Moving to Norfolk???

[womanwholivedinashoe]

hello Ladies,

My husband was recently made redundant and we saw this as the ideal opportunity to search for the lifestyle that we've always wanted. We are seriously looking into Norfolk and I have 4 boys 19 (& Autistic), 14, 8 and baby 6 months and need to know where might be best to bring up kids.
I'm a nurse so will be looking for work and hubby said he would do almost (lol) anything for work. We would prefer to live out of a large town, we like the seaside but not a large beach area more quieter resorts. But in the same respect love the countryside too, so generally just a nice area but facilities within a drive for the kids to not get too bored?
Can anyone help??? We are so far considering Acle and Loddon? Shouldham and Marham although they are quite far from the secondary school is there a school bus service that operates?

Many thanks wwlias

Hiya, I moved to Loddon from Beccles 2 years ago precisely because of the schools so now opposite the junior and within 200 yards of the primary and secondary schools.
I work at the JPUH in Great Yarmouth - approx 25 to 30 minute commute, but it is only 25 mins in the other direction to get the NNUH.
My friends grandson is at the Hobart secondary school and he is also ASD and gets the support he needs.

Good luck with the move

ProfYaffle I was at the green with my family, it was a lovely afternoon wasn't it? Poor R looked to be in a state of shock at the sheer number of people that turned out, bless her.

ProfYaffle no I didn't go to the green, I wish I had now, sounds like it was fun! And it's quite close to my house!

Reephams good for maths. The primarys good and the high is brilliant.

We're finally decided to start lookign again (to buy) and are looking around Alsham probably. We need to be between Sheringham and Wymondham.

I would still reccomend looking for a house then checking out the schools and area afterwards

Hunstanton beautiful? Hunstanton "beautifully hot"? I spent a rainy day there last summer and was ready for topping myself.

Loddon is a good choice - big village/tiny town - near the broads, on the river, very good High School (better than Long Stratton), fab football team for your DS, regular bus into Norwich, affordable housing, doctors, dentists, small co-op, good library, very active Sure Start, community events, etc etc.

Thanks again ladies i've heard lots of good things about Reepham. Loddon I like the sound of more and more and will check it out on Tuesday and hopefully (if they ever get back to me) will be seeing a property just outside in Hales Green.

I started writing down all the names of villages / towns that have been suggested and we'll attempt a route through most of them, will let you know how we get on.

ps ooopsadisy I have set up a blog
escapingtothecountry2011.blogspot.com
and hope to continue into my big move too, feel free to observe xxx

Having seen those recommending Reepham High School - I've never been there myself but an ex (about five yrs ago) had done and I met some of his friends - they were all lovely, intelligent and very good academically. One of them went on to study Maths at Cambridge. I realise it's a small sample but it might be a school worth looking at! :)

Jennie - I think everyone's in shock! FB seems to be full of people going at the whole thing, it was great though. We very often to to the green at tea time for fish and chips and a pint.

I hope the Diss residents on here are fully aware of the community farm and have signed up for meat shares! (apologies for the hijack)

havent read this whole thread- but Dersingham is a really nice place to live--big village with lots of amenities, on coastal road, lots of young families (next to Sandringham-if you are into royal things!)

I don't think you should ignore what Throckenholt said about living South of the rivers; getting to the airport from Loddon will be a hassle, not a commute to subject oneself to daily unless working unusual hours.

Multimap is suggesting it'd be a 36 min drive, but I think add 15 min or more on if one has to drive it in the hours of 8-10 am or 4-7pm. Some of the sections of the Ring Road on that route are nightmares when busy. If you really want to be south of Norwich, somewhere like Wymondham (area) has much better access to the rest of the UK, too.

I agree with ragged (glad she agrees with me !). The outer ring road in Norwich is a nightmare and should be avoided like the plague. I have taken nearly an hour to get round halfway on occasion. If the airport is where you need to get to then you should consider the north and east of Norwich first of all.

I live south of Norwich and prefer to drive to Bury St Edmund to get my car services than go to the Norwich garage which is near the airport, because it is quicker albeit further to travel).

The main bad thing is the roads. Getting around Norfolk is a bugger, not enough big roads and we are the only county in england without a motorway (i think..)

It can be very bleak, droll and rainy but isnt that why wellys where invented?
Most locals are not put of by rain, it makes walks much more fun!

blimey more food for thought :( more research is needed by the looks of things :( .
So if I go North of Norwich its easier to get into??/

If you live north of Norwich it is easier to get to the airport. It is harder to get from there to anywhere else that isn't north of Norwich though :). Pretty much Norwich is a bottle neck between the northeast of Norfolk and the rest of the county and hence the rest of the county. If I recall there are no dual carriageways north of Norwich.

You have to come to Norfolk because you like being there, and accept it is not quick to get out of it.

pompoko - I don't think Suffolk has any motorways either.

rest of the county

oops - that should be rest of the country.

(I posted this on your other thread - I see now that this is solely about Norfolk so I have shoved it here too. Apoligies to any devoted Norfokians abouyt the content of this message but I hate the bloody place!)

"Jobs also seem to be in better supply in Norfolk compared to the SW but please correct me if I'm wrong"

Wooah no jobs in Norfolk.
I "escaped" from London to Norfolk 5 years ago and we are currently in the process of trying to escape this hellhole. There is no work at all - and APPALLING travel connections to just about everywhere. Worst of all there is no ambition for new projects or ideas. It seems that anyone with any spark got out of here years ago. Everything we have encountered up here is half arsed - not in a charming yokel way either. Just in a useless, inept way.
My son is at his 4th nursery school because every single one of them was bloody useless.

In Norwich I have encountered more dog shit, graffitti and drug crime than in all my 24 years in Brixton. Last month I had to make a formal complaint to the police after my 4yr old and myself were set on by a gang of young teenage boys. The day I get out of Norfolk and back to civilisation will be the happiest day of my life.

Don't get too sucked into the rural idyll myth. With many rural communities comes insularity, lack of facilities, crushing boredom - and the most alarming thing I find is the casual bigotry expressed by so many people that I meet.

Well ... you did ask!

Lol @ Norfolk being "droll and rainy"

I missed the bit where you need to drive to the Airport, I agree that from South Norfolk it can be awful but it's not too bad if you time it correctly. When I worked I had monthly meetings at the airport and drove straight in from home. It used to take about an hour and 15 mins if I set off at 7.30am. I guess it depends on your outlook whether that's doable on a daily basis or not.

x-posts.

Ummm - I disagree!

I also disagree with lubberlich!

Generally I've found that if you want to be a part of the community you will be accepted.

Prof, I think I've figured out who you are... Does your youngest sometimes play on the was-a-log with my little boy?

Lubberlich - hmmm I did ask so thank you for your view. However it seems as if you might have been trying to take London with you but be in a nicer place, whereas anyone that moves to Norfolk would understand that it is a slower pace of life (much needed in our hectic life) and you get what you put into places. However that doesn't normally mean moving to an area and telling them how backwards they might be and how much better it might have been in London.
There mush have been a reason for the need for you to "escape" 5 years ago and obviously for you it didn't work out and I'm sorry, also for the abuse you've endured. BUT if we were going to move to France we would learn to talk French, and likewise I want to (eventually be accepted by Norfolk, might take 20 years but who cares). Which means accepting Norfolk for what it is, embracing it and not trying to change it or bring it up to London standards the very thing I'm trying to get away from.
May I ask where you moved to? feel free to pm if you'd like.

The airport isn't a huge biggie as Jon rides his bike everywhere and there is no guarantee that he will get a job again in the airport :( again anyway. But thank you for your suggestions, really keen to start exploring the area properly on Mon/Tues now.

I don't agree with lubberlich either, and I'm not Norfolk born. I've lived in lots of places and Norwich is the nicest.

If the airport isn't the main issue then if you are interested in getting out of Norfolk once in a while then try somewhere within easy reach of the A11, the A47 (west), or A140 (south). Note the last one has a 50mph speed limit for all of it's Suffolk stretch so isn't a fast road.

If that isn't an issue - then anywhere is good - all areas have the high spots and low spots - so probably short list some and then ask again and we can all give our opinions (there seem a lot of norfolkites here now).

You forgot about the Scottow-Tunstead Dual Carriageway link, Throckenholt.
Only in Norfolk!