday 5th November 17:28
Lincs born and bred. grew up in the south of the county. Spalding ok, Boston not so. I would not move there under any circumstances. Bourne is ok, Stamford is nice, but expensive. Not really at risk of flooding, other than Horncastle area (due to the poor river diversion designs/ fact the town in on low ground)
Not had alot to do with the north of the county, ie Lincoln, Gainsborough etc, other than it is alot more urban with the uni etc.
I like the fact that I live 30 seconds drive from a main road, yet am not affected by traffic, have plenty of things for little one to do, yet can be in Lincoln/Peterborough/Norwich/Nottingham in an hour or so if need be, as well as the chance to be walking on the beach at Skegness or Hunstanton in 45 minutes from home. Best of both worlds.
Not had alot to do with the north of the county, ie Lincoln, Gainsborough etc, other than it is alot more urban with the uni etc.
I like the fact that I live 30 seconds drive from a main road, yet am not affected by traffic, have plenty of things for little one to do, yet can be in Lincoln/Peterborough/Norwich/Nottingham in an hour or so if need be, as well as the chance to be walking on the beach at Skegness or Hunstanton in 45 minutes from home. Best of both worlds.
My sister lives near Grantham, lovely area, and if you you're needing to get to London once a month, it's actually quicker for her from Grantham (100ish miles) than it is for me from Aldershot (about 35 miles from waterloo as the crow flies). If you're worried about flooding take a look on the environment agencys "floodwatch" website, they have flood zone maps on there.
horpe!
Me, born and bred city boy. Then I got a contract in rural Cumbria, an found it suited me.
Good - Scenery, one side mountains, the other sea. Cheapish, good quality housing.Easy parking. Almost crime free, still the sort of place where people don't lock cars or houses. Genuinely friendly people, little concern with class or status. Plenty of good, cheap eating out, though see bad....
Plenty of quiet interesting roads with spectacular views where you can drive
Bad - 55 miles to nearest motorway, 100 to airport. Limited employment outside the local speciality. Somewhat monoculture, few non-white, non-english, with a touch of paranoia (One N Griffin is MEP), which only manifests itself at elections and the lack of decent asian food.
On balance it suits me. Shopping is sorted via the internet, and I can live with the effort to get anywhere.
Marmite thing, I guess.
Good - Scenery, one side mountains, the other sea. Cheapish, good quality housing.Easy parking. Almost crime free, still the sort of place where people don't lock cars or houses. Genuinely friendly people, little concern with class or status. Plenty of good, cheap eating out, though see bad....
Plenty of quiet interesting roads with spectacular views where you can drive
Bad - 55 miles to nearest motorway, 100 to airport. Limited employment outside the local speciality. Somewhat monoculture, few non-white, non-english, with a touch of paranoia (One N Griffin is MEP), which only manifests itself at elections and the lack of decent asian food.
On balance it suits me. Shopping is sorted via the internet, and I can live with the effort to get anywhere.
Marmite thing, I guess.
Have looked on the net at places in Lincoln itself, and several further out of town near Spalding and Sleaford. Google earth suggests some of the bigger rural places are pretty much alone and surrounded by farm land in a 'Tubs' kind of way. How do the older folks without cars survive?
I spent 3 years in Stamford. No place to bring up kids unless you want them to be hilbillies with an over fondness for close relatives.
That of course is a gross generalisation.
But I can't help but think there are better counties closer, Northamptonshire, Cambs or perhaps furher west that might be better.
For my money you can't beat rural Northumberland. A bit in-bred - but you get that in most rural locations. By that i mean close knit not incestuous in the illegal sense of the word.
The scenery is stunning and the locals mostly friendly.
That of course is a gross generalisation.
But I can't help but think there are better counties closer, Northamptonshire, Cambs or perhaps furher west that might be better.
For my money you can't beat rural Northumberland. A bit in-bred - but you get that in most rural locations. By that i mean close knit not incestuous in the illegal sense of the word.
The scenery is stunning and the locals mostly friendly.
Four Cofffee said:
Have looked on the net at places in Lincoln itself, and several further out of town near Spalding and Sleaford. Google earth suggests some of the bigger rural places are pretty much alone and surrounded by farm land in a 'Tubs' kind of way. How do the older folks without cars survive?
Four, I currently live at Spalding and used to live near Sleaford. If you want the low down on these 'prime estate' areas please let me know .funkyrobot said:
Four Cofffee said:
Have looked on the net at places in Lincoln itself, and several further out of town near Spalding and Sleaford. Google earth suggests some of the bigger rural places are pretty much alone and surrounded by farm land in a 'Tubs' kind of way. How do the older folks without cars survive?
Four, I currently live at Spalding and used to live near Sleaford. If you want the low down on these 'prime estate' areas please let me know .gti tim said:
Lincs born and bred. grew up in the south of the county. Spalding ok, Boston not so. I would not move there under any circumstances. Bourne is ok, Stamford is nice, but expensive. Not really at risk of flooding, other than Horncastle area (due to the poor river diversion designs/ fact the town in on low ground)
Boston isn't nice really, but they have been building some nice new housing estates around there. And they have spent money improving certain parts of the town. However, Boston is still an odd place and is one of the few towns that I know of that has developed its own unique accent.As said above, I live in Spalding and it is nice. You have a river running through the centre which is nice in the summer, you have an outlet shopping centre (Springfields - wowee!), you have direct rail links to Peterborough station, which will then get you on to the East Coast Mainline.
Buses in Spalding aren't too bad, its just the more rural areas that suffer a bit. You are fairly close to the A1, Stamford or Peterborough are the local A1 junctions, and as said above you aren't far from the coast (Hunstanton etc.).
As also mentioned above, your genetic material will be most welcome and it will provide a nice change to the 'pool' we have in rural Lincolnshire. This will be harvested on entry to the county and once successful you will be allowed to stay.
Edited by funkyrobot on Friday 6th November 09:49
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