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Original poster

Brecon Beacons or Herefordshire

32 replies

Cartamandua · 13/01/2012 22:09

Hi everyone. I'm currently applying for a job many hundreds of miles away from where I live. The job is in South Wales in the Brecon Beacons national park. I am considering options in case I was offered the job. I'm not at all sure about moving to Wales. As the place of work is quite close to the border, WWYD? Move into Wales or stay on the English side of the border? Pros and cons? Are houses much more expensive in Herefordshire than the Welsh side? So confused!

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 13/01/2012 22:35

bump

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mamijacacalys · 14/01/2012 12:40

My DH was brought up near Monmouth but we are in West Wales now.
Areas on both sides of the border are similarly pricey in the Abergavenny/Monmouth/Hereford/Ross-on-Wye area.

FWIW I think all these areas are lovely so would be difficult to choose! Crickhowell and Brecon also nice.

I am Welsh so would obviously choose that side of the border. You get your prescriptions free as well!

Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 14:43

Hi. Thanks very much. It's so hard to know what to do. We're about as far away as you could get at the moment, northern Scotland, and having already done a move from England to Scotland I don't know about having to become familiar with yet another country! There's also an option to do most of the work from home, but with regular travelling down to South Wales which would be pretty expensive (and I'd miss the children). Still so confused!!

Would love to hear from anyone who's moved to Wales and what they thought. mamajacacalys - is south east Wales very Welsh?

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cowboylover · 14/01/2012 15:10

I live in the Valleys from Gloucestershire so in very Welsh Wales as you could say and I love it! Really friendly people and housing great value for money so I am glad I am on this side of the bridge

Brecon and the surrounding areas are really wonderful! What town would your work be baised in?

mamijacacalys · 14/01/2012 15:44

I'm from West Wales and by comparison Monmouth/Abergavenny very 'englishy' and as I said, although they are on different sides of the border, the Herefordshire and Monmouthshire areas have similar rural 'feel'. Towns such as Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth are pretty and the rural villages are all great, set in stunning countryside. Abergavenny and Monmouth are the only small towns in south Wales with a Waitrose so that says something about the types of areas they are. Parts of Monmouthshire were in England, historically, hence why this part of Wales is more anglicised.
Wales has the same legal system as England and has less devolved political power compared to Scotland so whichever side of the actual border you end up on in this region I don't really think you'll notice that much 'difference'. The key difference, if you have kids, is that they will be expected to learn welsh at school if you opt for a school in Wales. Not really sure how the catchments work in border areas.....
HTH

mamijacacalys · 14/01/2012 15:47

And agree with cowboy that the further west you go the cheaper the housing gets!
Also worth noting that the Welsh Government is prioritising what little money there is in the transport pot on dualling the A465 Heads of the Valley between Abergavenny and Hirwaun, so commuting in the region set to improve over the next few years.

battherat · 14/01/2012 15:54

I am from Herefordshire although now live in the West Midlands due to DH's work. I would give so much to move back there as it is truly lovely. Property is not cheap, however the quality of life is very high. My understanding is that the further west you go across the border the cheaper the property gets although there are exceptions with regard to certain villages.

For me, if money and location were no issue I would probably move into the Black Mountains. It is such a wonderful setting with good community spirit. Also, look at property in the Golden Valley (this is in England) there are some amazing locations there. I understand that Peterchurch is quite good value although some of the villages that surround it are expensive. Basically the closer you get to Hay on Wye the pricier it gets.

For some nostalgic reading about the area, try Bruce Chatwins "On the Black Hill."

OP- I am so very jealous of you.

Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 15:58

Thanks everyone! No need to be jealous . I haven't even applied yet lol. I think I have a good chance of an interview but after that who knows. You have to really think about though for long distance moves don't you? If I'm half hearted about it that would likely come over at any interview, so if I'm not sure better to think about it and know now! Rather not say which town but it's has a mill that was featured on TV recently...

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 15:59

Sorry for the appalling English in that post!

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battherat · 14/01/2012 16:19

In that case definitely read "On the Black Hill." You will be smitten!

This is my favourite pub in the Black Mountains The Bulls Head

I think that I might have to leave this thread as I sound a little bit obsessed with the area.

RoughShooting · 14/01/2012 16:27

What is your buying budget? That does make a difference, as the further you go from where the mill place is, the cheaper property gets (towards Wales). It is a gorgeous area though, not Welsh at all really except in landscape.

Dotty342kids · 14/01/2012 16:48

I'm in south HErefordshire, ten mins from the Welsh border and it's lovely. We moved here for DH's work (in Wales) but I refused to cross the border as wasn't keen on the kids learning welsh in school time or the fact that for me to get work there, probably in the public sector, there'd be an expectation that I could speak Welsh (which was just never going to happen!).
Herefordshire is really lovely, but so's Monmouth, just over the border. Ross on Wye and Monmouth are only fifteen mins away from each other but Monmouth is much more countrified / moneyed eg. Waitrose, Pizza Express and Joules!
It's very safe around here, very rural but you're not too far from B'ham, Bristol, Cheltenham, Cardiff when you want a bit more buzz and culture. Good luck with it all!

Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 20:17

RoughShooting - not loads, about £160k tops I think. And I would want a good sized garden with space for a veggie patch and possibly an outbuilding ie the things we don't have here to make it worth moving! We'd need at least 3 bedrooms as well and I don't do modern houses. Could be a challenge, although I've been on Right Move and it doesn't seem impossible?

dotty342kids - I know what you mean about Welsh. I'm not sure I want the kids doing that either, although on the other hand I believe learning languages early makes it much easier to learn others later on. Do you get really fed up knowing that people 10 minutes away get free prescriptions? Are there any other big inequalities?

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 20:22

Also, we're pretty spoilt at the moment. We're in the Highlands in a lovely spot, although it's crap when it snows. But I really do miss growing things - the growing season here is so short, the soil's rubbish and everything gets eaten, the garden's currently a big and a polytunnel would get blown away! But we've done loads of work to the house so it would be a huge huge wrench to leave. That's why we'd need to buy somewhere we really loved.

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 20:22

bog not big!

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RoughShooting · 14/01/2012 22:01

Within a reasonable radius of the mill town, it is not impossible but there's not a massive choice of fabulous properties in that price range, if you want period detached cottage-type thing. Have a look up towards Builth Wells and Brecon, which is 15-20 mins drive, rather than towards England where you'll get less for your money. The area is gorgeous, really beautiful, and has lots going on.

Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 22:21

Hi again. I've been on Right Move and come to a similar conclusion - I guess I was wanting confirmation that I was correct so thanks. DS might be learning Welsh then! In fact there are a couple of lovely ones that I would possibly buy in a shot - typical. I bet if we were ever in the position to be looking there'd be nothing as nice. God knows if we'd look to move straight away. Possibly we'd rent our place out for a while to see how it goes - but I do hate the idea of anyone else living in my house.

I swore I would never ever do another big move for a job. Trouble is in my sector if you want a new job there ain't much choice but to move.

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 14/01/2012 22:22

Is the "mill town" itself nice? I've only been there once and didn't see much of it.

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bacon · 15/01/2012 11:04

I'm outside Newport (rough as @@@@) However, the positioning is fab and roads excellent. Personally I dont think I could handle living around Brecon - its very rural (I'm semi rural on farm). You could need a good vehicle more 4x4 as its high up and the weather is different. Its too far out from the main city and shops and with fuel prices you dont want to spend a fortune popping back and for. I would consider Abergavenny anyday over Monmouth. Monmouth is horrible imo, not very friendly and really edging on a main carriageway, poor public transport.You could consider Cwmbran/Pontypool as its on the edge of the BB. More towards Pontypool you can get bargins. The main town as died but location for convenience is excellent.

Advantage being in england is not having to waste your childrens education on learning welsh, far too much of the circ is spent on learning in welsh and I'd love my children to opt out of this and concentrate on maths or even sport.

Dotty342kids · 15/01/2012 11:51

Hi again,
I wouldn't say there's any issues with feeling that we don't "get" what the welsh get re. free prescriptions etc. We're near enough to benefit from other things like free museum entry etc which is great!
Not sure you'd get much in Herefordshire for 160k esp if you want land and 3 beds but you might do if you go to the more isolated spots as they tend to be cheaper. It sounds as if you're pretty used to rural anyway so that might not be an issue?
I disagree with verdict on Monmouth - if it wasn't in Wales I'd live there like a shot! Nice shops, always seems friendly when I'm there and the dual carriagway really hasn't ever seemed an issue to me.

Original poster

Cartamandua · 15/01/2012 16:43

Hi thanks. Bacon - you' never handle living where we do now lol. No mains gas or water, no TV or mobile signal, no landline broadband. More than 3 hours from a proper city. Brecon lookd very civilised and well connected!

Dotty - we could go up from £160k I'm just liking the low mortgage at the moment! I guess if other costs were lower we could maybe go to £200k but I still it is looking like Wales really. I don't know that I'd mind that really. We did consider Gaelic medium for DS at one point but decided against it. I can see the benefit of learning languages at a young age - any language will do I think, it makes them easier to learn later on - apparently!

I sent in the application today...

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Dotty342kids · 15/01/2012 17:24

ooh, good luck! Let us know what you do.

RoughShooting · 15/01/2012 20:24

We are near Brecon and you def don't need a 4x4, it's not all farm tracks you know! Not sure the weather is any different either, unless you're on the top of a mountain. In fact, we're quite civilised in all sorts of ways.

For non-Welsh schools but good access to where you'd want to be, Kington and surrounds is also good value for house-hunting. Kington is a bit like the mill town, ie. lovely, pretty and in a beautiful spot, but hasn't quite 'taken off' tourist-wise so doesn't attract the moneyed visitors, rich second home owners, or boutiquey shops of neighbouring small towns and villages. But the mill town is improving a lot recently, largely because of the mill.

Am intrigued re the job, is it actually with the mill company or was that just a location hint? Can't imagine anyone moving from Scotland for what might be on offer there, the town's tiny!

Original poster

Cartamandua · 15/01/2012 21:44

Can't really say, I'm sure you understand , but not with the mill company. It's a specialist sector. Think I've said too much already! Will definitely not post on any other threads under this name.

As I said I don't think the BBs could throw anything at us that we don't get here in spadefuls (or should that be snow shovel fulls ). We really DO need a 4x4 here but get by without one. I love it - that's the problem - but we really are too far from both our families and not sure there's any progression left in my job.

Now looking into Welsh schools and I think it sounds much better than the woolliness on offer up here (where we've been seriously thinking of withdrawing DS).

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Original poster

Cartamandua · 31/01/2012 23:27

Well I've been offered the job ! So what now? Help! If I accept (not totally decided) we have to find somewhere to live. At least 2 good size bedrooms, preferably 3 - good price as we haven't got loads of room for manouevre. Suggestions?

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