where is nice?
 

Hi there,
I'm very interested in where everyone is moving back to in the UK. Is it to be near family and friends or other reasons for location. I am asking this as we used to live in Cardiff however we would like a fresh start when we return in a different place. Where are the best places to raise a family? :)
Any thoughts??
cheers

Re: where is nice?
 

I'm aiming for North Wales, but I really fancy a look at Cornwall, Devon and those kinds of places.
I quite liked the lake district too. and so many Yorkshire folk here make Yorkshire sound wonderful. I'm torn.

Re: where is nice?
 

Its all subjective.... The problem with nice it usually means expensive! We live in the between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales and its pretty good...I can get on the M6 in 5 mins and I can get on a train to London or Glasgow in the same time...

Re: where is nice?
 

It really depends on your financial situation and your work situation - the Yorkshire Dales are my favorite place on earth, but most of that area is quite remote and no good for commuting - and the places that are good for commuting tend to be expensive as Tricky266 says.

If I didn't have to commute, I'd choose Swaledale in Yorkshire - best place on earth IMHO! - but if I needed to be near a big city and money was no object, I'd look at Skipton and Ilkley in Yorkshire, or pretty much anywhere in the Peak District. Of course, those are expensive places and it also rains a lot!

I've been eyeing up the south because of the sunshine - Norfolk appeals to me - but in reality it's probably just too far from family and friends.

Wow, I am green with envy!

Re: where is nice?
 

Over many years, and back in the 1970s, I lived in Exeter, in Bideford, and a tiny hamlet called Buckland Filleigh, all in Devon. The countryside is beautiful, lush foliage, lots of farms, tiny one-lane roads with passing places. Cornwall was somewhere I visited many times, and I loved the weather and the seaside. Little towns, white washed cottages, winding lanes. I also lived in Suffolk: East Bergholt, and Stutton, a village near to Ipswich. Artists paradise - John Constable country - Flatford Mill, gorgeous views. In the winter it could get dicey: some country areas get cut off each winter, hay and other items for the farm animals have to be airlifted in sometimes!

You can do a search for housing and jobs and see what you find. I have the links on a separate thread, so I will look for them and post on here in a few minutes.

My preference? For weather - Cornwall. For wildness of place and spirit (the population is Celtic in origin - I always felt they would erect a huge wall between Cornwall and the rest of England given a chance!) it would be Cornwall. For gentleness of place and people - Devon. Gorgeous cream teas, lovely villages. Exeter was a large university city, with all the shops in the world - if that is what you are seeking. For artistic interest: Suffolk.

Commuting: train from Norwich to London many times daily. From Devon and Cornwall I do not know.

Hope that helps. As I said, I will look for the job and housing links and post them soon on here.

Re: where is nice?
 

Places to live and the links to them:
http://www.lady.co.uk/
http://www.housingcare.org/vacancies...-cornwall.aspx
http://www.findaproperty.com/
http://www.gumtree.com/?hp=1
http://www.devonlink.co.uk/
http://www.visit-suffolk.org.uk/
http://www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/norfolk/default.aspx

Good luck, and have fun researching!:)

Re: where is nice?
 

Its got to be Dorset! :wub:

Re: where is nice?
 

I forgot! having extolled the virtues of Cornwall, here is the web site:

http://www.visitcornwall.com/

Re: where is nice?
 

I just watched escape to the country where they were moving from Jersey to Dorset, it's gorgeous and holy cow it's expensive to buy a house there :lol:

Re: where is nice?
 

Mummy in the foothills. how do you get British shows on your telly in Cali? I told my brother the other day I wish I could just watch British programs all the time. All BBCAmerica is showing nowadays is Dr Who and Star Trek - give me a break..US tv with all it's commercials. You don't watch tv programs in US. - you watch commercials as main feature and program itself is secondary..

Re: where is nice?
 

BBC America just started showing 'Come Dine With Me' - that show is so much fun! I think it's on Thursday nights - check it out. I already saw them all because I download stuff from thebox.bz, but I'm rewatching. I also enjoyed 'The Choir' which they're showing now.

Re: where is nice?
 

I watch using FilmOn.com if you download it and then hit cancel when it wants you to register it when you go to use it. It works, I see the evening shows in the morning. Worst is Coronation street you have to keep restarting, I think a lot of people must be on watching it. But I like to watch Kirsty and Phil on location location :thumbsup:

Re: where is nice?
 

Mummy in foothills. will give it a try. sallysimmons oh yes I like the Choir it's just during day it seems like stuff is boring..

Re: where is nice?
 

Not sure about commuting, but there are decent trains from Exeter to London. They've cut back on the coastal direct that used to go from Torquay, Teignmouth, and Dawlish and on to London via Exeter. Have to change in Exeter for most trains now.

We're going to be moving down there from Whitby. Lovely place, but those north winds are too much for us.

I agree, that "nice" is very subjective. The Dales are lovely, but I'd not want to live there. I want coast and reasonable access to city life when I want it.

Bev :)

Re: where is nice?
 

In Canada the home and garden channels often showed the British TV programmes. Now we're here, it seems most of the housebuying programmes are years old. Anyone know one that's current? It could be Cash Buyer Snaps Up A Bargain. :)

Some places are selling, especially in the choice spots, but as best I can tell most just aren't. Having seen a sold sign go up around here in ages.

Bev

Re: where is nice?
 

St John's Wood is nice.

Re: where is nice?
 

Are you insane? Yes it is nice but would need the lottery to live there as a family of 5. Thanks for the suggestion anyway!

Re: where is nice?
 

Hi Louisd

My head is spinning with thoughts on this one but I think work will rule hte decision in the end. We are thinking Rugby, Stratford, Warwick areas to be close to best friends or Broadbottom in Derbyshire to be near my mum and other great friends, the south west because I love it and I enjoyed living there a long time ago. We've decided to leave it to the Gods and let fate decide!

We have Canadian friends who want to retire in Nether Compton or Sherbourne area. They lived there for two years and didn't want to leave. They found it safe, fun, beautiful and always and plenty to do.

There are many areas we love but many we can't afford sadly! We're a family of four plus an Airedale (she's now coming with us after MUCH debate) so essentially we are 5. We want and need a 4 bed house with a good size garden, good schools in the area, good people.

I'm totally confused about what I want as it all feels rather abstract right now. I hope when we get back we'll have time to look around and get a feel for where we would like to be. Again though, it all depends on jobs.

Re: where is nice?
 

Cornwall is full. Nothing to see here, move along please! ;-)

Re: where is nice?
 

Thanks guys for all the opinions and no I won't be going to Cornwall- don't want my kids developing cornish accents!!!:lol:

Re: where is nice?
 

They won't its full of Londoners holiday homes....:rofl:

Re: where is nice?
 

Funny you should say that, we moved from London to Cornwall and lived in a small village for 10 years. The weather is not all it's cracked up to be, it rains a lot. The houses are really expensive. The roads are shite. And I'm sorry, but I found the small village mentality an absolute nightmare. To put it mildly I can't believe I lasted 10 years.

HOWEVER, the beaches are beautiful and when the sun does shine it's very pretty. We decided we had 3 options after 10 years, move back to London, move within Cornwall to Truro or St Ives or move to New Zealand. We couldn't afford options 1 or 2 and have now been in NZ for 3.5 years.

My mum moved to Devon to be nearer us when we were in Cornwall and she only lasted 3 years in a small village after London. She wishes we'd all moved to Somerset or Gloucestershire. It's soooo difficult to advise as everyone is different. Good luck whatever you decide.:thumbsup:

Re: where is nice?
 

We live in Mission in BC right now and I am finding that same small town mentality which is what I hate. All my folks live in London and I'd like to live there but where in London or on the outskirts is the dilemma. We have 3 kids and we would like to live in a big town on the edge of a city. This is such a tough decision.:unsure:

Re: where is nice?
 

Where heading to North Wales, plenty of clean safe beaches, great road network, easy drive to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. Plenty of rural boltholes.......suits us:thumbup:

Re: where is nice?
 

With all this time to think before we actually go back I've started to wonder if going back to exactly the same place is a good thing. At the moment we are heading back to Stroud, I do want my kids to see their family and I definitely want to be in UK. But this area is expensive and renting is even worse.

So I've been researching South Wales, not a million miles away from them (but far enough:p) There seems to be more on offer there and cheaper housing (we don't need a big house). Plus lots of lovely riding country. Can anyone give me any pro's or con's to this? I don't mind rain;) What area could you recommend?

Re: where is nice?
 

HEREFORDSHIRE

My grandparents live down there - Wellington Heath, near Ledbury.

Beautiful, unspoilt countryside - gorgeous, picturesque black and white timbered towns and villages - centred around the cathedral city of Hereford.

Easy commuting and direct rail links from Hereford and Leominster to Bristol, Cardiff and the North of England, and from Hereford and Ledbury to Birmingham and London Paddington - 2hrs 35 mins journey Ledbury to London Paddington. M50 motorway passes through the county with links to the M5 and then on to M6 and M4 motorways. Plenty of music and poetry festivals, plus the Big Chill festival at Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, Herefordshire. The Malvern Hills, land of Sir Edward Egar and John Masefield and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Land of orchards (Europe's largest cider mill at Ledbury). Lovely country pubs - regular Morris dancing and wassailing ceremonies.

Herefordshire Food Festival - the Italian TV chef Gino D'Acampo obviously likes the locallly produced Herefordshire Food Festival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxbYHxd9-1o

Re: where is nice?
 

South of France when I used to go there.