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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate living in the country?

850 replies

Hullygully · 23/09/2012 18:24

IT'S SO BORING I HATE IT I HATE IT

OP posts:
susitwoshoes · 26/09/2012 22:04

we go to museums loads, a bus ride away and they are all FRRRRRREEEEEEE! In the last year (total non-stealth boast coming up) we've been to Tates Modern and Britain, Natural History Museum, V&A, Imperial War Museum, Horniman, Museum of Docklands, Museum of London, Museum of Childhood, Geffrye Museum, and tomorrow we're hitting the British Museum. Which, if you are someone who finds doing stuff at home with a toddler a drag challenging, are a godsend. And we like going to them anyway. And we've even been to the Turner Contemporary. Y'know, the one in Kent. (sorry. It's getting old now, isn't it. I'll stop. Soon)

Original poster
Hullygully · 26/09/2012 22:43

beat me to it cote

OP posts:
ExitPursuedByABear · 26/09/2012 22:48

Beamish - oh god how I hate 'living' museums.

Actually, I have now decided that living in the sticks has its downside, as my newspaper of choice keeps giving away free stuff but you have to claim them from Waitrose or coffee houses or other such urban delights and we don't have any of those round here.

EmmaNemms · 27/09/2012 01:24

Its the small things about country life that please me. The fact that by the time I walk out of my sparkly new GP surgery, my medication is waiting at the dispensary by the exit. Don't have to faff about going to find a chemist.

The mere idea of living in a city just exhausts me, having to fight against hordes of people all trying to do the same as you want to do. It may be alright for you youngsters but not us old people.

THETrills · 27/09/2012 08:25

Don't have to faff about going to find a chemist.

OTOH when my mum wants certain things she has to phone up ahead of time because they don't keep them in stock, I can walk into any number of very-nearby well-stocked pharmacies and get what I want.

holmessweetholmes · 27/09/2012 09:46

Have now read most of this thread and you rotten lot are depressing me! I'm near Oxford and had long-cherished plans to move somewhere more countrified - Devon maybe. I was really looking forward to it! I am now seriously having second thoughts. Not because of the 'boring' thing - I don't find the countryside boring - but the racism, drugs, teenage promiscuity etc etc..... Surely not all of it's like that...?

Feminine · 27/09/2012 09:51

No its not all like that at all hol I'm in rural Dorset ...none of those problems round here.

This thread (although) reasonably light hearted, has not really been fair to us country dwellers :)

Bloom where you are planted Wink

EmmaNemms · 27/09/2012 10:17

I've been surprised by the tone of the thread, I must admit.

We are in rural Dorset too and it is the best thing we have ever done, the quality of life for all of us is heaps better. My middle two, 16 and 13 are completely on the rails and the 13 year old often tells me, 'I can't believe we actually live here'...The sense of community is fantastic, in a couple of weeks, DH and I are putting on a fund raising pop up restaurant at the Village Hall and the support has been brilliant.

Each to their own, I often wondered why not everyone wanted to live here, now I know!!

Jins · 27/09/2012 10:44

I think it's the sense of community that's ground me down over the last endless 18 years.

I join in because I've heard what they say about the ones that don't but really I just want to be left alone. It's just somewhere to live.

nickeldaisical · 27/09/2012 10:46

National Space Centre - Leicestershire
national museums in liverpool
national costume museum is in scotland.
national slate museum and wool museum are in wales.

NellyJob · 27/09/2012 10:49

tbh there was a far better sense of community in Brixton than in this hell-hole

upsylazy · 27/09/2012 11:38

susit have you been to the Maritime museum? (When Ds1 was just starting to read, he used to call it the Marmite museum). I thought it sounded really boring but it's brilliant and right next to Greenwich park. It's great for all ages. I still have a lot of family in Wales, really must visit the national wool museum nest time I go Hmm.

Bunbaker · 27/09/2012 12:38

"but the racism, drugs, teenage promiscuity etc"

You get that just as much in towns as you do in the country. Where I live we have very few people from ethnic backgrounds, but I think that historically we didn't have a job market that appealed.

What we do have is a low crime rate and no racism in our village as far as I know. I can't comment on the drugs and teenage promicuity because DD is only 12 and we haven't had to deal with that as yet (and I hope we never have to)

ilovemyteddies The National Media Museum used to be called the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. I think they changed the name to include all forms of media available nowadays.

willyoulistentome · 27/09/2012 13:01

I live in a very rural place. I LOVE IT. I HATE the city - I hate the grim grey people who never make eye contact with you. I hate the traffic, the grot and filth. I hate the ugly identical rows of houses, and I hate the way a poxy couple of acres of grey rubbed out looking grass is celebrated as 'green space'. I can't be arsed with art galleries, cafes, clubs, shops, enough to want to be on their doorsteps. How often does anyone ever go to an art gallery anway? If I want that stuff I can go to a town for it... and the LEAVE again....I hate the way that if I ever DO have to go into a big city that I come home with black snot. Just Uugh. Shows you what you breathe in doesn;t it? I may be breathing in essence of cowshit at the moment, but it doesn;t give me black snot!

I LOVE not having to live up close and personal with my neighbours. We do HAVE neighbours, but they are not 6 inches away. I love the fact that I can breathe clean fresh air outside my house, (even if it does smell a bit muckspreaderish at the moment - I love that too!) I love the beautiful views. I love the quiet. I love the walks, the rides, the cycling with kids and not feeling like you are going under a bus at any second. I once rode a bike in Oxford and my legs shook for ages afterwards I was so scared.

I love not hearing sirens every ten minutes, which I notice every time I go to London.

You could not tempt me to live in a city. Not one little bit.

OwlLady · 27/09/2012 13:58

I like the fact you can have a bbq and no-one moans

NellyJob · 27/09/2012 14:00

I like not worrying about locking up all the time, and leaving my keys in the ignition.

Jins · 27/09/2012 14:05

They moan about our bbq's, and our DIY and our dogs.

The teenage toerag from the inevitable family with form would soon clean us out of our possessions if we didn't lock up.

So I have all the unwanted parts of urban living couple with the bigotry, intrusiveness and one-upmanship of a small rural community. I've done 18 years now. Hope to be out of it before the 20th anniversary

holmessweetholmes · 27/09/2012 18:29

Ok, those of you who love living in the country, where would you recommend. Dorset has already been praised - any particular bits of it to go for? Or to avoid? And what about Devon - North or South? Anywhere else recommended? (Sorry - I know the point of the thread was to slag off the countryside, but I reeeally want to know where to move to!) I'm a teacher, so anywhere with decent schools is a possibility.

JollyToddler · 27/09/2012 18:36

NE Scotland.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 27/09/2012 19:33

holmes; Bath outskirts. Not exactly deepest, darkest countryside but, IMO, the best of both worlds.

Other historic university towns are available, I'm sure :)

SarahStratton · 27/09/2012 20:10

Lincolnshire has excellent schools. I will give it that, it's why I moved here. Just don't expect a life.

EmmaNemms · 27/09/2012 20:14

Holmes, West Dorset (my bit!) is gorgeous, with lovely villages and quite gentle countryside but as its near the sea is pricier than the North. North of the county is quite wild and stunning, bit more isolated, with fewer towns and further from the main arteries but you can pick up some relative bargains! Dorset schools are generally pretty good, I have children currently in first, middle and senior respectively - first and senior schools are ofsted 'outstanding' and the middle school, good. Over on the eastern side of the county, they are moving towards a two tier system.

joanofarchitrave · 27/09/2012 21:24

'How often does anyone ever go to an art gallery anyway?'

Once a month or so. Because I have two with a national reputation within ten minutes' walk.

holmessweetholmes · 27/09/2012 21:59

Hmm, Dorset sounds good. I think I prefer North Devon to South because of the wilder countryside too. SarahStratton I know what you mean about Lincolnshire - my grandparents lived there. Not the most enthralling place. I used to feel like my brain switched off after a few days' visit! JollyToddler, dh would love to move to Scotland, but it's a bit far from all our relatives. Thanks for the info everyone!

JollyToddler · 27/09/2012 22:00

I didn't think it was the answer you were looking for, Holmes :)

Good luck with it all!