To feel all squashed in London/the South-East?

[janelikesjam]

And want to move somewhere green, or by the sea, where not many people, but hopefully pleasant ones .

Any nice suggestions?

Another escapee from London to the West Midlands countryside here - it's lovely. Really lovely. I was just thinking today how amazingly clear and crisp the light is, walking past an apple orchard with sleepy-eyed cows grazing in it.

Houses are about 20% cheaper than the same properties in the Cotswolds, some very good schools, loads of farmers' market-type food, and yet still just 3 hours direct to London, one hour up to Birmingham. I really love it out here.

I also thought of the Midlands, though thought that might be a bit crowded too

Nope, no crowds here :)

Devon is lovely!

Or Sweden if you want to leave the UK, I live 20 mins outside central Stockholm and it feels more rural than rural Devon.

Thanks for ideas. Ain't got no money, but will be doing some travelling soon it seems .

YANBU But.. I feel I should stick up for crowded London
It is bursting with things to do, places to go, people to meet. Green fields are lovely in the summer but think about those long winter months when seeing a rabbit hop across your lawn in the driving rain is the high spot of the week...

Island of sky

Ruthin in North Wales....an hour from Chester and a bit more to Liverpool...or indeed Chester...nice city....very historical and good schools too. Some areas are lovely and quite affordable too.

We're currently holidaying on the Norfolk coast. Very pretty little town but so noisy with tourists and seagulls. I definitely sleep better in my quiet, leafy North London street.

My tongue was partly in cheek, OP. I get what you're saying though personally I love the bustle of London and all the stuff to do here. But really, my street and streets around, are so quiet I always sleep really well and my garden and the local parks are lovely. So I don't want to leave.

I've never been to Hebden Bridge but I really like the sound of it.

Oh Jane, I LOVE LONDON, but I remember that feeling, Friday night, trying to get away for the weekend, all the bridges over the Thames choked up - I felt suffocated; like the city was trying to swallow me.

We now live in true suburbia (posh bit - river, parks etc.). It allows easy visits to London for work/theatre/meeting friends - which are all important to me. And a quite street, lovely garden, nice area for me and children. And easy access to the country when I want to get away.

Suburbia is often sneered at (mostly by people like me when they think they could only ever live in the city), but it works/exists for a reason - because it works.

The main question is - how far away from arts/cinema/theatre/decent restaurants are you willing to go for peace and quiet and a large garden? How much experience of the country do you actually have?

how far away from arts/cinema/theatre/decent restaurants are you willing to go
these things do exist outside London triffiddealer!!
How about West Wales OP?

Mama - you've got a quick reflex chip on that shoulder.

If you read my post, I never said that arts/cinema/theatre/decent restaurants only exist in London, only that I previously lived in London and such things existed there .

I think it's realistic to accept that the further you go into the country, the more you distance yourself from access to the conveniences of the town.

The rural idyll is great if all you want is cows and grass. If you want other things, you need to ask yourself what they are, where you can find them and what your access to them will be.

I live five minutes from the beach and open, soul-freeing horizon-gazing. But near to amenities and community activities. Move to north Liverpool!

Only one option........

HULL!

Dont laugh til you try it.

Its am awesome place to live. CLose to the coast, close to the yorkshire wolds and moors. great shopping, best public transport network outside London, flat no hills, good restaurants, great noghts out, good sport and wonderful friendly people. Houses for £75,000, jobs are coming things are starting to happen in Hull.

I've been here 10 years and I love it. Just 5 mins walk from my house is a 120 acre public park which has a mini zoo thats free to enter!

"how far away from arts/cinema/theatre/decent restaurants are you willing to go"

How many people actually do these things all the time? Even when I was in South London I didn't go to the theatre/cinema etc as often as I did when I lived in Leeds. It took me longer to get into the centre of London from the leafy suburb I lived in than it takes me to get to the middle of Leeds or Sheffield.

In my case it is the sheer size of London that would put me off. I love to visit, but wouldn't want to live there again.

The thing about arts/cinema/theatre/decent restaurants is that they all (maybe apart from art) cost money, growing up in Devon we were close to the sea, close to open countryside, we went blackberry picking in the autumn, swimming in the river in the summer, sledging on dartmoor in the winter, camping and bike rides, bonfires on the beach... all for free.

Have a little look at Totnes, it is a little dippy hippy (but if you live there you get used to it) lovely restaurants, nice cinema close and a big multi scean cinema 30 mins drive away. your close to Cornwall and it's vibrant art scean, theatre I don't know lots about but there are allways shows in Exeter and Plymouth, and london is only 2 and a half hours away.

I would move back there if my Swedish DP wasn't so set on living here I really think it is the perfect place to be a child.

The most beautiful and one of the least populated regions of the UK is the west coast of Scotland. The midges are a PITA but it's gorgeous.

So many beautiful parts of UK so thanks for inspiration. And I will look at Hull, have always had a nice sense of curiosity there. Love West Wales, but downside at my age is "trying" to learn Welsh...

Does all above apply if you ain't got no money, and need to rent??!

Well I moved from London to Cork as I had had enough of big city life. Cork is a lovely place to live, a small city near gorgeous beaches and country side. Unfortunately the economy is fecked so we are moving on again, this time to Australia. [:)]

Yes, Cork sounds nice and I have an Irish passport to boot . But agree about the economy . Good luck in Australia!

Come to rural Worcestershire.

Well, good luck to you but I can't imagine enjoying living anywhere where you can't buy a mango at 3am.

God bless London and all of us who live manage to survive in this insane pressure cooker here.

Norfolk is awesome.

Loads of lovely beaches, fields, woods, good schools, friendly people

Lots of places and things to do with no money, or lots of money

:)

Northumberland would be perfect for you. Lots of rural coastline but can live anywhere to a sleep vilage to a nice town.

Check out Warkworth, Alnmouth, Amble, Alnwick, Seahouses.