chutley

So if you've looked at any of my previous posts, you will see that we have been questioning whether to emigrate to Canada. Well, we've pretty much decided against it now - poor exchange rates, property downturn, lack of employment security, no NHS, miserly holiday entitlement and a wealthof information and advice from BE.

So we've thought about changing our lives, but staying here in the UK...

We have good careers and are generally happy with our lot, but the main reaons we were looking to go across the pond was for more space around us - particularly our home - and access to mountains and scenery. So we've decided to start researching the possibilities of moving to Cumbria instead.
Anybody on here from Cumbria - any comments on the county? Looking at somewhere bewtween Penrith to Carlisle.

Had some great comments from people on here previously, would appreciate any advice.

earlswoody

Cumbria is beutiful, have been walking plenty of times there....good choice

Elaine B.

No idea about Cumbria just wanted to say I think it's great that your looking for a better life within the UK I think it's something a lot of people overlook and from reading your other posts it really did seem a little pointless for you to move to Canada, good luck with your research

Ruby Murray

I agree with you Elaine...To the o.p. I've been reading your posts and if I had the status, employment position and salary that you have over there in the UK, I definitely wouldn't give it all up for life over here - not knowing what I know now anyway. You can always come visit Canada (a beautiful country, no doubt) anytime you like, but all the points you raise as your concerns against immigrating to Canada are very real. We are in a worse financial position than we were 12 years ago and we live in the richest province in Canada! I feel like we are worked to death here, looking forward to a poxy 2 weeks off and there are a lot of companies over here that don't pay sick pay, so if you are sick, you either have to feel forced to go into work or take it off unpaid! I can't complain about the healthcare system though because by next January, our healthcare will be free and if you both have AB Blue Cross through your employment then prescriptions and other medical benefits can be 100% covered. Dental is my biggest gripe though - ridiculously expensive.

Like I said, if I knew back then in the early days of our immigration process what I'd be thinking now and the feelings I'd be going through, I'd have decided on looking for another location in the UK or much better area at least. I will say that my change of heart in wanting to go back home though are not so much a negative attitude towards Canada but more of a missing family and all things familiar.

Good Luck Chutley!
RM x

wheatsheaf

Id say you have made a very wise decision. There's a flood of layoffs and 'offers to terminate' in a whole range of sectors going on now. The unfortunate employees targetted are those who have worked twenty years and have say, a 5 year range before being able to retire with reduced pensions and benefits. The mood here is all fear, as it is obvious companies are concerned about their abilities to maintain their pension funds etc following the market crash. Britain is beautiful, and there are many of my friends who have never regretted not moving out when they had the chance, but instead opened their minds to what is around them. The best result has been the exceptional opportunities their children now have for being in the UK>

Danny B

Have you actually been here & had a look around for yourself or are you basing those comments on what other people have told you on the internet?

"exchange rates, property downturn, lack of employment security" are hardly Canadian specific issues. Last time I read the news the UK was almost on the brink of a recession, two million people unemployed by Christmas and the pound at a five year low against the US dollar.

Any decent Canadian job will give you free health care (ie- paid benefits) & 15 days holiday.
Have you onsidered other parts of Canada before completely discrediting the whole country because of one province?

Just a thought..

chutley

Hey Danny,

thanks for your comments, we have considered the points you raise. We have spent 6 weeks looking around Alberta and BC. We also have arranged a House Exchange for another month in Jul 09, so we will have as much experience as we possibly can without a real move.

We both work for the government - Environmental Health Manager and RAF Officer - so we are in secure jobs, with great pensions, 6 weeks holiday (and for me free healthcare and lots more, but with occasional outings to places I'd rather not go!). So we are in a good place to withstand the effects of the crunch. I say that not to gloat, as I know not everyone is as fortunate as us, but to explain why we are feeling even more reluctant to leave the security in the current climate.

We are still going to exchange our house in July - all agreed and flights booked - and remain open to possibly changing our minds again. But, we are going to spend some time exploring Cumbria and finding a job up there.

And we don't have to re-qualify, sell our worldly goods, cope with exchange rates etc etc.

And if Cumbria doesn't work out, we can still re-visit the option of emigrating at a later stage. Canada's a beautiful country, but we have considered our options and currently think we are better off looking for a life-change here in the UK before we look outside.

But that said, I still appreciate your comments, they challenge our decision-making.

Jay Bird

At the risk of stirring up a hornet's nest.............it's getting that "decent job" in the first place, and without that life in Canada is much tougher than in the UK.....I know whereof I speak. Our second time in Canada proved extremely tough, and Mr OldBag and I were better qualified than when we lived there in the 80's. I would think that for every immigrant to Canada who finds it a better place to live, there are at least two who don't.

Each and every one of us is different and will react differently to the same set of circumstances; all I can say is I'm happy I gave it a second whirl, but happier to have escaped and got my life back.

Good Luck Chutley, wherever you choose to go

Grayling

Why not also consider Derbyshire and the Peak district?

The reason I say this is because there are several big cities within easy commuting distance and therefore more work opportunities.

G

Erica P

From reading your previous posts I think you have made a good decison for now. We moved out to Canada from the UK earlier this year for what we percieved would be a 'better life' and I don't believe our reasons were strong enough. Our lives in the UK were similar to yours and we have found out at great financial and emotional costs that the grass isn't greener afterall and are now trying to get back home.

Sorry gone off topic slightly. My reason for the post was to say that Cumbria is a beautiful place to live but can get really busy around the Lake District itself during tourist season which may drive you mad if you choose to live there. We often holidayed there at various times of the year. Have a look at some of the great photos on the Bonnie Scotland picture thread. There are some stunning places there too and less crowded. I'm sure some forum members could give you a few suggestions.

You are really fortunate that you are in the UK and have the luxury of being able to check all these places out at your leisure. How I envy you.

Good luck and let us know where you end up.

megs

I live in Cumbria. It is a very beautiful part of the country, and I don't want you to think I'm trying to discourage you, but

- it's a very low population area, and not many people mean not many houses for sale; I know a few people who've moved up here and taken a couple of years to find a place they liked. We were lucky, we rented for a year and then found a place.

- and houses aren't necessarily that cheap; I doubt there's a place for sale for less than a quarter of a million in the Lakes, and even in Eden Valley (the area you seem to be thinking of) friends who've moved up recently say prices are comparable with, say, Cambridge and surrounds. And wages, often, aren't the equivalent, although they are in the public sector, of course.

- there aren't that many jobs, particularly in the public sector. My teacher neighbour was out of work for over a year, until this term, and now he has the job from hell. His wife, a special needs teacher, ended up working in a care home, and can't even get a job as a teaching assistant.

- in the smaller places, which is most of them, everyone knows everyone, and jobs are often given to friends even before they are advertised. Not what, but whom, you know seems to be prevalent up here.

- it's not at all culturally diverse. 99.7% white, and I find I do miss having a mixed population with all the benefits that brings.

Well, sorry, couldn't sound more negative if I tried, could I? There are, obviously, great things about living up here (nice people, slower pace of life, low crime rate, no traffic, great scenery, good local food shops...) but those are always easy to find out about, so I'm just trying to highlight some of the other side.

chutley

Megs, thanks for your informative post - you raise some issues thatwe will need to consider, particulary regarding availability of work. Out of interest, where have you returned from or intend to emigrate to?

Babsw

sorry, but i think your points are very valid and are half the reasons we left cumbria to move to Aus plus all the constant rain got us down!!! I'm from lancashire originally but my OH is cumbrian born an bred and he wasn't happy.

geeandtee

I lived in Cumbria for 2 years.
It is beautiful, but I agree with everything Megs said.

Even finding somewhere to rent is difficult and it can be a hassle, say, if you live out in the boonies and need to get to the hospital in Carlisle. If you live anywhere along the A66, you have serious road safety issues to deal with, the road is deadly.

When I worked up there, I worked for the Rural Development Commission (now, sadly, long gone). The reason the RDC had a presence there is because the rural economy up there, frankly, sucks.

I would think very long and hard about living there....you can't eat the scenery.

Bevm

Chutley, I think you're very wise to look around Britain before emigrating. As you say, you can always try the long move later. We have the same thought about trying going back. It's not a life sentence!

I agree about the Peak District, and look at the Yorkshire moors and dales. There are places down in the southwest, too, in Cornwall, around Dartmoor etc. Then there's Scotland and Wales. Get Google Earth and fly around looking.

Considering the population density, it's amazing and wonderful how much interesting countryside there is, still.

Bev