Anyone moved area for slower pace of life?

[Bertha21]

Just that really, how was it? I fancy a change have done for years. Currently studying but once I’m finished considering the move. Children will be teens but both play sport so hopefully won’t be bored teens.

We moved to mid-Wales. Glacial pace of life and more sport than you can fit into a week. We love it.

We moved back to Cornwall 10 years ago and now DC are bored silly so we are looking at moving to Exeter for a better balance.

Weve retired to suffolk but didnt do it until both kids had finished school/uni and left home.

I would not move to the actual countryside with teens. They won’t thank you. You will be a taxi. Wait till they go.

We live outside a village now so used to driving everywhere. I just wanted somewhere with less traffic/rushing around. Mix or beach/forest maybe. I would probably choose somewhere with more amenities bus route etc.

If you still plan to work, and have children still at school, taking exams, wanting to see their friends and do hobbies etc then would a relocation actually mean a “slower pace of life”? If anything, I found living more rurally more time consuming in terms of commute to work, travelling for shops and to see friends etc. With two teens I can imagine that being even more the case.

I left London for rural Scotland in 2011 largely because I thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery. It was enjoyable for about a year and a half and I really liked a lot of the landscape; after that I realised that slower living isn’t for me. Not enough going on, too few opportunities to make real friends: a lot of people around me were born and bred in the immediate area, quite set in their views and ways and, whilst not hostile at all to outsiders, often just not very open. Also it was cold, and far away. I returned to London in 2015 and am immeasurably happier. A bigger garden and a view of the hills can’t compensate for the fab life and friendship group I have here now.

A slower pace of life sounds great but in reality when you are used to being busy and things moving quickly being forced to do things slowly is incredibly fucking irritating. Especially since a slow pace of life usually means lots of sitting in traffic behind slow drivers/tractors.

isle of Wight here!

Or standing in a queue in the shop for ages while Angela at the checkout talks to her neighbour Jim about how his grandchildren did in their exams, while you're gritting your teeth and internally screaming.

We also have horse and carts....
And traction engines!
🤣

Yes or waiting for someone to unload their shopping before they let you go past in the car. Makes me want to scream!

Buses are still not reliable here. They've been shite ever since 2002 (I remember as I failed college as it never showed up!)

In 2004, I wrote to my MP, College and local Council about the bus service failing to get kids to college.

Now 2023 and its exactly the same!!

Bus services are well advertised but they are not reliable :(

I moved from the countryside to a city - I'd never go back!

For me, the countryside is lovely for a break but to live in - it's incredibly isolating. I hated it as a teen, it was a 10 mile drive to a town and buses were really unreliable and irregular.

My children have such more opportunities than I had for sports or even just a social life.

My parents are still there and I worry for when they get older. The house is miles away from anything, it would be impossible if they couldn't drive.

It depends where you live and what you do for work. We live in a small town with a cinema/theatre, leisure centre, football/cricket/rugby clubs and pool all within walking distance. We chose it so DCs could be independent. The population of the town is 2400 but it serves a big area so it has plenty of facilities and is well supported. We are also both self employed and can work from anywhere, which was what made it possible.