Northern Ireland Mums I need your advice

[lookingforwardtospring]

Apologies for posting on this board but I know some of the NI crew hang out here!

I'm possibly relocating from London to NI within the next year and I need recommendations from you regarding where to live! I just don't know where to start. We need to be within commuting distance of Belfast, not too rural, in a nice town with good park, school, shops etc. Was thinking of the Co Down area, ideally, although would also consider parts of Co Antrim (not too far north tho with regard to commute!). DH is nervous about the move as he worries about the weather (and he is not wrong!) but I know that there are many other great things about the place that would make up for this

Any top tips and recommendations would be welcomed hugely

Woohoo!!! Parteeeeeee!!!! Champagne's on me!

Stop it you lot, I'm jealous - I want to move back and come to the party too

Bethron, do you suffer much from plane noise or are you not in the flight path? I only ask because where we live in London at the moment, we are directly beneath the flight path and I hate it!

weepootle - shall we make sure we have a trip home booked home - just to gate crash the party??

Sounds like a plan weeonion! I have to admit though that I'm not actually a local I just lived there for for a few years and really felt at home (originally from Glasgow). If I can ever afford it again, I would like to settle back there eventually.

Oooooooooh B'hinch got a mention - that's my home town! Was going to suggest it, but you'd have to drive for a decent park (Hillsborough is 8 miles away). Good commuting town though. There's also Carryduff, Saintfield, Dromara. I like Lisburn. It's a good shopping town, so anywhere close to there would be good. Annahilt is a wee village outside H'borough and would be easy to commute from to Belfast.

Hmmm, yes, Lisburn is also on my ever-expanding list! At the moment I am also keen on the Knock area, I think. Dying to get over and have a good old look around!

The Knock area is lovely but can be pretty expensive. Although I'm now a North Coast girl (sadly too far north for you) I'm originally from County Down. Holywood and Bangor are both great, and should be within your price range, Helen's Bay would be way too expensive (though you may be able to get something in Seahill a bit further up the Belfast to Bangor road).

I assume someone has already suggested checking propertynews.com The other main websites would be ups (ulster property services) or the Halifax (rightmove.com) Happy househunting!

I used to live in portstewart too far probably although a few of my relations commute to belfast but v pretty and a nice place to live

Portstewart always brings a smile to my face!! Morellis on a Sunday afternoon, followed by a wander on the beach. Dh & I courted there, planned our engagment, our wedding, had our reception there, & sat on the beach & discussed babies.. It was there we fell in love, on portstewart strand.

Ok... that might have put you off a bit

firefly - also met my dp whilst at uni there. maybe good nights in the derry and kelly's. we would all be looking for different things now with schools, play goups and parks! i also remember the biting winds, the gales and of course the north west 200 weekend!!

Making me nostalgic now ... seems such a hazy memory now having a social life, before the wee ones came along
Although I was at Queen's so it was nights out at the Crescent and Lavery's!

weeonion - I met my DH at the uni in Coleraine too so know Derry and Kellys - not sure if Derry's still there but Kellys is an empire in itself now!!

I also remember going for walks on P'stewart Strand and the biting winds!!! And I lived for a year in a house that was right in the path of the Northwest 200.

Took the kids back for a weekend last April or May - and there is quite a good indoor playground in Portrush for the little ones.

rojak - small world! i left NI 3 yrs ago but we had made trips up there quite a bit before leaving. it really had all changed quite a bit in that time. mind me asking when yu were there??

I'm at UUC @ the minute. mature student (or not so mature)

Sorry haven't been checking thread.

Weeonion - I left in 1992 (a LOOOONG time ago!)

FFF2 - the campus has changed so much and has got a lot more facilities now, am always impressed when I drive round the campus and see all the new buildings!

rojak - i left in 93. means we were there together. small world but given how small it was - we may well know each other / some of teh same folks!!

weeonion - what did you do? I did the one that everyone rubbishes now.... media studies.

hi lookingforwardto spring

just thought i'd stick my oar in. so much depends on your budget
its got so dear recently it's insane
holywood / east belfast both great - good choice of schools also north down has a train link to town which is helpful
agree helens bay cultra marino etc super expensive these days.
what ages are your weeins?
belfast is great also if you want to live in the country and commute -plenty of choice. Ballygowan Comber Saintfield
Crossgar Ballyskeagh Ballylesson Crumlin Carrickfergus Greenisland Bangor all within easy reach and you coud also be surrounded by fields but ony 20 minutes from city centre.
Like me

Hi cremolafoam (gosh, I used to love that stuff!). DD is 2. Haven't done any research AT ALL yet on schools! Need to do that next. Whereabouts do you live?

How does the schooling system in Northern Ireland work these days? Is it all about catchment areas? It's a nightmare where we live at the moment! Any advice / tips greatly appreciated.

What age are your lo's, lfts? The school system over here is still excellent imo. Good existing primary/secondary schools are now complemented by more and more integrated schools

Catchment area will only apply if the school is over-subcribed as far as I know. Not sure how secondary/grammar school entrance will be determined in the future (the 11+ system is currently under review)

Currently just have one lo - she was 2 on Saturday and it is currently tantrum city in our house

Sorry, just noticed your dd is 2 - nursery school provision over here is very good in my experience so far