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Original poster

Living 4 doors away from woods? Will this be a bit scary?!

103 replies

CarolDR · 12/01/2023 22:49

We’ve seen a lovely house. It’s fourth from the end of the road then it goes into a narrow unmade road and woods for a good few miles. Lovely for dog walkers etc (we have cats but no dog). I can’t help wondering if I’d feel a bit unsafe, especially if I was on my own at night! There is only one house opposite, although there is a road of houses nearby. DH loves the idea and next door but one has horses in a nearby field. No through traffic except vehicles for the farm a mile or so up. Does anyone have any thoughts/ experience of this? Thanks

OP posts:
Agapornis · 13/01/2023 01:10

If it's because of The Dark, very few people go into woodlands at night (I imagine you wouldn't either).

However I must warn you about OWLS. Those little round tawny fuckers going TWIT - WHOOOO? just outside your bedroom window when you're about to fall asleep are NOT calming.

Agapornis · 13/01/2023 01:13

P.s. that blood-curdling scream outside will be a fox in mating season.

inloveandmarried · 13/01/2023 09:10

Sounds like my road. It's an extremely safe road too. You can log into the crime statistics for the area and look at previous crimes.

I think in the last 5 years there were some garden spades taken from a garden shed in the next road and that's about it. Really low crime here.

What you'll get is dog walkers past your house each day. Maybe it's that keeping crime down?

inloveandmarried · 13/01/2023 09:13

Another lovely thing, if you shine a torch (no streetlights here) when walking, whole herds of deer suddenly look up. You can see all their eyes reflecting at night.

I walk at night with a head torch.

IHateFlies · 13/01/2023 09:13

Oh I would love this! Tell me where the house is, if you don't want it.

TheNoonBell · 13/01/2023 09:22

You will come to find the woods as an incredibly calming place. Do not fear nature.

We live in a similar place and it is great. The only small scare I have had is when one of the local deer was next to the gate to the woods when I went out to look for the cat and it bolted this way and that in panic.

SoupDragon · 13/01/2023 09:25

JustForABitofFun · 13/01/2023 00:12

Oh, just be aware that you hear some very scary noises.

The first time I heard foxes screaming late at night it frightened the life out of me. If I'd heard that screaming whilst living in a city centre then I'd call the police!

There are plenty of screaming foxes in cities!

TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/01/2023 09:28

I know what you mean - I stayed in a house that faced into woods, and I always felt at night that someone might be standing in the dark forest looking into the house (although why...)

The one thing I would say, it was very VERY noisy in a high wind. And at certain times of year, deer would chase each other along the street. And the woods turned to deep mud for 3 months if the year. Lovely in spring though.

goldenshoe · 13/01/2023 09:28

I live next to a 'wooded area' in the countryside, with large forests within short walking distance and it is lovely! I do get spooked at times for sure, but my house is on a road and I find the noise of cars quite grounding if I'm alone.

To add to the scary animal noises - I was half scared to death by a loud feral barking noise on a dusk walk, only to discover it was a small and very adorable deer! I had no idea they made such a noise, it was terrifying!

CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/01/2023 09:30

I live in this set up and it’s never crossed my mind, whereas in urban areas I’ve felt wary about my surroundings. Go for it.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/01/2023 09:31

There are plenty of screaming foxes in cities!

Yes, I live in Walthamstow and I have been woken up several nights this week by foxes having prolonged screaming stand offs in the street.

Cornettoninja · 13/01/2023 09:32

Agapornis · 13/01/2023 01:13

P.s. that blood-curdling scream outside will be a fox in mating season.

Or an owl - I’d heard nothing like it before!

AWaferThinMint · 13/01/2023 09:33

I live in a small hamlet of 4 houses on a hillside with woods next door. It took some adjustment but I love it now. Do it!!

liveforsummer · 13/01/2023 09:33

You'll get used to that in no time, there is a row of homes so not like it's secluded. Sounds lovely. I have a crematorium and ancient cemetery out living room window 🙃

eurochick · 13/01/2023 09:35

We live next to private woodland (some is ours, some belongs to neighbours). I don't find it scary at all. Just be aware deer are greedy fuckers and if they can get into your garden will eat everything. Foxes scream. And badgers shit everywhere. But I love it. Last spring we had a baby bunny on our patio and have had deer around the house many times, plus lots of interesting birds.

GreenManalishi · 13/01/2023 09:37

As long as you don't go to visit your grandma while wearing a red cape with a basket on your arm you'll be fine.

Used to back onto woods and lived alone, was heaven, but echo the point about noisy owls!

AtomicRitual · 13/01/2023 09:48

Sounds lovely to me!

A couple of words of warning:

  • owls are louder than you think and can wake you up/keep you awake
  • Ditto for foxes
  • Ditto for deer
  • lots of lovely wildlife lives in woods, which your cats may very well like to bring you as gifts (mice, etc, not deer - that would be a good catch!).

Go for it!

MeanderingGently · 13/01/2023 09:59

I can never understand why anyone would be scared of living in the countryside next to woods! Go for it, it sounds absolutely delightful and my dream home!

I have lived in various rural places over the years, once I lived in a cottage on a rural estate with nothing but woods all around and a lake in front. It was heaven! As safe as you can be, no-one comes out to such places to commit crimes as there's nothing for the criminals....they're all in towns where there's money/drugs/nightclubs or whatever. You will be fine.

If you are not used to country life, as other pp have said, get yourself used to the owls calling and the sound of the fox at night. But you will be fine, I found it all very comforting. And I would often walk outside in the dead of night, or sit outside in the summer at 3am, watching the shooting stars which could be seen because there were no streetlights to spoil the night sky. Nothing more beautiful, I'd say.....

guineas34 · 13/01/2023 10:03

TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/01/2023 09:28

I know what you mean - I stayed in a house that faced into woods, and I always felt at night that someone might be standing in the dark forest looking into the house (although why...)

The one thing I would say, it was very VERY noisy in a high wind. And at certain times of year, deer would chase each other along the street. And the woods turned to deep mud for 3 months if the year. Lovely in spring though.

This is exactly what I'm thinking about!! 😱

Elsanore · 13/01/2023 10:14

I think there's a big difference between being close to proper countryside woods and your home edging onto urban wooded areas.

Our house has 1 row of cottages behind it then 1 field then a proper forrest. This is great, no bother or scariness just many walkers and dog walkers in good weather. Can almost have the woods to myself in a dull day though.

My friend bought a house that backed onto a wooded urban area- small slice of woods between 2 built up bits and a main road in a nice bit of Leeds. Her gran warned against it and said urban woods attract burglars to the houses ajoining. Sure enough their garage has been broken into already.

So in my sample size of 2- proper countryside woods Yes, urban woods No

CoffeeWithCheese · 13/01/2023 10:15

Honestly - it would depend on the area the house is in and by association what goes on in the woods. Mum lives in woods with only one other neighbour and a riverbank track in front of the house - she loves it but there are elements that do my head in with it...
Off lead dog walkers who let their dogs roam and they come into the garden - we've lost one family cat as a result
We get quite a lot of poaching and people trying to "wild camp" in the woodland behind at times
Fire-setting - issue during the school holidays in particular when the kids get bored and roam
and um... dogging - yep, really.

Oh yeah and my stepfather found a dead body - but that was a bridge jumper from the road bridge above at one point. Family friend used to refer to it as the Blair Witch Project house as well.

She lives on the edge of a shitty area though so there's possibly a higher amount of anti social behaviour than if the woods are used by posh people walking their spaniels in their fancy wellies.

I'm slightly soured by where they live so it wouldn't be for me - but we've moving over the road from a nature reserve with a riding school next door - rural enough for me!

Agapornis · 13/01/2023 10:16

@goldenshoe the little barking deer is a muntjac deer. The males have fangs like very cute vampires.

OP, mind the barking tiny vampire deer Grin

(Love how this has become a wildlife thread)

RedToothBrush · 13/01/2023 10:16

Zodfa · 12/01/2023 23:36

Probably wolves will come into your house and eat you.

No bears. A gathering of small bears looking for food.

RedToothBrush · 13/01/2023 10:17

Agapornis · 13/01/2023 01:13

P.s. that blood-curdling scream outside will be a fox in mating season.

Or a couple of over enthusiastic joggers...

RM2013 · 13/01/2023 10:18

It wouldn’t worry me - sounds lovely. On the contrary DH was brought up in a very urban area and he would have reservations

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