Moving to Wales

[Billyandharry]

Can anyone recommend a great place to live in Wales. We want to be in a town and within an hour of a city. Nearish to beaches. I know North wales but need help with South. Anyone any tips please? Ta

What are they building in Swansea to rejuvenate it?

Narberth. Carmarthen nearby and tons of beautiful beaches. Not sure about house prices though.

I'm a massive fan of South Wales but I could not, under good conscience, recommend Port Talbot.

ok I’ll bite. Why not?

https://www.swanseabaycitydeal.wales/projects/swansea-city-and-waterfront-digital-district/

@Touty the pollution, for a start. I drove through Taibach today and I could smell it in the air. Aberavon beach front is lovely, granted, but the town centre is bleak. I guess the steelworks look striking at night...

I agree, when the train stops there if the wind is blowing the wrong way, Port Talbot smells.

Swansea is good - but it is the car theft capital of the UK!!

Maybe head a bit further north to Pembrokeshire - St Davids is a magical little city with wonderful beaches and coast path walks all around. Bit busy in the summer - but that applies to all Welsh towns near the coast.

I know what you mean about the town center looking bleak; a few miles up the valley though the air is much better.

That was the 90s. It’s not even in the top 15 now.

Was.

In fact vehicle crime is lower than average here and declining further.
www.plumplot.co.uk/Swansea-vehicle-crime-statistics.html

@Mischance I can promise you noone would steal our car !

Is it that bad!?
Good to hear that Swansea's car reputation has improved.

@SaintHonoria I've just driven through Gowerton, this time along the "high street". I didn't think it now looks run down as it's always looked like that, run down. At least with the LN pub closed, there is now no need for the landlord to sprinkle sawdust on the floor to soak up blood from fights anymore 😂.

We lived in Cardiff and it's gorgeous. It was only half an hour from the beach. But it was and still is expensive.

Penarth is really lovely and right by the sea but it is probably expensive. I don't know if Barry is expensive but it's near a beach.

yeah I was going to ask how they were getting from church village to a beach in under 40 minutes, let alone 10? flying?

I'd say maybe the outskirts of bridgend (say broadlands) to porthcawl in about 15 minutes if traffic is quiet (so not on a sunny day!), all the others would be 20-30 minutes to the nearest beach at best!

And lots of 'nice' villages/towns suggested like penarth or cowbridge you are not going to get much for £260k.

Seconding thinking about health - if you are a young family with no major issues might not be a huge consideration. Particularly because you mentioned north wales as well - Betsi Cadwaladr HB has been in and out of special measures for at least a decade.

I love Mumbles although it may be expensive. I’ve been many times. Lots of amenities.

Decent parts of Cardiff are very expensive.

I have a friend in Broadlands (Bridgend) who loves it. There is a steep hill down to beautiful fields with a river - that’s all I remember. And a lovely cafe near a chippy. But that was about 8 years ago.

You might just get a cottage in Mumbles for 260k. In fact looking on Zoopla there are a couple for about that. But it’s so busy on the front there.

@TroysMammy I've driven through Gowerton today too
Lived there for a few years in the Elba

Cardiff

Moved to near Abergavenny a few years ago. Don't, unless you are Welsh. They really don't like the English...

Swansea is a city and she said town, not city. I would suggest Barry or Penarth, the latter being more expensive and very close to Cardiff.

Is this still the case? I know it was described as this many years ago. This thread is making me feel very homesick - born and bred in Swansea but left many years ago.

Ah I see my question has been answered!