Places to live in the UK

[Sylvaniannightmare]

Currently living in a naice city in the SE and feel we don't fit with the crowd in our area at all. It's a predominantly wealthy mc class area and all the schools around here are really good. House prices are sky high, we were lucky to buy our house 12 year ago when the market wan't as developed and the area was more mixed.

Both dc at an outstanding local school. All sounds great in theory but we have found we don't really fit in with the people who live in this area.

It's all about house prices, competitive parenting competitive holidaying and activities.

30% of pupils in dc's are property millionaires. I am not at all a reverse snob but we simply don't fit in. We are not poor, dh and are both in professional jobs and probably 'mc' as well but our faces just don't fit around here.

We are a slightly artistic family, enjoying sports and outdoors life, camping, hiking etc. not exactly alternative but pretty down to earth and definitely not competitive or wanting to be part of the rat race.

So, after this slightly whinging bit, I wondered if IABU to ask which areas in the UK are nice, with good communities but where people don't live that mc competitive lifestyle?

I have friends in Brighton who like it there so that is one option but Brighton is also quite expensive. We both work from home a lot so commuting shouldn't be a problem at this point in time. I have heard that Exeter is nice and a bit alternative too.

Nice down to earth, diverse places with culture and access to the outdoors would be my dream. Any hope for that at all?

Another vote for Exeter. I am thinking about moving there myself once ds has completed his schooling. At the moment I also live in a fairly competitive, aspirational commuter town, also very close to good schools. Once ds has left school, I don't need to be here (and don't need to be hogging a house in a good school catchment area).

It is well connected, on motorway, railway line, and has an airport. Only an hour from Bristol airport, too.

I hope not too many people want to move there though otherwise the house prices will go up and I won't be able to afford to move there.

Oxford! West Oxford (around Osney Island) sounds very much your beat. North Oxford is more like the sort of area you're trying to get away from (your experience sounds very much like my experience of North Oxford). It's such a beautiful city, right by the countryside, right by London (kind of) and a really lovely community.

Although re-reading your post, maybe you're already in Oxford...

North East England. If I had the job and the money I would move back in a heartbeat.

We moved to Cornwall (Falmouth area) and love the outdoor lifestyle. We're going to our local beach after school with some of DD's school mates for s swim/kayak/ice cream and a walk back up the valley. Very little competitive parenting shite, everyone supports each other with lifts and stuff, just been camping with half a dozen families over on the north coast this last weekend, was great fun. Nobody talked about work, money, cars etc.

One of the most popular shops in Falmouth is the Italian gelato shop so your dh would be most welcome! (Stereotype alert...)

Assuming employment stuff works out (wages notoriously low in this part of the world but it's not the economic wasteland people make out) then I'd recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat.

Exeter is a lovely place to live. The surrounding areas are beautiful you have North Devon, South Devon coast and both Exmoor and Dartmoor close by. Whilst it has all the amenities of a big city it has a slightly town feel to it.

Lancaster - university city with mainline station but close to the lake district.

Sheffield! Lovely friendly diverse city, lots of culture, great restaurant scene, loads of green space, reasonable house prices, excellent schools and if you live in the south west of the city you're pretty much in the Peak District already.

I normally feel quite well-off, but as someone who had to leave Cambridge because we were never, ever going to be able to buy a house there, seeing it and Oxford pushed as places that aren't overly rich and middle class is making me feel quite poor!

Norwich. Very artsy, liberal and down to earth. Small but plenty to do and surrounded by beautiful countryside and seaside. Not too far from London.

Oh, and Sheffield has the highest post-grad retention level of all the University cities, when peole move there, they stay!

I'm afraid I would say (in the nicest possible way) that YABU.
We live in the SE and many people around here are very wealthy - though often largely tied up in property. But, there are always less money obsessed/arty people around if you look hard enough. I think you just need to look around a bit more.

I would have to disagree with people suggesting Cambridge. Town and gown is still very much a thing and it can be incredibly difficult for newcomers to find their place in the city. There's also not a genuine artistic scene - it's all a bit self conscious iykwim. I was part of the private school, university employee brigade when we lived there (so was a Cambridge "type") but I found the snobbery towards others and lack of interesting countryside infuriating. We're much happier in the West Country now! Bristol and Bath sound like they could be a great fit for you - especially if you appreciate being outdoors in stunning countryside!

Somewhere around Glasgow / Edinburgh / Stirling.

There is such easy access to properly wild countryside so it would be perfect if you like hiking and camping. We can be in Glasgow city centre in 20 minutes and at Loch Lomond in 20 mins. Houses are cheap (especially compared to SE) and people are definitely down to earth. There are several "foreign" families in our kid's school - Greek, Spanish, Mexican, Swedish, Norwegian, Albanian so your Italian DH would fit in. I love it here.

I live in a village between Oxford and Reading. It's definitely naice middle class with high house prices so may not be what you want, but it feels far, far less intense than Oxford, especially in terms of schooling, competitive parenting etc. I work in Oxford and know lots of people who live there, so have a pretty good idea what it is like. Here lots of families are very into outdoors and there is quite a strong art/music streak. I'm loathe to name it for fear of being laughed at as most people probably think it is the epitome of boring middle class, but I think for the younger generation at least it is different, and definitely far more relaxed than Oxford.

City-wise I would fancy Bristol myself.

Where are you now?

Is there a way you could try and find some like-minded families in the area you currently live? That might make you feel a lot happier there. Just thinking that as your DC are already in school, the good schools in another area will most likely already be full.

Our village has plenty of non-Brits. Including my DH. Definitely not remotely an issue. I think provided you are either in a large city or close to London it won't be. I'd like to think it wouldn't be an issue anywhere, but I'm not sure.

sounds like I wouldn't survive there either but tbh I have put this on watch for suggestions of where to live

do you mind if I ask OP - how are you both home based? I would love to work at home all the time but can't seem to find anything that allows that.

Would disagree with Bath - Pretty city but no soul - great if you are a student or a tourist.

Glasgow or Bristol!

I live about 15 miles from Exeter close to the moors, but commute to Exeter.
I love living close to Exeter we have the moors and beaches pretty close to us.

I'd say Norwich, Bristol, Harrogate, Leeds, Portsmouth. All have big artistic communities. Have both very fancy but also very "normal" places. House prices are pretty realistic compared to others.

Leeds in particular has a fab music scene.

Norwich suits my comic book, graphic novel obsessed self confessed geek friends to the ground.

Harrogate is a brilliant foodie/vintage place.

Bristol has Clifton amongst other things.

Portsmouth has a bustling art and music scene, historic roots and has the seaside/countryside and you can get a three bed house for about £250k with a garden, drive and garage.

I must say I second the comment about Cambridge and the 'town and gown' divide. I didn't enjoy living there as I found it very staid and dull and I wouldn't say it was particularly diverse either. However, on a brighter note the schools are good in the main and it's a compact city.

Glasgow, on the other hand, I can recommend. People are warm and friendly and the city has a great vibe.

How do your DC feel about this?

Bournemouth??

• Great beaches
• Beautiful countryside (Jurassic Coast/New Forest)
• On the fast train line to London and close to Southhampton. Not a bad drive to Heathrow and has a small local airport for short hops to Spain etc. Ferry to France from Poole.
• Has grammar schools
• Pretty laid back pace of life
• Reasonable number of decent restaurants
• Premiership football (Go Cherries!!)