Considering move to villages near Durham with easy bus links

[Salome61]

I'm a 69 year old widow, this is my tenth year of being alone. When my husband died I had to downsize from our large rural property, and I am now in a very quiet surburban side street in the same coastal village in Northumberland. I feel very safe here and know most people by sight, but I am so bored. I have lost my confidence driving, and get the bus regularly rather than drive, the bus stop is a ten minutes walk away.

I am thinking of moving. Does anyone know the villages just outside Durham please? I'd like to be able to get a bus into Durham easily.

If you are bored in a coast village in Northumberland then I can’t understand why the move would help ? why not address the reaL problem ? Which I will guess is lonely and bored

I can’t help thinking there would be more opportunities for stuff to do where you are

what clubs do you attend ? What U3A groups? What are your interests ? What volunteering do you do ?

knowing people by sight / you need to get to know people and build more of a community around you?

A lot has changed for me because of my driving nerves. My husband always did the driving and initially I was coping, but I've found my anxiety is so high now I avoid it.

I did volunteer at Mind when I was able to drive without worrying, and I do get the bus to U3A events. I also get the bus to the cinema in town, they have films on during the day. There is nothing here for me in this village.

My son in Stanley has also had my first grandson and I'd like to be nearer to them - as his partner's Mum lives nearby, it is very unlikely they will be moving.

I should add that we moved up here from Twickenham with my husband's promotion in 1999, and I've never settled here. I don't have the budget to move home.

When you say village, do you want quiet more rural village or suburbs?

Around Durham, realistically, those places that have very regular buses are basically suburb. Those that are villages don't have particularly good or reliable public transport.

As a previous poster said, it sounds as though the community and loneliness is the problem more than location. That won't necessarily be solved by moving. What do you enjoy? Are there clubs, groups,volunteering opportunities near you that can start to get you out more and building friendships?

What's your budget?

I lived in Coxhoe for a while. There was a frequent bus service into Durham, and it's walkable through the countryside on a nice day.

It isn't a pretty village (and prices reflect that), but it was very friendly.

Ah just seen about your son in Stanley. You will know from his living there that Stanley and Consett are very mixed places to live with areas of very high deprivation. Transport to Durham isn't great either. But they can also have very warm communities.

Lanchester could be worth looking at. Close to Stanley, decent buses to Durham and a nice high street.

I have found the former mining villages variable. Some are welcoming, others are very insular and can be very difficult to break in to as a outsider who doesn't have the shared social history.

Hi Name Changed for this
i moved to Seaham about 5 years ago from the south. Small town with very welcoming people. No issues with me being from Darn Souf.
Property prices are very reasonable, enough amenities in the town for day to day. Doctors library and 2 supermarkets within 10 minutes walk of my house. Beautiful beaches / seafront area with lots of coffee shops.
Regular direct buses to Sunderland ( which is undergoing a lot of investment and upgrading) Durham and Chester Le Street for busier places , a change, cinema, hospitals etc. Also on bus route to Dalton Park Retail Outlet
seems to fit your criteria. Maybe worth investigating.
I love it here. No regrets at all.

do you feel you need a direct bus link to your son and his family? A bus into Durham and then out again to visit sounds like it could soon become tedious and exhausting

Thank you very much for responding. Unfortunately the friends I made here have died, and I haven’t managed to make new friends. I’ll visit Seaham and Lanchester when I’ve found someone to cat sit😻

I would suggest perhaps looking at places that have a direct bus to your son as well as easy buses to somewhere bigger (Durham/Newcastle/Sunderland etc) else you'll find younger moved but still can't easily see your family.

How small do you want? Brancepeth and Shincliffe are pretty, with price tags to match. I lived in Croxdale for a while and got on fine, despite not being local, but it is on a busier road (but does have more bus services because of it, including direct to Newcastle).

You'll get bored in Lanchester, and very long bus ride in to durham. Seaham much better, but if son is in Stanley, not be easiest to get to and from. Consett you will get snow in April.

I'd go for a suburb on outskirts of durham city if i were you, framwellgate moor type area to be on right side of town for seeing your son.

Thank you

Lanchester is very close to Durham. Not far at all.

Pelton/Ouston/Beamish/Urpeth
Great Lumley
Ushaw Moor
Langley Moor
Belmont
New Brancepath
Witton Gilbert

I'd think about Chester le Street area. Trainline. Loads of facilities. Easy to get to Durham or Stanley.

The buses aren't great, though and tend to chop and change with the whims of the bus company.

@Salome61 an idea budget and the sort of house and area you're looking for would be useful and, if your son lives in Stanley then he should have some local knowledge.

Stanley is connected to Durham by the 16/16A which runs 4 times an hour. You might want to look at Sacriston, which is on the route. Like many Durham villages there are decent bits and rough bits. It has a small tesco and half hourly buses to the arnison centre so you wouldn't need to rely on taxis for groceries.

Going the other way from Stanley, there are buses to Gateshead and Newcastle so you might want to consider some western Gateshead villages, too, if funds allow.

Agree with those saying Lanchester or Chester le Street. Would you consider Sunniside or Whickham, they are Gateshead but 10 minutes into Stanley and direct bus route between both Stanley and Newcastle (20 mins), all have busy communities with coffee shops and things going on.

Thank you very much. I had meant to put my budget of £300k ish before. I’m in a bungalow now but happy to get a tiny house.

With that budget you can afford to look at the outskirts of Durham itself - Newton Hall, Framwellgate Moor, Aykley Heads or even Neville's Cross. There's a new development being built at sniperly if you like new builds, though it's in early stages, just yet.

I think Lanchester and Langley Park might be best for you - on the same side of Durham as Stanley, with local services. I don't think Seaham would work for you - it would take forever by bus and you would need to change. I think Lanchester has direct buses to Stanley, Durham, Newcastle and the Metrocentre

Thank you very much.

Have you actually thought about Hexham?

Great community for the retired.

I would go Whickham. Easy to get to Stanley. Great high street. Lots going on. Easy access to Newcastle / metro centre