To escape to the country?

[Manchmallehrerin]

DH and I are fantasising about leaving our outer London suburb and getting a nice house in the country...

We are both fed up with living in such a built up area and DH’s job has become WFH... (I can work anywhere..) we have both lived rurally before, but not for years and not with DCS. I would like a large garden, maybe a pony ( or 2) and a bigger house. Financially it would make sense.

However, are very lucky with amenities here... train to London on the doorstep, green space and opportunities for almost any activity the DCs might decide to do. Good health services, leisure centres/ theatres etc. A selection of good or outstanding secondary schools when the time comes. The DCs can cycle to school and will be able to visit friends etc independently later on. We are not dependent on a car if we dont’t want to drive.

but, it is busy, noisy and there is a lot of anti social behaviour and traffic congestion. We don’t have family here and not many local friends. DH is sensitive to noise and hates living in an attached house. We can’t afford detached around here.

Is it fair on the DCs to move them away from all the opportunities they will have here? Will I just spend 10 years as a taxi driver?

[ivykaty44]

Pick somewhere on a train line with a station very close
Morton in Marsh would fit that, anywhere local is rural.

[speakout]

Pick somewhere on a train line with a station very close

Sound advice.

I can be in the heart of the capital within 20 minutes.
I bought my house - 5 bedrooms, surrounded by ancient woodland- a couple of years ago for £210K. Train station is 10 minutes walk.

[Timesdone]

The number of people that move to the country then complain about church bells, smells, cockerels, tractors, 4x4s, mud, horses, horse boxes, horse riders, horse shit, cow shit, sheep shit, rabbits, hunting and shooting, poly tunnels spoiling "the view"... the list goes on.

[ivykaty44]

speak out

I live 15 minutes from the station - but market town, 80 minutes to London, 10 minutes cycle to countryside. I like visiting the countryside and then going home

[brightbluegentian]

I can see that the Gloucestershire area does seem to fit the boxes but I have personal reasons for not wanting to move (back) there.

[midnightstar66]

Having grown up in the middle of nowhere no, I wouldn't move somewhere with dc that didn't at least have a bus service. My parents absolutely were taxi drivers for many years but I still missed out on lots

[DontLookTwice]

I have personal reasons for not wanting to move (back) there.

Yes, me too.

[pigeon999]

bright and dontWhat were the reasons for not wanting to move back there? We are thinking of relocating to Gloucestershire and would like some insight if possible.

[DontLookTwice]

Nothing to do with the place itself. Just has some bad associations for me. It’s a strange county. Some really impoverished/rough areas and huge areas dominated by very wealthy people . PC and Zara live there. Stroud is a town with a lot of alternative people and a boho vibe, but lots of poverty and drug taking too. Cheltenham and Gloucester , though a few miles apart, are like chalk and cheese.

[pigeon999]

Did you have a bad experience/association there? The wealth divide is very stark in Gloucestershire, more than other places? Or just the whole aristo thing is alive and well and not an especially good thing to be around?

[ConcreteUnderpants]

OP i constantly fantasise about this too.
I realise that some of it is to escape lots of stuff in my life. Is there some element of that too?
Only asking as I’ve realised (stupid I know, but it was like a lightbulb moment) that unless I sort that stuff out first, it will just follow me, even if I am in the most idyllic place in the world.

There are so many pros and cons of leaving/staying. I understand your quandary.

[DontLookTwice]

pidgeon

It’s a beautiful county with much to recommend it. My experiences were purely personal and nothing against the place itself.

[brightbluegentian]

@pigeon999 There is no reason not to move to Gloucestershire, like DontLook my reasons are purely personal.

Yes like anywhere it has its issues but it has a lot to recommend it.