to want somewhere to live that feels friendly, and a bit free?

[SparkyLark]

I live somewhere lovely nature-wise, but rather cold and unfriendly in other ways.

Anyone move somewhere 'friendly', and did it make a difference?

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

York. Also very prett and relatively cheap house prices.

[Plomino]

We live in a very friendly part of Norfolk ! Not the posh north norfolk bit , or the Norwich bit , more the bit described as bleak by the Guardian . But it's the only place where everybody in the village knows one another , where we all help each other out with their horses or other animals when we go away, and if you're really stuck , really really put themselves out for you, from fixing my car for a fraction of the garage quotes , to dropping emergency bales of straw off late at night because of a horse accident .

Wouldn't live anywhere else now .

[plummyjam]

Lancashire is the friendliest place I've lived. People are so warm and welcoming. Also usually a bit batty as well (black pudding throwing contests etc)

[Theorientcalf]

Nottingham.

[Isitraining]

Devon or Yorkshire

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I've traveled fairly widely in the UK; the friendliest city is Glasgow, hands down. Friendliest smaller town: Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I am an American Southerner so I know friendly. The Midwest is very friendly and authentically so (don't know why some people in the UK think American friendliness is not genuine). The Midwest is a lot like the South, just without the Gothic crazy element.

[Mereguemeringue]

Totnes in Devon!

[Pipbin]

Scarborough is wonderfully friendly.

[CheerfulYank]

You really ought to visit Strats! :o

[KitCat26]

I live in a village in Suffolk and it is a nice place to raise a family. There is a lovely community spirit but it helps if you fit into a group, families, religious, retired, dog owners etc. The people that don't throw themselves in tend to be those born and bred here who already have a support network in place but they are still friendly very friendly, I married one.

[wobblyweebles]

Friendly if it is all you have known. I didn't think so

yawn again

[Strokethefurrywall]

Cayman Islands here - amazingly friendly and a pretty "free" lifestyle in terms of raising families - 2 degrees of separation, everyone knows everyone which makes for a bit of a goldfish bowl but so easy to make friends.

Not so much free in terms of cost of living though, it's bastard extortionate! Cost of living in a financial offshore centre!

[StrattersFeeear]

Lovely and friendly where I live in Lincolnshire. I used to live about half an hour from CheerfulYank, and can confirm that it's the loveliest, friendliest place to live.

[Shockers]

I live in a rural Lancashire market town. We were warned when we moved that as 'outsiders', we might not be accepted by locals.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I love living here!

[LePetitPrince]

Ireland is superficially friendly.. Great to visit, have a second home, stay a year.. But to live there as an outsider forever is very different - it's hard to get beyond the all-mates-at-the-pub point.
London can be friendly and unfriendly in equal measures. I've lived in blocks of flats where I didn't know the name of a single other resident but head out to the 'burbs and it's completely different.
There are villages in the English country (e.g. Cheshire, Wiltshire, Lincs, Staff.) which are divine - all scouts, harvest festivals, village fairs and the W.I.!
Sorry to Glasweigians but never found you friendly to me though I am sure you are lovely to each other.

[aquashiv]

No where on this earth beats Ireland for friendly. Quite humbling. I've lived and travelled loads.

[BreeVDKamp]

The cheddar valley!! / Somerset Levels. 'Free' feeling and very friendly. Great schools. Amazing place to grow up!

[notagainffffffffs]

North wales ;) love it!

[CheerfulYank]

You're completely right wrongman, I am hoping to get something out of it. Like, I don't know, a friend?!

Oooh do Minneapolis Nooka, we'd be practically neighbors. :o

[HoundoftheBaskervilles]

Ohh, no, not Ireland, I lived there for four years, if you're English & you want somewhere 'friendly & free', that wouldn't be the place, lovely though it is.

[pandarific]

Ireland?

[SparkyLark]

Interesting about the States, which I've always been very attracted to, I've always got the friendly impression from television too. Never been there thought ..

I watch Judge Judy sometimes and though I am at some of the stories - its often Jerry Springer with a legal twist - I am also sometimes equally shocked about how often people take in strangers, bail them out, lend them money, etc etc. Where I live if you were in trouble, you'd be lucky to get a frosty smile. If you have money, its probably different, I suspect people would suddenly have more time .

There are some good people where I live, of course, I live in the South of England. But sometimes I feel like I'm freezing for lack of warmth. I lived in London and, of course, it is a friendly place in many ways, but fast-moving and stressful and hard to relax in, which kinda mitigates.

Any other places in UK. There must be other places than Liverpool?

[HoundoftheBaskervilles]

Having lived in London Nooka, I think Londoners are pretty friendly, as are native New Yorkers probably, I think the problem with major cities is that people move there to show that 'They Mean Business' and so have to be in perpetually irritated motion in order to demonstrate that, and if the boy from Stoke who's ekeing a living as a runner and living in a shite-hole on the periphery can demonstrate his superior ability with an Oyster Card whilst mocking the tourists, well, he's going to take what he can to earn his urban stripes, isn't he?

[nooka]

I'm originally a Londoner and I found New Yorkers very friendly when we lived there, and people from New Jersey were very welcoming when we lived there for a bit too. We have a good friend from Minneapolis and if we ever considered moving back to the US then that would be a place we'd think about. Actually I don't think Londoners are that unfriendly either.

Lots of friendly places in the world really. The difference is I think that some places are quite stressful to live in, and stressful places lead to people having less time for passing chatting. Where we live now no one is hurried and so people talk tend to each other in situations where they would otherwise be rushing on. This can be a bit annoying at times! Today I had only a few minutes to deposit a cheque and could have done without every customer in front of me having a nice chat with the cashier (although usually I'd do the same).