Anybody moved to/ live in rural Camarthen?

[Stupidusernamefaff]

Hi, we currently live in a semi rural area and are looking at moving to a very rural house near Camarthen. Has anyone done a similar move with a young family? Anyone from near Camarthen that can give me an idea of what it’s like for schools, playgroups etc? Also has anyone moved their kids from England to a Welsh speaking school and if so how did that go? Any input welcome! Thanks

Yes.... I am 43 and have lived within 25miles all Carmarthen virtually all my life. Ask away....

I lived in Ammanford for a year. I liked it. Great coffee from Coaltown, mountain views, fantastic beaches at Cefn Sidan (a 50 min drive for me, 30 min from Carmarthen). Basically as long as you accept that everything is at least 30 minutes away, you'll be fine. The other thing is it rains alot, so invest in wet weather gear.
I learnt some Welsh through work. Enough to get by. Community courses pre-covid were plentiful.
I can't comment about schools, but it does depend on the school as you get different lanaguage streams, for example Welsh only, bi-lingual, or English (must take Welsh g.c.s.e.). Kids tend pick up languages easier than adults.

Forgot to add you'll need your own transport and NHS dentists are rarer then hens teeth.

Lived there my whole childhood.
Agreed you're 30 mins away from wherever you want to go. If you don't drive, learn.

I think it's a pretty good place to move to. Pembrokeshire isn't far. Llansteffan beach is near. Amenities generally okay. Teenagers all bored to tears but that's probably true of any teenagers growing up somewhere rural with crappy public transport.

@mm40

Yes.... I am 43 and have lived within 25miles all Carmarthen virtually all my life. Ask away....

Thanks mm40! So we’re English and have 3 kids- they don’t speak any Welsh. The oldest is 7 and quite reserved and I don’t think would thrive in a school where he had to learn Welsh. The younger ones I think could adapt if needed and go to a Welsh dominant school. Do you know of any English speaking schools in the area? We are trying to research it at the moment but it’s difficult! We are going to try to start learning Welsh. Also do you think the locals will be welcoming to an English family? I’ve always found Wales and the Welsh welcoming but have also read stories of families moving and feeling really isolated.

Thanks ginja and hamsandwich, luckily we’re pretty used to driving a lot. Will definitely bear the wet weather gear in mind- thanks for the tip off! Ham sandwich, teenagers are one thing that worries me- we’ve got about 6 years till the oldest hits teen years (although some days it feels like we’re there already!). I grew up in a rural area and going out in sixth form was a military operation involving mini buses etc!

There are buses from Carmarthen but going out of a evening will involve you playing taxi.

When I was growing up drink driving was socially acceptable in my parents generation (bear in mind I lived in the middle of nowhere so more likely to hit a cow than another person) but nowadays teenagers learn to drive and it's normal they get their own car and take turns driving mates out. So that's an added expense potentially.

All children in Wales have to do GCSE Welsh so your eldest wouldn’t get away with not learning Welsh even in an English medium school.

From key stage 2 all children learn English in Welsh medium schools. There are no Welsh only schools.

As @TitsOot4Xmas says, all children have to learn Welsh to GCSE.
Also, bear in mind it rains a lot more than many parts of England. That's a lot of mud in rural areas.
I have several friends who relocated from outside Wales and the weather gets them down. It's why it's so green in Wales.

Hi, basically what everyone else said regarding the Welsh lessons. They’ll have to do it and whilst he may not like it the sooner he got used to the idea the better as 9years of fighting it is a long time.... 🙈 7 isn’t too old. My partner moved here with 4children from England and they were 3, 8, 13and 15 at the time and they are all fairly normal and haven’t grown any extra toes/ears.

I have seen issues where ‘incomers’ (not specifically English!) are shunned but generally they deserved it for various reasons, being horrible/smug/condescending/unfriendly/trying to change things, etc, but never for being English. I hope that makes sense!

Do you have any areas in mind or what sort of property you’ll be looking for?

It’s just as well you’re used to driving as you will be doing plenty of that...

Please feel free to continue asking or feel free to PM me if you think anything would be better off the thread.

I should have said that they moved here 6years ago, sorry.

Thanks everyone for the very helpful comments. We are also on our way out of England to Wales and have been asking similar questions, so thank you.

Did you end up moving?
we did view a house there and still unsure. We are also from England