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

Just move to Cheltenham from the cotswolds OP and go on holiday to Tenby.

That's what we do :)

@ILoveShula to be fair "Wells" isn't Welsh. But yes the anglicised names are used in that area, by locals born and bred as well as newcomers, such as Builth Wells, Rhayader. Also even the (long-standing) inhabitants of the small village close to Landod pronounce Dolau, "Dolly".

It's probably further south than you'd like OP but my in-laws live in Newcastle Emlyn which is a lovely town and isn't far from some lovely countryside

My MIL has great NHS care but yes, bigger stuff means a trip to Cardiff or Swansea.

Cardigan offers middle of the road stuff for her like xrays etc

It's just Llandrindod isn't it
Builth is Llanfair-ym-Muallt

Oh I thought of one. Ystumllwynarth - I was told that they had never heard of it by someone who lived there.

@ILoveShula no they both have Wells after the names (not the fully Welsh versions of the names as you state)

Because of the the links to the spas. When all the English came over for their Victorian hollibobs

Definitely not llandod but Builth Wells is fab with independent shops and plenty of activities and social events. People are friendly and by all means learn Welsh but you will not find English a barrier there. Also consider llandielo and Carmarthen as suggested. Cardiff has some beautiful suburbs and public transport is very good.

They have Welsh place names and English place names. e.g. Penarlag/Hawarden, Bangor-is-y-Coed/Bangor-on-Dee or Swansea/Abertawe

@ILoveShula I know...but "Llandrindod" isn't English like Builth is. Although weirdly people seem to struggle with Builth more, the mispronunciations are hilarious.

I used to work with some stuck up arses who would go on about Barla, Ruth-in and Abbuh Sock.

And Affun for Afan.

The best one was he one who would correct my Welsh pronunciation.
Er, one of us had been born and bred in a Welsh-speaking environment and it wasn't him

Why is no one suggesting Llandudno?

@ILoveShula

Some of the holiday cottages are owned by Welsh speakers.

Why don't they let the property as a family home?

A few people do, but the difference for much of the year can be £1000 a week, that is a huge amount of money for someone to turn down in an otherwise not affluent area. Many holiday cottages here are owned by people who have bought them as a second home but also have them on Airbnb as they can earn money when they are empty and also claim the business exemption on tax.

Anglesey? Big hospital just across the bridge in Bangor. Or Bangor and surrounding areas such as Caernarfon, Conwy etc. Maybe too far North for you though.

@SirVixofVixHall, I can think of Welsh-speakers who own holiday cottages that are let on an AirBnB-style arrangement

People are disgusted with them.

I can see why they do it but they are properties that could be homes

I don’t know what the answer to this is honestly. Can nobody ever move area again.? Are (some) welsh people not going to expect to freely come to other areas of the UK if they wish to pursue job or study opportunities? And for the posters saying London has an “English” culture. Ummm I don’t think so ....actually you will find it’s one of the most multicultural cities and has been since the Roman times. Constant immigration and newcomers which is one of its great strengths.

And for the posters saying London has an “English” culture.
I think you will find lots of different culture in London. Some of it isn't multicultural, but good old fashioned English culture. Some of it is multicultural or world culture.

We are referring to parts of Wales where there is very little Welsh culture because has been stamped out over centuries

@Babymamamama, your post shows that you really are clueless

@ILoveShula thanks for that. Maybe I am clueless but I’d genuinely like to know the answer? I would agree with a hefty taxation on second homes I’d even agree with second homes that are left unoccupied to be reclaimed by local council and put into the hands of families who need rehoming. But would you considering banning incomers from buying up property altogether? Many new developments in central London are snapped up off plan by foreign investors and ordinary working Londoners will never in a million years have a hope of buying them. I think it’s actually part the same issue which is global market forces in a capitalist society. Feel free to call me clueless but I do try to think of solutions for the housing issues all around the UK. Including Wales And I’m not a second home owner.

I think I would make it much harder for people to buy second homes.

Apologies if I was snappy, but there's a long history to what happened in Wales.

Immigration can cause problems. I've seen the effects where I live.
Not all immigration is good, nor is all immigration bad.

@SirVixofVixHall

Bach.

@YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp

Everyone seems to think you're moving to Wales to hang out outside you local Ysbyty XXXX Hospital, demanding spare kidneys on an hourly basis. Do you see this in your imminent future?

As others have said think about your health, transport and living needs now and in the future - look at number of GPs in the town, availability of buses and trains, availability of shops in the town centre, consider what you would do if you werent driving, had to go to regular hospital appointments etc etc, also consider the ease with which family/ friends could visit you - basically you need to move to Bristol!

@1AngelicFruitCake

God's waiting room has the same backlog as the rest of the health service.

[quote BustPipes]@SirVixofVixHall

Bach.

@YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp

Everyone seems to think you're moving to Wales to hang out outside you local Ysbyty XXXX Hospital, demanding spare kidneys on an hourly basis. Do you see this in your imminent future?[/quote]
There are many factors to consider when moving home at different life stages, and proximity to healthcare is a fairly normal one as opposed to this....
www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/widow-95-loses-battle-husband-21936381.amp