Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Wanting to relocate somewhere progressive & Rural... Suggestions? Bridport?

35 replies

jessiebear88 · 20/05/2019 22:14

Sick of the London commuter bubble and looking to move to a new area/town with the following things:

  • progressive / liberal / conscious community
  • close to lots of countryside for walks with sea or rivers
  • Rural oppose to city vibes
  • Near to a few active community/towns

We thought we had found this in Bridport, Dorset but starting to get cold feet after some bad luck, we had originally found a house which we loved but unfortunately fell through due to a sketchy seller and started getting concerned about traffic and parking there... Would love any feedback about any town ideas or anything that can gain faith back in Bridport. Been racking our brains and researching for months, so just needed a little help?

OP posts:
tethersend · 20/05/2019 22:48

Three sets of friends have moved from London to Frome and love it for the reasons you’ve listed.

What’s your budget and what type of house are you looking for?

Mycatwontstopstaring · 20/05/2019 22:52

Forest Row is very liberal / progressive / alternative / rural...

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 05:30

Bristol! Alternative, liberal and not far from rural if you live in be suburbs

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 05:30

If you want real rural I'd advise frome, temple cloud, paulton is a nice village too.

Original poster
jessiebear88 · 21/05/2019 12:14

Thanks all, some great food for thought! Seen Frome come up a few times. We have about £400K for a 3 bed - hoping for a nice garden but likely optimistic from other places we have searched.

OP posts:
WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 12:56

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/81058331

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 12:58

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/56659752

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 13:00

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/60674823

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 13:01

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/62141826

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 13:05

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/71802133

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 13:06

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/81926108

WBWIFE · 21/05/2019 13:07

Last one!!

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/68186734

nagnagnag · 21/05/2019 15:48

great properties! I love the one with the view of the church.

Mrsladybirdface · 21/05/2019 17:03

Stroud! Proper liberal and in stunning countryside and house prices are still pretty decent.

Also, can get to London on the train in an hour and a half

Mrsladybirdface · 21/05/2019 17:03

Stroud! Proper liberal and in stunning countryside and house prices are still pretty decent.

Also, can get to London on the train in an hour and a half

mylittlenugget · 21/05/2019 17:37

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67729897.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68989330.html - right near a good school
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80277983.html - just out of town enough to not be bothered by the usual town noise but can still walk in

ScottishBadger · 21/05/2019 17:40

Bridport is a nightmare in the summer. City level gridlock to get to/through/round town when the tourists descend

drspouse · 21/05/2019 20:41

You also might want to think what you want in "liberal". Diverse? Hippy crystals and anti vaxx? Green Party style woke? Or more traditional Labour or maybe Lib Dem, or none of these?

Tinyteatime · 21/05/2019 20:46

Bruton or Frome I’d say. Bridport is still fairly yokel local IMO.

dentalphobia · 21/05/2019 20:47

Hebden Bridge.

Original poster
jessiebear88 · 21/05/2019 21:32

wow! Some really great property finds there - @WBwife Love the first one alot! My husband and I have a week off next week with no plans so are going to visit a few of the suggestions and see what seems to fit us best. Frome, Hebden Bridge & Stroud have caught our eye. We still love Bridport but its always worth making sure as we don't want to move again for a while.

@drspouse Yes liberal is varied description, so I would say more along the lines of 'eco green party style woke\Labour\Artist' from what you've mentioned.

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 21/05/2019 22:44

Totnes then if you want the green 'woke' brigade.

klmr14 · 02/06/2019 10:33

I live in Bridport - moved here from Surrey (London Bubble) 3 years ago - absolutely love it. And whilst the traffic can be bad in the summer, we still don't think it's up to South East levels. Happy to answer any questions you may have. We wish we'd moved sooner - we're so happy here. And our best friends have now moved down too and are equally as happy.

Original poster
jessiebear88 · 17/06/2019 23:26

So we did a visit of a few of the places, I will just tell you about the ones that stuck out as otherwise it will turn into an essay.

  • Hepden Bridge, Yorkshire which is I have to say is a very special town, the best I saw on the trip. it was visually beautiful with a river running through it, active community spirit, friendly people, walks nearby, great shops, cinema and park, commutable to Leeds & Manchester via train. It felt like an island in the fact it seems the only one of its kind in the area.
  • Totness, Devon was another really great town, looked like great community vibes, all the basic shops and more, loved the surrounding areas too which had similar vibes spreading out also, commutable to Exeter
  • Bridport, Dorset a great town with lots going on, community spirit, down to earth and a great high street with lots going on, surrounding areas are beautiful for walks and the beaches, few commutable options to Dorchester & Yeovil potentially.

It was a really great trip seeing so many towns around the UK, there are so many beautiful hidden gems and makes me want to explore more of our country. There is only so much you can gain from a day somewhere so it felt like first impressions is all we could judge upon and the feel we got from somewhere... a few others we saw were Glossop, Cirencester, Tiverton, Ashburton, Keswick, Taunton, Stroud, Buxton, Dulverton & Frome - They all seemed really great also!

@klmr14 Thank you for your message, it came at a really good time in our decision making when we were just looking for a good sign about Bridport, and thats one amazing recommendation your friends moved too. We realised how much we liked Bridport and that is the right town for us at this particular time in our lives.... so we will be moving there next week!! :) We are coming from Surrey too - would love any tips on things going on or groups?

Its easy to think the grass is always greener, but it is really what you make of a place and relationships you create. I can rest easy knowing we made the right choice for us at this time.

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions.

OP posts:
FenellaVelour · 18/06/2019 14:25

Bridport is lovely. Quite quirky and creative. While Dorset is home to quite a few citizens of the elderly bigot type, Bridport seems to be more progressive and to avoid the worst of it.
Plus it has one of my favourite micropubs in the centre.