Currently living in a naice city in the SE and feel we don't fit with the crowd in our area at all. It's a predominantly wealthy mc class area and all the schools around here are really good. House prices are sky high, we were lucky to buy our house 12 year ago when the market wan't as developed and the area was more mixed.
Both dc at an outstanding local school. All sounds great in theory but we have found we don't really fit in with the people who live in this area.
It's all about house prices, competitive parenting competitive holidaying and activities.
30% of pupils in dc's are property millionaires. I am not at all a reverse snob but we simply don't fit in. We are not poor, dh and are both in professional jobs and probably 'mc' as well but our faces just don't fit around here.
We are a slightly artistic family, enjoying sports and outdoors life, camping, hiking etc. not exactly alternative but pretty down to earth and definitely not competitive or wanting to be part of the rat race.
So, after this slightly whinging bit, I wondered if IABU to ask which areas in the UK are nice, with good communities but where people don't live that mc competitive lifestyle?
I have friends in Brighton who like it there so that is one option but Brighton is also quite expensive. We both work from home a lot so commuting shouldn't be a problem at this point in time. I have heard that Exeter is nice and a bit alternative too.
Nice down to earth, diverse places with culture and access to the outdoors would be my dream. Any hope for that at all?
AIBU?
Places to live in the UK
Sylvaniannightmare · 20/06/2017 09:21
I didn't really think anyone would reply as I'm aware my post might come across as spoiled and whinging.
6 interesting suggestion. A friend and old neighbour of mine who raised her dc here moved to Eastborne recently and told me she made several new friends within a few months of moving there.
She used to live in my area for a long time and I know she felt she never fitted in with the families at her dc's schools or the local social groups in our area.
My old (as in previous) neighbour said she wished she'd moved sooner and raised her dc where she lives now.
Brexitstolemyfuture can you tell me a little bit more about Exeter? Do you live in the city or in one of the surrounding villages? I hear they have a grammar school system. A friend of mine left there rat race here last year to move to Torquay.
One additional factor (hope I'm not drip feeding) is that dh is from Italy but he has lived here all his adult life. I'd worry about moving to a place where the fact that he has an Italian accent which I adore would mean that he'd not be quite welcome if that makes sense.
I wouldn't have worried about this sort of thing previously but in the context of Brexit it is a small concern of mine though he couldn't care less.
A bit further than Cambridge or Brighton but.......Glasgow! Great people, plenty of culture, good schools and easy access to Loch Lomond and the Campsies. Oh and cheap houses.
Can you tell I'm a Glaswegian 
I second Glasgow!
Move to newlands, Giffnock or the bohemian west end 
If we didn't have to be near London for work we would move to the West Country or Northern Ireland. Bath, Bristol and Exeter are awesome, as is Belfast.
I'm so envious 
!
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I agree with Sparkling . I live in a very small town in Worcestershire, and absolutely love that my ds can walk to the swimming pool, go paddle boarding or kayaking, we can walk in woodland within 5 minutes, 20 minute drive to amazing hills. Lots of crafting/ artistic stuff going on, and the local food scene is amazing.
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