Moving to Wales

[YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp]

We’re hoping to move to Wales and are looking at Llandrindod Wells. Where else should we be looking? Not keen on Cardiff, Swansea etc, prefer to be north of the Valleys etc.
We’re retired and want to be ideally within walking distance of a reasonable sized town because I don’t enjoy driving (DH does drive at the moment), with plenty of places to walk the dog, and the opportunity to make new friends.
At the moment we’re in south Gloucestershire.
Any helpful ideas very welcome

Ruthin is very nice. Small though. Tywyn is coastal and lovely.

Llandovery is very nice and has the beacons to go walking in, and I love Abergavenny, although it may be slightly too south/south east/English-feeling for you. Hay-on-Wye on the border is very pretty with lots of walks, but I find it a bit of a dull town in terms of amenities other than bookshops, plus obviously it gets very busy in the festival season.

Best of luck with the move!

Builth Wells or Brecon would be my choice - I'm from Gower

Ruthin is gorgeous with lots of lovely walking around. A bit far north for you given your initial suggestions? Do you need good transport connections? Rhayader is a beautiful little town in the Elan Valley-if you like the coast, Aberaeron is very attractive with its painted houses. Machynlleth is going further north still, close to lovely countryside and the southern parts of Snowdonia but a nice hippy feel (close to eco centre) and lovely cafes. Good luck!

Abergavenny or Crickhowell would be great choices.

Crickhowell is lovely, but Abergavenny is a bit bigger with better transport links.

Why are you moving to Wales ? There is a housing crisis in much of rural Wales due to a combination of a massive increase in second homes/holiday homes plus a huge number of incomers recently selling up in more affluent areas and moving here because for them it is cheap. There was a rally in Cardiff on this issue over the weekend. Welsh people can’t afford to buy in their own communities in many places, and locals are understandably upset and angry.
Aside from that, which is a moral issue, I do wonder why anyone comes to rural Wales in retirement as our healthcare is patchy at best and in many places pretty dreadful. If you move to Llandrindod Wells then your nearest large hospital with an A&E is across the border in Hereford. ( I have friends in their early seventies who came here years ago but have recently moved back to England for just this reason). I have an elderly relative in Ll W and the trip to A&E in an ambulance was not speedy.
Personally I have found that dog walking can be much easier in large town parks than in rural wales, where sheep and cattle are everywhere so you need to be very cautious on footpaths. I am really careful where I let my dog run as I do not want to risk her chasing sheep, after an incident with my previous dog who had ignored sheep his whole eight years of life until a small group of them ran frantically at the sight of him and he gave chase. I got him back quickly and the sheep were unharmed but it taught me a lesson. So that is something to factor in if you have a younger dog or an active one. An elderly plodding doggie probably not an issue.

@SirVixofVixHall

Why are you moving to Wales ? There is a housing crisis in much of rural Wales due to a combination of a massive increase in second homes/holiday homes plus a huge number of incomers recently selling up in more affluent areas and moving here because for them it is cheap. There was a rally in Cardiff on this issue over the weekend. Welsh people can’t afford to buy in their own communities in many places, and locals are understandably upset and angry. Aside from that, which is a moral issue, I do wonder why anyone comes to rural Wales in retirement as our healthcare is patchy at best and in many places pretty dreadful. If you move to Llandrindod Wells then your nearest large hospital with an A&E is across the border in Hereford. ( I have friends in their early seventies who came here years ago but have recently moved back to England for just this reason). I have an elderly relative in Ll W and the trip to A&E in an ambulance was not speedy. Personally I have found that dog walking can be much easier in large town parks than in rural wales, where sheep and cattle are everywhere so you need to be very cautious on footpaths. I am really careful where I let my dog run as I do not want to risk her chasing sheep, after an incident with my previous dog who had ignored sheep his whole eight years of life until a small group of them ran frantically at the sight of him and he gave chase. I got him back quickly and the sheep were unharmed but it taught me a lesson. So that is something to factor in if you have a younger dog or an active one. An elderly plodding doggie probably not an issue.

These are very valid points. Another option OP, might be Chester and environs.

Villages like Mickle Trafford are beautiful. There's also Hoole and Christleton. Lovely countryside around and proximity to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester.

My parents moved FROM Llandod to South Wales. There’s no (real) hospital in mid wales and the air ambulance is fine for emergencies - but not for regular hospital visits.

I agree with @SirVixofVixHall.

Ruthin is a pretty town but is about 2.5 hours away from Llandrindod Wells. There isn't a lot there. Your nearest A&E will be about 16 miles away, nearest big town for shopping will probably be Chester, Wrexham or Llandudno, which would be a long journey on public transport

I have been holidaying in Wales for 45 years +, now my parents are dead I have no ties in England and for the first time in my life I want to live where I chose rather than where I have to.
Up to now I have been confined by NHS and Third Sector work/elderly parents and at 68 I am putting myself first for the first time in my life.

I appreciate the housing shortage, it’s no different here because of second homes etc., in fact it’s worse where I live in a pretty Cotswold village because the local business landowners are buying property for their wedding business guests and will out-price in order to get what they want.
I live somewhere with a very poor infrastructure, virtually no bus service, I have to drive to get anywhere and I want to move before I am forced to because of either my DH or I having ill health in the future.
I have very carefully thought through this for some time, it’s not on a whim.

Some of the places I mentioned are pretty close to Aberystwyth-decent sized town with A&E if that’s important. That part of Wales and reaching into places like Dolgellau and Barmouth has much to recommend scenically. Some areas are predominantly Welsh speaking and while friendly enough may be more difficult to establish good friendships if yOu don’t speak Welsh. Have you thought of Anglesey? Many people move there from the North West and you have good access to Bangor if you need a largish town. Again, many people have Welsh as their first language but lots of incomes too.
Housing is a problem everywhere. My children can’t afford to buy in their childhood home. I don’t see a problem with people moving to an area rather than a second home-at least they’re living in the local community not contributing to the decline of rural areas.
Mickle Trafford is a nice commuter village but it’s basically a strung out place along the A56 with nothing of note to recommend to retirees newly relocating. Hoole is a lively suburb of Chester-lots to recommend if you’re after living in a small city with good transport access to N Wales.

Incomers sorry

The line in the post about you not driving is also a bit concerning. Public transport is slow and, in some cases, more or less non existent. You could be become very stuck if, in the future, your husband is unable to drive.

Abergavenny and Aberystwyth have rail links so that may help the above situation

I appreciate you’re keen OP. But where would you get your 4x/week dialysis? Your chemo? Like I say, my parents moved from there when they were about your age. Both owner-drivers too…

It’s at least 3 hours to Cardiff but public transport - used to be a bus came through mid-afternoon.

There's a big difference between being on holiday and living somewhere. If you live in a small town, you may get a bit bored of what's on offer there. The western side of Wales gets a lot of rain

Public transport tends to be limited. Aberystwyth is on a train line but it's about 2 hours from Shrewsbury

Cultural events may be in Welsh.
Communities will be small and difficult to penetrate.

Having spent a good bit of time in Wales for long and short periods I would avoid anywhere too Welsh if you hope to be included in the local community. Look for somewhere already on the gentrification path.

For me Wales would be a lovely place for a second home but not somewhere to settle. Yes I do say that as someone priced out of where I grew up also.

@Asdf12345, your post comes across as xenophobic

Hostile comments here about moving to wales

I personally wouldn't move there I'm just back from holiday and found the whole place alarmingly deprived, isolated and wet.

What about Cheshire it's so nice there?

What's your budget

If you don't drive wales will be pants

@Asdf12345

Having spent a good bit of time in Wales for long and short periods I would avoid anywhere too Welsh if you hope to be included in the local community. Look for somewhere already on the gentrification path.

For me Wales would be a lovely place for a second home but not somewhere to settle. Yes I do say that as someone priced out of where I grew up also.

Fuck me that's all so offensive

I agree with @SirVixofVixHall

Bloody hell asdf12345 , what a post. Look for somewhere already on the gentrification path. What an absolutely terrible thing to say about any area. I'm dumbfounded that someone can actually think that way.

I agree with SirVix too- It may not be enough to change your mind, OP, but please do consider that when you move to an area, you want to be enriching it I'm sure, not pulling on already drained resources. Remember that healthcare is devolved, and increasing numbers of people spending their working life and paying their taxes in England, and then retiring to Wales to retire, and needing to use Welsh healthcare. And healthcare is devolved, so this does create a huge disparity. TBH, I'd be a bit worried in your shoes about the healthcare aspect... The hospitals are on their knees here in the last year, and you really want to feel safely cared for.

Saying all that, incomers can enrich a community greatly. I'd highly recommend learning Welsh- depending on where you live, it can transform your social life and circles, and Welsh people will love you for going to the trouble of learning! SaysomethinginWelsh is a fantastic website, you'll make lots of friends there.

Llandod has a big drugs problem. Wouldn't go there.

@AlphabetAerobics

I appreciate you’re keen OP. But where would you get your 4x/week dialysis? Your chemo? Like I say, my parents moved from there when they were about your age. Both owner-drivers too…

It’s at least 3 hours to Cardiff but public transport - used to be a bus came through mid-afternoon.

It’s certainly something I have considered, it’s really hard. In that case you think I should shut up and put up and stay put?

Scotland is prettier

How about Pembrokeshire? My dad lives there and can walk into town in 20mins, walk along beaches, get to hospital in Haverfordwest. Has a train station.

Wow some horrible comments on here! Wales is a lovely welcoming place, not without its problems like everywhere of course!

How about Llandeilo? It’s a lovely place with a nice community feel. Good luck with your search!