Rural house move

[MsMarvellous]

We have had an offer accepted on a house that we viewed this week. It's going to be a big change. It's a different local authority, so new schools for the kids, total lifestyle change as it's a small hamlet.

I have checked the local schools before we offered and am happy with the primary and high schools etc.

We have been wanting to do this for some time, before the youngest started school, but nothing has worked out before now. It's equal parts exciting and terrifying. I haven't told anyone in real life just yet as we need to get things properly underway before I think it will feel real.

Who here done the same, gone from suburbia to the countryside. What are the amazing things and what are the pitfalls and things we need to watch out for? I'd love to hear other people's experiences!

One of the best things for me has been able to walk into open countryside very easily from home. The general atmosphere is more laid back in the country.

Another notable change is how I am much less anonymous compared to when I was in the suburbs or inner-city areas. This has both pros and cons.

I live rurally, and love that I can step out of the door into loveliness. There’s also a good sense of community in my village and it has a good, friendly vibe.
I also like the peace and quiet, lack of traffic and the dark at night!

I found moving from a huge city to a large village in the rural south west a terrible culture shock, quite frankly. I hated nearly everything about it, hated the lack of cultural diversity, the rainy weather, the lack of choice re. restaurants and shops. The only good thing was having some pretty scenery and beaches nearby. But it sounds like you are way more prepared for your new life than I was so I'm sure it will go very well for you! Someone's gotta love country living.

I’ve always lived rurally
Carefully navigate village politics but do get involved, buy a decent pair of wellies, good luck I’m sure you’ll love rural life

I grew up in a tiny Cornish hamlet -

Be aware that NOTHING is within walking distance, so you will be taxi-ing the kids everywhere, increasingly late at night as they become teenagers.

The lack of cultural diversity is real and often leads to a low level racism/homophobia etc (not overt, i never heard anyone be aggressively offensive like i have now i’m in hertfordshire, but there was a level of ignorance and unthinking comments that would be a shock to anyone moving from a more urban environment).

There is generally a lot less to do (1 local museum, 1 leisure centre, 1 club etc) so if you don’t like it you are a bit stuck. If you are comfortable making your own entertainment/ have other interests, it’s good though.

It makes up a lot for the above being able to walk out into beauty and fresh air and space though. Good luck and i hope you love it.

Driving the children everywhere can be a pain. Not being able to walk to a shop for even a pint of milk is a pain. If the schools are small, particularly primary schools, then friendship groups can be tricky.

We live in a small village and have done since the DC were tiny. Now I have 2 teenagers it's less than ideal. Even once they started after school activities they are all in the nearest town, which is 9 miles away. I would like to live in the local small town as the children can have more freedom. I did end up moving my elder DC from the local primary with 35 pupils to the local town and a 2 class intake.

Thanks everyone for taking time to reply.

@Itllbeaninterestingchristmas I have navigated the small time politics of local amateur theatre for the last 35 years so hopefully can apply some of those skills to village life!

@LemonBreeland @RubaiyatOfAnyone The ferrying of kids is the one thing that we really are aware of. There are two bus stops within walking distance of the house, one of which will take them straight through to the nearest proper town. I'm hoping that helps matters.

Schoolswise there is a primary and secondary 15 mins drive away that are smaller than where we are now but one full form intake each year so not tiny. They are both good solid schools.

@Chicchicchicchiclana my worry is that it will not be what I expect. But I am expecting more work, needing to be more organised, and seeing people less. We aren't that sociable anyway, and while I have lots of friends we only meet up in person once every few weeks, even before lockdown.

@AdoptedBumpkin @AliceAforethought we are wanting a slower pace, some quiet, and some space. Have wellies, walking boots, snow shovel, and the big dog so looking forward to getting outside a lot. Just need everything to go all the way and not collapse!

DS is 16 and relies on us for lifts absolutely everywhere, even 6th form now as he no longer qualifies for free school transport.

We try not to refuse him as it was our choice to live here, not his. He already has his first driving lesson booked for the day of his 17th birthday next spring!

COVID has made us realise how fortunate we are to live in a small community. DS has just finished a period of isolation and had he developed symptoms we would have had to join him. I am 100% certain that all I would need to do is ask a neighbour / on our village FB page and people would fetch us shopping etc.

There is also the mud. We have three dogs (more fool us!) and during the winter we have a mop and bucket constantly on the go.

Depending on how rural and where, you may need to factor in a bigger freezer, possibility of a four wheel drive vehicle. Heating that does not require electricity to run (wood burner(s)). Generator to run heating if oil fired.
Lived rurally in the same house now for 26 years and we've needed all of those, in various combinations, during that time!

@Champagneforeveryone thanks for that. The teen aspect is definitely a concern, but we are happy to act as chauffeur. As you say, it's our choice and that's part of the deal.

@rslsys My car is due to go back soon and we already have a 4x4 in mind for if we move and have just been looking at chest freezers! The house has loads of space for that sort of thing which is good. It already has wood fires in 2 parts of the house and an aga (although don't know if that would stay tbh). Hadn't thought of a generator, will have a look. Thank you!

We actually had our heating re-wired to facilitate a generator. All pumps, valves and the oil boiler are wired back to one socket in the utility room.
In a prolonged power cut we just fire up the generator, sling an extension lead in through the window and then unplug the boiler and plug it into the generator. Doesn't need to be a very high output Genny as the Boiler, pumps and valves don't pull a lot of current.

@MsMarvellous I hope it works out for you. I was a bit sceptical in the early weeks, but I am mostly enjoying it now, despite the strange circumstances.

Thanks @AdoptedBumpkin, I really hope it does too. :-) It's daunting but also an adventure we've been hoping for for a very long time.

Enjoy your new house!

I do feel like my post was quite negative. For the most part I do really like where I am, and it's good that the schools aren't tiny. My children also like where we live for the most part too.

I moved from a town where I could easily get on a bus into a nearby city and everywhere was accessible, when I was a teenager - huge culture shock! As an adult I moved into a town and then moved into a small village. My daughter has a fabulous environment to grow up in, but I am well aware that I'll be ferrying her about when she's a teen! She can play out with lots of other children relatively safely and she's tramps over the fields with them. Lovely smallish school - although the bus fares to secondary will be a shock when she goes! We do have a bus, which is something I didn't have access to as a teenager without a long trek! Am very involved in village life and everyone is generally helpful to each other.

We moved from a large town suburb to a tiny hamlet when pur girls were 7 and 9.
Downsides are
that you will be a taxi for them until they learn to drive.
They went to school by bus so I never got to stand at the school gate and make other mum friends.
They were never able to get on their bikes and go to see a friend by themselves, or go to the shop
Nearest supermarket is 8 miles away, bummer when you forget something.
When they were teens (sometimes rebellious) I sometimes didn’t really know where the were if they were staying over at a friends house, as being rural their friends from the same school were scattered maybe 20 miles away

Upsides
Walk out the door straight to a footpath in the fields to walk the dogs
Nice and quiet, no traffic noise, or other people noise
Daughters got to have ponies kept at the farm next door to our house
Kept chickens and rabbits in large garden
Now adults daughters enjoy the countryside and walking the dogs, although they have moved into the nearby town now for jobs etc.
Able to buy larger house with larger garden than we could have got in the town where we used to live

If your central heating is oil fired, don't let your tank run out! Especially in December, like we did .

We moved to rural Shropshire 20 years ago it’s not too rural as in it’s a decent small town but the size of a large village. Schools are decent not tiny and it’s good to be half an hour from a proper town with some more life and buzz.
We haven’t needed anything other than normal cars and utilities although we do value the log burner. The 4x4 would be useful in the winter I have had a few snow issues.
It’s lovely if you like the outdoors and more space and my DD’s love it despite it being a bit quiet. There are plenty of clubs here too a decent dance studio, Guides etc and other martial arts type activities which some smaller hamlets may not have so something to think about.
I wouldn’t swap it for city living although I do enjoy the city too I just prefer the quieter life more.
Good luck with your adventure

@ArranBound that's my biggest fear

@Twospaniels did your two cope with a change of schools ok? Mine will be similar in age to yours.

@MsMarvellous
The 9 yr old was fine. They went from a Primary school with 300 pupils to one with only 80 pupils in mixed year classes (3 classes in the school). She is very independent and settled very quickly.

The 7 yr old struggled a bit more with leaving her friends behind, but the new school were very good and allocated 2 girls to befriend her who were also quite new, and they got on very well. It just took her a bit longer.

We also moved to an area with grammar schools which was fab for the eldest who is very academic, but younger daughter went to The very good local comp and did equally as well but just needed the stability of moving up to secondary with friends.

I was the teen, so yes you will be driving them around! I learnt to drive at 17 as did everyone I know!

Also, learn to drive on country lanes, don’t do the tourist thing of driving down the middle of the road and expecting the locals to put their car in the hedge. You need to learn to reverse into hedges when a tractor comes the other way.

We moved from Glasgow to a very remote 100 house village when the oldest dc was nursery age, i wouldn't move a child over 6/7ish I don't think. But then I remember being 6 and crying my eyes out moving home. The village was utterly brilliant when good but fucking horrendous when half the feckers fell out with each other.

Moved on after two years to the nearest town. 8k population, ok high street, good schools, great people, countryside trails/hills everywhere. This is very much home for my dc and dh, I'm happy enough but by feck do I miss glasgow.

@DragonPie we are seasoned country drivers thankfully. The middle of the road people already annoy us. But you make a good point about fitting in.

@Twospaniels thanks for that. It's reassuring to hear that they both cooed ok in the end.