Rural Suffolk (Framlingham/Woodbridge/Southwold, Otley, etc)

[missdaisy2013]

(Apologies for X-posting)

Hi MN-ers!

Just wondering if there are any Mums out there in Suffolk (particularly Framlingham/Woodbridge/Southwold and surrounding areas?) And if so, how do you find the lifestyle there, in terms of stuff going on for kids (mine are going on 2 and 5), cost of living, and schooling, etc? Is it really very sleepy? Are there any Mum & toddler playgroups and the like? Is it quite easy for newcomers to make friends there? Are there any ex-Londoners, or, dare I ask, people from even further afield? I ask that because we are a bicultural/bilingual family, and I'd really like my kids to have some contact with a Spanish-speaking community if possible, even if we have to travel a bit for a once-a-week playdate or something. I have some family there (close to Framlingham), so know the area a bit from having visited over the years, but we are thinking of relocating there next year, and I'm wondering what it's like to live there full-time with young children.

I know the area is beautiful; the cost of rentals seem very accessible compared to other areas in the South/South East, and from what I understand, there seems to be less pressure on the schools than in other areas closer to London. Overall, I think it could be a good option for our family, and tbh the lower cost of living & proximity to family are really the driving factors in all this, but my only slight concern is that it might be too quiet for me (I really, really rely on company with other adult humans to help keep my sanity intact!) I love the idea of having a family support network, enjoying fresh air, country walks and sweet little village schools, but I have to confess I'm really a city girl at heart, so I'm just wondering how I might adapt there. I'm also a tad worried about my DH, who'd essentially be a (legal!) non-EU immigrant (/expat?).. Just wondered how being 'the only foreigner in the village', so to speak, might go down there, although he's normally very laid back and adaptable, so perhaps I'm worrying unnecessarily there. He speaks excellent English btw, but until now, due to work, we've always lived in quite international communities, so this would be a very different (hopefully in a nice way) change of pace.

For those familiar with the area, is it really very sleepy? Are there any Mum & toddler playgroups and the like? I'm wondering perhaps whether living in a nice village on the outskirts of Ipswich might work – ie something that offers country life, decent and not over-subscribed schools, activities for toddlers, etc, but is also close enough to get into Ipswich on a weekly basis? Would anyone have any recommendations for good villages/areas, ie with great schools but also with some sort of life for toddlers (and Mums)?

I should mention I'm basing this all on the assumption that my DH and I will be working from home, hence our flexibility in terms of location, though tbh that's still a work in progress and depends on several factors.... If we can't both pull off the working-from-home gig, I'd have to look for work in Ipswich and/or consider a different area of the country altogether. But fingers crossed it'll all work out :)

Huge TIA for your help!

We holiday in the area a lot and it seems like a lovely place to raise children. However, the areas you mention are 'sleepy' . I doubt there would be the range of activities you are looking for but Southwold in particular has a well heeled vibe. For normal life and jobs, I'd look at Lowestoft and Ipswich (if you have children, they'll thank you for it as teenagers!)

I don’t live in Southwold but I go there a lot and although it is lovely the town seems more of a holiday/retirement/second home place than a place for families to live. Plus the weather in winter can be brutal on that coast. Woodbridge seems to have a better mix of things to do and I would definitely prefer to live there. I’m surprised you see those places as affordable though - maybe in relation to London - but Southwold is very pricey to my idea!
Bury St Edmunds would be a lovely alternative but perhaps that’s too far away from London/Ipswich?

Hi ladies,
Belated but sincere thanks for your feedback on this, which is really helpful! Ohanabanana, you're quite right about the prices in Southwold (and Woodbridge too, I believe). I've been swimming in so many options over the past few weeks, obsessively researching potential areas of the country that might be a good fit for our family, that tbh I'd totally forgotten when writing that indeed, I think Woodbridge & Southwold themselves would be unattainable for us in the long term, budget-wise. But from your responses, and from some feedback in another talk section on all this, I think our options might be: 1) Small/rural villages within easy-ish (by car) access to Woodbridge - if we can't afford to live there as such, at least being able to visit regularly for social meet-ups would be nice; 2) Kesgrave (any opinions on that one?) 3) A village close to Ipswich or even Ipswich itself. I've heard lots of great things about Bury St Eds, but that would be going quite a bit further away from our family, who are in a village on the outskirts of Framlingham. Anyhoo, I'll be there for a visit over Xmas, so it sounds like I need to have a look round these areas and try and get a better feel for the place... Lots of homework to be getting on with! Thank you so much to both of you for your very kind help - I really do appreciate it!

I grew up in Suffolk and my parents still live there. One of my vest friends lives out in the Hollesley peninsular. It's certainly cheaper there than many other places, and there are some lovely villages.

However the further not you go the more isolated it gets. So you may find yourself becoming a taxi service especially in teenage years.

Kesgrave is basically a suburb of Ipswich. I personally don't like it at all but it would have the advantage of being closer to activities, shops etc.