Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

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

Moving to a village?

33 replies

Quinquennial · 17/05/2024 22:09

I’m looking for advice, we’re thinking of relocating 100 miles away due to work (new job), we currently live near a town centre and when I’ve been looking at properties near the new city, I really like the idea of being in a village.

We have 3 boys and when they were babies and toddlers, being close to shops, buses and the park was brilliant because we were out every day. Now they are older and at school every day, and me and DH work more, we rarely walk into town. If we go out at the weekend we take the car and make a day of it. I thought being in the centre would be good for the boys as they get older because they could walk to clubs and groups, and meet friends. However they all hate groups and activities outside school, they just enjoy messing around together and home and in our small garden. Being at home a lot and overlooked by all the other terraces and our little garden is making me feel a bit hemmed in especially since Covid.

This would be a big move for us and I’m an anxious to get it right. I’ve never lived in a village before, away from shops and conveniences. I love the idea of a big garden backing onto fields where the boys can just run riot together. But will we regret it when they get older, and want to meet friends etc? Where we live now there has been quite a bit of knife crime etc so I don’t like the idea of them hanging out with friends where we live now.

If anyone has experience of living in the countryside or relocating to a village I’d really appreciate it :)

OP posts:
TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 17/05/2024 22:10

We moved to a village three years ago. It is great. But it is a vibrant village with a busy nightlife. There is a train into the city. A mini bus station.

Autumn1990 · 17/05/2024 22:14

There’s a decent sized village with some amenities and there’s the middle of nowhere. If I were you I’d pick a village with amenities and on a reasonable bus route. Ideally a shop or two, pub, sports club that does football and cricket maybe a tennis court if you’re lucky, primary school etc

LoreleiG · 17/05/2024 22:16

Which area are you looking in OP?

MyFirstName · 17/05/2024 22:18

How old are your DC?

GreggsSteakBake · 17/05/2024 22:19

I grew up in a village. My experience is negative.

If the village has goid public transport (rare) and your teenage kids can easily see other teens in other villages, then cool.

My poor dad had to drive me all over to see mates & boyfriends. Also, I had nothing to do, not even a youth club, so dad had to drive me to town so I could see a film or go shopping with my mates to alleviate boredom.

There was s big drug problem with the young people when I was growing up because they were flipping bored.

Factor in how your kids will get to secondary school. We had a school bus to take us to school in town which we had to pay for but not everyone has this in all areas.

BritishBeatleMania · 17/05/2024 22:21

We moved to a hamlet (4 houses only, 3 miles to the nearest village) and we haven’t looked back. The kids have loads of space, their friends come here constantly, we just drive them to events, and social stuff, and it just works really well for us.

There are challenges and it’s very different, and we did have to work hard to settle both the kids and us into our new life. But here we are with our dogs, cats, and chickens, our veggies, our projects, and our happy home feels complete.

Mischance · 17/05/2024 22:22

I have been a village dweller for 50 years. I brought my 3 children up in a small village (pub, primary school, but shop a mile away). They loved it - but you have to be a willing chauffeur as they get older.

I would hate to live in a town - I need big skies.

mitogoshi · 17/05/2024 22:25

Clashes come in different sizes. I hated the small village we lived in for 3 years. Much prefer my small town

SkaneTos · 17/05/2024 22:27

"they just enjoy messing around together and home and in our small garden."

How old are your sons now? There might be a day in the future when they will want to be close to friends/clubs/activities/shops/etc.

EdithStourton · 17/05/2024 22:32

You will end up as a taxi service, even if there is a bus, because the bus will not be going where your DC want to go when they want to go there.

So long as you don't mind that, and the community is a nice one and you're prepared to get stuck in, it should be fine. Just don't complain about the noise from your neighbour's chickens, or the church bells, or the combine churning up and down behind your house into the night.

Also, get used to the idea of mud.

Original poster
Quinquennial · 17/05/2024 22:34

LoreleiG · 17/05/2024 22:16

Which area are you looking in OP?

Around York :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Quinquennial · 17/05/2024 22:35

MyFirstName · 17/05/2024 22:18

How old are your DC?

Between 5 and 11 :)

OP posts:
SkaneTos · 17/05/2024 22:38

I grew up in the countryside, in a medium sized (?) village (900 people). I loved it.
Most of my friends lived in the village, and I could bike to some activities, and our parents took turns driving us to other activities. We could also take the bus to the nearby town.
Your sons will probably love living in a village, but like a previous poster mentioned, a parent have to be prepared to be a chauffeur when you live in the countryside.

minipie · 17/05/2024 22:42

But will we regret it when they get older, and want to meet friends etc?

Yes, unless there’s a great bus service or you’re willing to be a permanent taxi.

Seaside3 · 18/05/2024 08:00

I'd definitely look for aomewhere with a few shops and good public transport. They are young, mine didn't start spreading their wings until 13 ish, and now they hop on our bus/train all the time. We live in a small country town, which means we get the best of both worlds. Countryside and convenience. Having grown up in a village, I didn't want it for my kids. My parents did not want to run around after us, so it was waiting for based (1 every other hour in the winter), and later all.the money I earned went on taxis. No groups, unless I took myself, and performances (dance) were elsewhere I missed out or arranged lifts. Plus everyone knows your business, which isn't always great if you're a teen trying to learn about the world!

Seaside3 · 18/05/2024 08:02

Ps, don't forget about what you and your partner want and need too.

WaitingfortheTardis · 18/05/2024 08:07

We moved to a village several years ago, it's the best thing we've ever done. Dd loves it, we love it. The local town isn't far away and there's plenty going on. It's brilliant.

Elephantsareace · 18/05/2024 08:13

There are villages, and villages. The wrong one is awful, the right one is heaven!

I live in a small village with no shop or facilities beyond a pub, church, primary school and village hall. One bus a week. I still love it as it's an amazing community, fantastic countryside, and only 10 minutes drive to large town and motorway. But I'd think twice if I had children, and anyone who can't drive is trapped there - round trip by taxi to town is nearly £50!

I'm on holiday at the moment in a larger village with large community fields and woods, playground, youth centre with skate park, Tesco Extra, post office, 3 pubs, church, and an excellent bus service that runs late and every day, and only 5 miles from a university city with tons to do and a lively student scene. Perfect for teens.

BoudiccaOfSuburbia · 18/05/2024 08:14

Kids lives change a lot once they are teens.

Half my family live in rural villages.

I would want a village big enough and close enough to other villages that they could easily see school friends. Also with good public transport locally, to school and into town. It isn’t just being a taxi service, it is the need to develop independence and being reliant on lifts from parents at 15, 16, 17 is (IMO) not good. Many country lanes are not the best for young people to cycle on.

A village shop. Some life and community.

Startingagainandagain · 18/05/2024 08:40

I guess it depends on the size of the village, what's available there and whether there is reliable public transport to a nearby town or city.

I was raised in a village, lived in a big city (London) and now a small seaside town in the SE.

The small town is my favourite because you get the best of both world: it is quiet and small enough to have a good sense of community but there is still a lot going on and it has good transport link to various town and is 1.30 hour to London by train.

Life in that particular village was too gossipy and narrow-minded for me and the lack of public transport was a big issue.

WASZPy · 18/05/2024 08:41

We live in a market town in the South West. DS is 13 and has friends who live in the market town itself and some who live in the surrounding villages (with virtually non-existent public transport). The town boys can meet up easily to play football, go for coffee or ice cream and go round to each others houses. I often feel a bit sorry for the village boys who have to sort a parent to drop them off/ pick them up. Their parents can't always do that if they are working so they get left out.

I think you are being a bit short sighted and you are a very short time away from your eldest wanting an independent social life. At least pick a big village with some amenities for teens and regular busses.

Elephantsareace · 18/05/2024 10:09

Mind you, rural teens make their own entertainment - it just might not be as wholesome as their parents imagine if they didn't grow up in the same type of place 😆

Crikeyalmighty · 18/05/2024 10:13

@Quinquennial my friend lives in Bishopsthorpe- that's nice

Crikeyalmighty · 18/05/2024 10:22

Asan example where we live (Bath) you could live in very pretty Box 5 miles away- but it has 3 pubs, 2 decent shops including an all night one with petrol station and a branch of cook in it, 2 cafes, a post office, a great community centre, a primary school, an Indian restaurant , a business centre, great wifi (as Real world recording studios are there) a pharmacy, a medical practice etc - it is also on a great bus route into Bath that runs early and late as well- bus every 25 mins and it's out 15 minutes drive in on a decent road. It's a really lovely place , cheaper than Bath too but not cut off , yet villagey and surrounded by amazing countryside- only 5 minutes into corsham too which has more facilities again - I always say I don't do villages- but could happily live in Box or corsham - I would say pick wisely - and don't pick anywhere remote with no facilities or just 1 shop etc , unless you plan on a ton of driving.

hattylou · 18/05/2024 10:30

Make sure the village has a shop and regular buses!

I have lived in a few and currently in the best set up so far. We have shops, pubs regular buses into various local towns and a station in the village with trains to London in under 1 hour. We also overlook open countryside in a good community.
We moved from a smaller village with minimal buses.

An isolated village with minimal transport options and no shop is not fun! Teenagers need transport.

Swipe left for the next trending thread