Is there a smaller Brighton anywhere?!

[donttrythisathome]

I live in Brighton and love it, but want to move somewhere a lot smaller and more rural. I've realised that my dream is somewhere like Brighton. Not, as in, for example, lots of drug deaths and hen parties. More the sea, open-mindedness, lots going on. Just smaller, and greener. Somewhere you can walk to countryside easily, and hear owls at night.

Stop laughing, you over there....!

So, is it an impossible dream?

A small seaside place, that is vibrant and progressive, with a great community. And noticeable owls, or at least easy access thereto?! Oh and work for a future childminder and current carpenter/furniture maker?

sidmouth ......

Are these places anywhere near Leeds BikeRunSki as might be going to Leeds next month and could check them out. Think the North is a no no though.

TalkinPeace2 are you near there? Is there ;its going on, including in winter?

Are these places anywhere near Leeds BikeRunSki as might be going to Leeds next month and could check them out. Think the North is a no no though.

TalkinPeace2 are you near there? Is there lots going on, including in winter? You recommended Aber too didn't you?

Sorry posted twice, once with mistakes.

Know it's not near the sea, but anyone have any knowledge of the Ashburton area in Devon? Spotted a lovely looking primary school there (private though and fecked if I know how we'd afford it).

Apparently Hebden Bridge has the most lesbians per head in the country. I read that on the BBC website.

Margate?

DH reckons Bude has all you seek.

five bedrooms in your budget, nice part of town

there is a life to the place, and stuff going on, even though its quiet off season. Plenty sea.

But the house is pig-ugly!

(Never been a Bude fan myself)

well, there's plenty more in that price bracket...

DH spent his teenage years there.

watch out for cider-drinking sheep.

I have friends who live in Sidmouth.
Its liveliest during the festival in the summer but is a lovely little town
www.visitsidmouth.co.uk/shopping.html
www.visitsidmouth.co.uk/

Falmouth or Totnes. Frome is lovely too (but have no idea how close it is to the sea).

I am desperate to leave Brighton and terrified at the same time. Can't afford what we really want within a 1/2 hour commute and my dp is digging in his heels at going any further into the countryside.

It is actually really affecting our relationship. I had a bad experience bringing up my teen daughter in Brighton party town and don't want a repeat with the younger two. I don't really like any of the secondary schools so feel really trapped at the moment

Love Whitby - spent every holiday as a child there. Hebden is great. But its bloody cold! We lived in Yorkshire before Brighton and I would never go back up north.

Good luck with your search

I also have (straight but hippy) friends who live in Hebden.
Funniest bit was going to buy the paper and I could not see any Saturday Guardians at the front of the shop so I asked and was directed to the MOUNTAIN of them at the back - said it all really :-)

Don't try this - Hebden Bridge and H'firth both close- ish to Leeds. HB, about 20 miles west of Leeds, about 40 mins drive or train. Holmfirth about 25 miles SW of Leeds, about 50 mins drive in light traffic. Bugger of a commute though. No train, well, there's a local once an hour to Huddersfield or Sheffiled service from another village a few miles away.

Leigh-on-Sea - I wouldn't live anywhere else!

Was named 2nd best British coastal town to live in by a Halifax survey in 2007. Number 1 was Christchurch.

I moved here in 2007 and absolutely love it. And it's only 40 mins on the train from London.

I've heard quite good things about Bridport, but have never been.

I live in Cornwall and absolutely love it here. It took quite a while to get used to the place though, and you can feel pretty cut off from from the rest of the world (something I really like now). There are a great mix of people here, but job situation can be pretty dire. Mind you I have some self employed friends who are doing brilliantly. Quality of life is fantastic, I won't be moving anytime soon.

Bridport is LOVELY
West Bay on the coast with the one and only Riverside Restaurant
Burton Bradstock with the Hive Cafe just below Billy Bragg's gorgeous house
and the A35 is only chocka with grockles for part of the summer

Thanks. Might try to whizz out to look at Hebden, just to rule it out.

Raven sorry to hear about your difficulties. Rural Sussex is so expensive isn't it? Choice of either 'oriole little terraces/bungalows at the lower (i.e. my end) of the budget, or ridiculously expensive piles at the other end.

Falmouth and Totnes come up a lot. Falmouth looked nice on a Grand Designs I watched once, bit trendy ( I like that )

Why do you like Leigh-on-Sea Angels.

Right, off to bed with wine now...so will return tomorrow (if I can keep myself away from puter).

That's exactly how I feel, pickledparsnip. Takes ages to get used to and settle in, but I wouldn't change where I live now! Driving up to Exeter, it's so weird finding a third lane on the road when you join the M5. And coming back over the Tamar by Launceston is always lovely.

Hey Ariel, know exactly what you mean.
I breath a sigh of relief whenever I come back from visiting family. It is a different way of life down here. I find everyone and everything stressed and manic 'up country.' It has taken a while to tune into the life, but I'm not going back! Plus it's a bloody lovely place to raise a kid.

*breathe

Sorry cross-posted. Thanks for the further advice. I do think that you can find the beauty anywhere you live if you give it enough time, and maybe the "busyness" I crave isn't really what I want. Ho hum.

TalkinPeace2 now Dorset you say. I am going to be busy.

Why do I love Leigh-on-Sea? Where do I start?

It's friendly with a nice community spirit and with great schools and very low crime rates. It's an affluent area but property prices are surprisingly affordable considering the proximity to London.

We have the Old Town ( a fishing village) which has a lovely atmosphere and a sweet little sandy beach which my kids love and then the main Broadway and Leigh Road shopping areas which have great boutique style shops, very few chain stores and fantastic coffee shops and deli's etc.

There are also woods and lots of open spaces.

We have a regatta , a folk festival , fishing festival and an art trail every year.

It's buzzing on sunny days!

It has the usual traffic and parking problems but I walk everywhere as the walk from my house into the town or down to the beach is lovely because of the stunning views of the Estuary.

I could go on and on!