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Original poster

Relocating to County Durham, Local Advice Needed

71 replies

AmandaArcher · 15/09/2016 14:39

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to relocate to County Durham and need some advice on the area, as I've only visited for short breaks in the past (currently living in Yorkshire).

Areas that keep popping up on Rightmove and Zoopla when I do a property search include:

Bowburn
Burnhope (Meadowfield)
Chester-le-Street
Consett
Esh Winning
Framwellgate Moor
Newton Aycliffe
Sherburn Village
South Hetton
Stanley
Ushaw Moor
West Rainton

Any advice on these areas (and others I might have missed) would be greatly appreciated, including details of any areas that might not be so good. I'll be living alone so safety/security is a must. I also have my own transport, so being rural/semi-rural isn't a problem, love the countryside too, and have heard that County Durham is beautiful.

Many thanks,

Amanda

OP posts:
DurhamDurham · 15/09/2016 21:00

Good luck, let us know how you get on Smile

yveeastdurham · 15/09/2016 21:39

Shame that's too far from DH's work (teesside) DurhamDurham :o

yveeastdurham · 15/09/2016 21:44

At least 3 of those are dead pricey, drseuss! We can't afford anything suitable in either Shincliffe or Sedgefield.N Neville's cross is mostly eye watering because of Durham Johntson

igivein · 15/09/2016 22:13

I'm near Wolsingham, and it's probably too far out for your needs (but an absolutely fab place!).
Would you want town, village or rural?
I think Burnhopefield would tick the boxes - easy commute, near Lanchester and there's the most fantastic farm shop / cafe where you can go visit the animals ( before you go to the cafe and eat their relatives ...)
I'm from W Yorks and moved up here nearly 20 years ago - I love it!

StealthPolarBear · 16/09/2016 08:31

Burnhope. I thibk Burnopfield is up towards gateshead.

PotteringAlong · 16/09/2016 22:52

If you can't afford Chester-le-street it's worth looking at Birtley. Literally just up the road but some real bargains to be had.

yveeastdurham · 17/09/2016 19:20

Different county, though, if that matters. And a bit of a trek if op ended up on placement in the South or East of co Durham.

(Plus, it's not nearly as nice as Chester)

Original poster
AmandaArcher · 18/09/2016 06:54

Oh no, received a few PM's stating that I might be considered as an 'outsider' in Burnhope Shock

The house I was interested in is in my price range, looks suitable and is only 2 miles/5 mins away from Lanchester...it's also a new estate, right on the edge of Burnhope, what a shame Confused

Don't know what to doooooo Sad

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 18/09/2016 06:57

Pleasant helpful pms I hope ??
I had no idea!
Have you seen anywhere in langley park? Fairly big but quite nice, close ish to town.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 18/09/2016 07:05

Avoid Aycliffe. It is a hole - I speak from long experience.

Stanley, Consett etc can feel a bit cut off. Barney is miles from anywhere. Placement area is very wide too so could be a long commute.

PotteringAlong · 18/09/2016 07:10

Placement area is very wide - I did my pgce at Durham and my first placement was south of Middlesbrough- it took me an hour and a half to get there in the car!

IAmLouisWalsh · 18/09/2016 09:27

Darlington is nice - DH commutes to Durham and it takes him about 40 minutes. Lumley and Chester-Le-Street also canny.

In my first teaching post, a pupil told me she lived in 'Meadowfield, which is the posh part of Brandon'. This still makes me Grin

Original poster
AmandaArcher · 18/09/2016 09:52

StealthPolarBear - Oh no, they weren't rude or anything, just helpful and let me know a bit of local knowledge Smile

YoureAllABunchOfBastards - Yeah, already decided Aycliffe wasn't on the list any more...Consett seems just that bit too far out, and it doesn't seem to have great commuter links, as far as I can tell.

PotteringAlong - Middlesbrough?! I suppose I'll have to face a commute no matter what, but hopefully not that much of a commute Shock

IAmLouisWalsh - Darlington's a bit too far away...CLS keeps being suggested, I've yet to find a property in my price range there, but I'll definitely keep looking Smile

In the meantime, my plans might need revising somewhat Hmm

OP posts:
IAmAPaleontologist · 18/09/2016 10:55

I think it depends on the village but also what you want and are looking for. This village, lovely and welcoming. We rocked up 7 years ago, popped along to a couple of events at the village hall and were made welcome and the dc were doted on and baby passed round all the old ladies. Village just a mile away I started going to the toddler group and nobody ever spoke to me. However I then started up a group in our village and people from the other village came and spoke to me. I suppose I'd been around a while longer and my starting the group meant I was more part of the community rather than a random outsider. I don't know. But my kids all go to school I the other village now and there are plenty of people I chat to it just took a lot longer than it did here!

As an adult without little children though your entry points into the social circles will be different. There are a lot of groups depending on your interests, craft, knitting, exercise, rambling, wine drinking (yup our village has a wine club!), cinema, theatre. And most of those in the villages will have a mix of people from other villages attending so exactly where you live will matter less than it does to someone with young children who just want to be able to drop in to the local toddlers or play at the park without feeling like an alien. Does that make sense?

Langley park is a good suggestion. It is nice.

On that note we need a meet up at Sally cinnamon. Have you been spb? We should take the kids there one Saturday!

PotteringAlong · 18/09/2016 11:41

Middlesbrough would have been great! I was in guisborough which was south of that. My second placement was a lot closer to Durham (but still not in Durham).

Original poster
AmandaArcher · 18/09/2016 11:57

IAmAPaleontologist - Yes, it all makes perfect sense to me...I'm hoping to meet people at the gym/at work/at uni, and so on.

PotteringAlong - My grandmother was 'born and bred' in Guisborough, but left to marry a Yorkshireman...small world Smile

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 18/09/2016 14:03

It was lovely! But it was a heck of a long way from Durham every day!

BlackhallRocker · 19/09/2016 08:34

CLS house. Seems a canny house. You could paint indoor brickwork.

yveeastdurham · 19/09/2016 11:26

Guisborough is a fair trek! DH worked there for a while. That was the point when he decided he hated driving.

Original poster
AmandaArcher · 19/09/2016 12:16

PotteringAlong - "Commuter says no" Grin

BlackhallRocker - I've seen 2 new'ish semi's in my price range in Ushaw Moor, but from what I've learnt on this thread, I'm a bit sceptical as to why they're so reasonably priced Hmm

yveeastdurham - It was the first place I looked, having family from there, but it's too far away and too expensive!

OP posts:
LumleyLass · 19/09/2016 20:30

DurhamDurham, I'm in Lumley too! (Love it)
It is lovely here Amanda, fantastic views. Chester's nice too and pretty central to Durham, Newcastle. Just stay away from The Avenues!

pugsake · 19/09/2016 20:37

I'm near wolsingham too.

Waves.

Lanchester and burnhope are supposed too be lovely.

DH has lived in aycliffe there is good and bad areas apparently.

DurhamDurham · 20/09/2016 08:29

Brilliant name LumleyLass !!

I love it too, we are hoping to stay local once we've sold, just hoping to downsize, get rid of the mortgage and then I can drop a day at work.

One of the best things about Lumley are the views, when we go for a walk and you look down into the park, the castle, the cricket ground and see Angel of the North (and Penshaw Monument from the back bedroom!) It actually makes me happy Smile

If we did come into some money I would consider a move to Lanchester, it's a beautiful place, it might be in the middle of the countryside but the village has everything it needs. And I'm sure even in a foot of snow I'd be able to walk to the garden centre from there to have one of their fab cooked breakfasts!

Indith · 20/09/2016 11:32

Durham you wouldn't even need to walk as far as the garden centre in the snow, just go to kaffehause Amadeus for a viennese breakfast, waffles and the most divine hot chocolate ever.

The North East is awesome :)

Indith · 20/09/2016 12:04

Oh! Oh! It changed my name!

This local site is confusing.

Indith=Paleontologist.