bearfacts

Hiya,

Just wonder, anyone settled in Chester, North West England, or along the North coast of Wales - Colwyn Bay? Or along that North ridge.

How do you find it? Friendly? Easy to get around by car /public transport options?

Housing is cheaper, more space and less traffic by the looks of it.
Can commute to Liverpool /Manchester depending on location.

Sure, you must get the brunt of winter rain off the sea I guess.

Thanks.

Jerseygirl

I lived in the Chester area for many years before moving across the pond. We spent a day walking around the city walls in April...it brought back a lot of happy memories. We would move back in a heartbeat were it not for our family being in Toronto.

I love the city, love the people, love the location. It's easy to get into N.Wales, the M53/56/6/62 motorways to Manchester, The Trafford Centre, Manchester Airport (30 mins away by car)., Liverpool, The Lake District, The Wirral. There is also a huge outlet centre between Chester and Ellesmere Port. Located there is the largest M&S in the country apart from the Marble Arch store. As Chester is an old Roman walled city parking has always been difficult and expensive...but as I said there are many more out of town shopping areas now. I've never used public transport but there is a large bus and rail station, therefore I presume it is pretty good.

I think property is mid priced....some of the surrounding villages are expensive and very quaint and pretty.

As far as weather goes Chester is fairly sheltered. In winter areas around us would have much more snow and wet weather than we did.

If you have any area in mind let me know and I will try to help.

holly_1948

If you are into nightlife -

BristolUK

What have the Romans ever done for us?

robin1234

Odd that they invented roads but we're so stingy with the car parks. Maybe because of the wine and the public health, Romans would take a taxi home?

bearfacts

Hi Jersey Girl,

Thanks for your awesome reply Very informative. Sounds like you really love the area understandably. Could you retire there perhaps? Not sure of the age of you kids/ family in Toronto but I guess that would be a fine thing.

We returned from Canada 18 months ago and still searching for the right locations. Not impossible we'd head back to Canada. But need to settle once and for all.

Yes I've heard good things about Chester from family in Cheadle near Manchester.
Your local knowledge is golden.
We visited Chester, as you say the City wall, very unique but means parking is outside the city, not a big problem.
We used 'Park and Ride' near the Zoo.... and what a zoo.... great displays.

With my current job if we moved there, it may mean commuting into Liverpool so would mean daily trips under the Mersey. Also M6 nearby is very congested. Traffic aside seems to have lots going for it.
As you say the people are friendly, and love the bakeries...!

Shelter from the weather due to the way it's snuggled into that piece of land I guess.
Yes House prices are a factor, as you said, Cheshire villages are pricey. We found some 'cheaper' detached 2 bed bungalows in Chester, but very hemmed in tbh. Spoke to folk who bought down the road in Wales, cheaper and still near everything.

May I ask what took you to Canada originally?

All the Finest.

bearfacts

Cheers Holly & Thanks all, for your responses

We visited Liverpool, very friendly, easy going atmosphere by city standards I thought. Didn't get to sample the pubs per se.... but looks nice. Not sure I'll be pulling an alnighter though...!

not2old

OP as a comparison, have you looked at Southport?

For real estate prices, Morecambe sems to have value for money

Jerseygirl

I know Cheadle...I used to work in Wilmslow and lived on the border of Bramhall/Cheadle Hulme before moving to Chester. If you lived in the Chester area you wouldn't use the M6 to commute to Liverpool...you would use the M53 and go through the tunnel. Hubby worked in Liverpool for a few years before the office was moved to Manchester.

Try the Warrington area...property is cheaper there and if you lived on the north side you can jump straight on the M62 to Liverpool. There are lots of newish developments around there. A huge M&S at Gemini, Trafford Centre 15 mins away, 15 mins to Manchester Airport. It is midway between Liverpool and Manchester.

We moved to the US in 1996...but our daughter wanted to go to uni in Toronto. That was in 2003...she got a job and married a Torontonion 3 years ago. We always planned to retire in the UK but when hubby retired early a few years ago...we decided to try living in Canada. We try to escape to the sun in the winter months. Not sure whether we will stay here though...we'll see.

Pica

I'd second the Warrington area. If you have school age children stay away from schools in Wales because of the added pressure of having to learn Welsh.

bearfacts

Haven't looked at Stockport per se, though have family in Cheadle nearby. Manchester connections good I think for City Centre, but Chester pretty good too and nicely placed.

Cheers.

bearfacts

Well you've certainly had some good North America living experience....
North West UK is definitely a good consideration. Nice to hear your and everyone's comments.

Mummy in the foothills

Thats where we are, it's where we were from originally.
Lots of trains, houses are more affordable than Chester way. just short of 1.5 hours to Manchester airport and Liverpool airport is closer.

Mummy in the foothills

Not all schools do this. The closer you get to England and close to the coast, the less Welsh they learn it seems. If you are in the hills or in Gwynedd county or far out in Conwy then some schools (not all) are Welsh language.
Dd's school is about 50/50 most kids go onto English high school, she however has excelled at Welsh and is more than likely going to the Welsh speaking high school. Seems languages are a natural thing for her to learn.

Wrexham is nice and has nice villages around So is Llandudno, Rhos on sea, and the outer areas of Colwyn Bay, not in town itself.
We are living "up the valley" it's lovely. But think we want to move closer to the sea (Rhos or Penrhyn Bay or Craig y Don) in the next two or three years.

Pica

Hi Mummy,
I taught (primary) in Connah's Quay (which is as about as close to the border with England that you can get) for a number of years and I assure you that all English medium state primary schools in Wales are legally bound to teach Welsh from nursery through to year 6. Learning Welsh in high schools is compulsory up to the age of 16 although there are options for non-exam classes.
Wrexham- I have lived there and in outlying villages for most of my life.
40 years ago Wrexham was a thriving market town. Today the town centre is lifeless (apart from the pubs) and full of cheap Asian clothes shops and £ stores. There are many unemployed, many immigrants, drug and alcohol use is rife. The busiest place is the job centre opposite Gerrards the bakers by the bus station where incidentally my 88 year old mother collapsed 3 weeks ago and whereas a number of people came to her aid when she got home she discovered that someone had unkindly taken her purse from her bag with 2 weeks pension money inside
There are some lovely genteel outlying villages but Wrexham itself-and this is only my opinion- is a dump.
Sorry to sound so negative but this is my truth.
I'm pleased that you're enjoying life in Wales, may it continue