Yes, I escaped, I absolutely love it. I've always been a country girl but after my divorce many years ago I initially commuted to London to work and then moved to the South East for a different job. It was noisy, crowded, utterly dreadful, too many people!
Many years later I'm in an idyllic rural area. I live somewhere where the lanes are so tiny it's passing places only, where the only sound is bird song and the sheep....or the howling winds in winter. We have snow pretty well every winter, usually several times.
No-where is crowded, the main roads are often empty, it's bliss. And yes, I'm retired. The constant "but wait until you're retired and can't get anywhere" is rubbish. I'm living my retirement dream.
There are few people so healthcare doesn't have such long lists as we had down south years ago. Doctor's surgeries have outposts in villages so that any prescription or extra drugs are delivered to the surgery, you don't need to take a prescription to the chemist in town, it's dispensed at the surgery. Or even delivered to your door if you sign up to a special service.
Any medical questions are done via the GP online, hospital transport will take you to the large cities (most are 50 miles away) - operations we get a choice of which hospital we want. Never had that down south.
There are neighbours so it's possible to make friends, local villages have church groups, the village hall puts on all sorts of groups, fayres, keep fit etc. (not that I bother going but it's there). Currently I still have a car but I'm already looking to the time when I won't be driving. Shopping can be ordered online and delivered. Very rural areas have a network of services which visit, such as the travelling library (twice a month) and even the chip shop van which sells pizzas, fish and chips etc. (again not my thing but it's there for those who do).
Most of all I love living close to nature, the silence, the lack of "town stress" and people, the gentleness of it all and the freedom of the countryside. Just love it!