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Original poster

Do you / would you live in the countryside?

42 replies

WantingToMove · 03/04/2009 23:21

I've seen a house that is semi-detached & it is with 4 other houses set back from the road in the countryside, so not totally remote. I am a scaredycat & am wondering if I would be scared lving there without having a lot of people around me like now. It is a nice house & lots of space & lovely views of the countryside. Does anyone who lives in the countryside feel too remote at home with their children?

OP posts:
blithedance · 03/04/2009 23:36

We looked at some not-in-village houses when we were looking up here. In hindsight I am glad we ended up in a village. We sacrificed a view .

We can walk to school and pub, the DC's have neighbours to play with, and we are generally part of things and see people in passing, which has all helped with the snail slow process of getting to be part of the community.

If you live out on your own, you would need to really go the extra mile being sociable, or not care about company! It would be one thing living somewhere like that if you already knew loads of people/family, but quite another starting from scratch. The loveliest house can be a prison in the wrong location.

blithedance · 03/04/2009 23:37

Sorry for such a negative last sentence! So tired have forgotten to be tactful. But you kind of know what I mean.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 03/04/2009 23:39

Depends on what you mean by countryside. How far is it from, say, schools, work, etc?

paisleyleaf · 03/04/2009 23:43

I live in the countryside, and did do karate training for the first couple years as did feel more vulnerable. But am totally used to it now.
I don't know how old your children are. My DD's just 4, and I have been thinking about when she might want to play out alone, I think she'll be a fair bit older than her peers, as it is very different from having neighbours etc around and countryside crime is very different.

Poppity · 03/04/2009 23:51

I grew up mostly living without neighbours, and we have opted to do that when possible ever since. I have 3 Dc's, and have always found it an advantage living away from everything.
At the moment we live in a village (a necessity as dh at University and cheapness rqd), and the children (10, 4, 2)have so much less freeddom than ever before.
I never found it a problem being away from a shop. Unless you live right near a supermarket, you have to drive at some point anyway, and you can always get it delivered. There has usually been a veg stall on some random lane nearby, you have to nip out on the school run, or dh is passing a shop on the way home from work, and you just get into the swing of making sure you have certain things. Lots of rural places still have a milkman, who does eggs etc too. And most veg box deliveries will come to outlying spots aswell.
Personally I find it hard to live so close to others having had the pleasure of waking up to the utter peace of living in the sticks.
The only bad thing I could say about it is once you've had it, going back to town is harder than ever!

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 03/04/2009 23:52

I moved to a very isolated house in the country (from a great city community, which I also loved) when my DCs were 8 and 11, and I absolutely loved it. We rented our field (8 acres) to a local farmer who grew for silage, and one day he was up inspecting his crop with his wife along for company. She asked me if I didn't get lonely out there. As it happens, I'm very happy alone, but I can see it wouldn't suit others.

The school bus came to the house, and the nearest supermarket (which was shite) was about 10 miles away, so you need to enjoy driving.

I'm now in a less-isolated house with neighbours a few hundred yards away - we gave the DCs a choice if they'd rather move into a village when we moved three years ago - and I still love the peace and quiet - and that it's OK to be as noisy as we like without pissing off the neighbours. Now the DCs are adults (22 and 18) and have their own cars, the extra parking space is also useful.

Poppity · 03/04/2009 23:54

I just wanted to add that I would now sacrifice all other house requirements for remoteness and a view, it brings a level of peace that nothing else can for me.
The children too loved to wake up and be straight outside, now we are in a village they aren't so drawn to the outdoors.

sb6699 · 03/04/2009 23:55

I live in a hamlet - one house next door and 2 across the lane. There are another couple about 1/2 mile down the lane.

As you can't see my house from the lane, I often worried about security when I first moved here and always lock up everything before I go to bed but as time has went on I am a bit more relaxed (and as the countryside dictates bought a dog).

I suppose I cheated a bit, the nearest town (where dc's go to school and shops etc) is only about 15-20 mins drive away although takes slightly longer during rush hour. As a consequence I am alot more organised in the mornings and tend to pick up anything I need when doing the school run as its a pita when you run out of milk.

Tbh I always thought I was a city girl but wouldnt go back now!

tigerdriver · 03/04/2009 23:57

We live in a "hamlet" - about a mile and a half from a smallish village and about 30 houses in our bit, spread out over quite a big area. Very rural. I wouldn't swap it for the world, even this is too built up for me. It is half an hour's drive to a decent supermarket, so you do need to remember to stock up on stuff and I get most of it delivered. It's quite sociable as you have to be, really, since your neighbours are the ones you depend on to dig you out of the snow etc. Personally I'd be happy living completely remotely, maybe you wouldn't, many would agree.

Original poster
WantingToMove · 04/04/2009 00:02

Thanks for all of your replies, very helpful. The house is situated in a semi-rural location opposite open countryside & it is only just over a mile away from the village shops & train station. So, not completely out in the sticks but out far enough for Mrs Worrypants to be concerned! Am going to have a drive up there tomrrow with DH to suss out the area, Thanks again

OP posts:
themoon66 · 04/04/2009 00:05

I've been born and brought up in countryside. Still live here and brought up 2 DC.

Why would anyone think it 'scary'??

Towns and streets are scary!

blithedance · 04/04/2009 00:11

Good luck with your reconnaissance. You will soon know if it's the right place.

greenbeanie · 04/04/2009 11:31

I would go for living in the country every time. I grew up in the country and lived there for several years with DC. We have since moved into a town due to relocating with DH's job. We find it takes just as long to get to things as we have to go through the town as driving on quite country roads without all the queues and traffic. I miss the peace and the countryside terribly. It also gave the dc far more freedom with a bigger garden and plenty of countryside to use for bike riding etc. You may also find that the few people around you are rather more friendly and willing to help than the anonymous neighbours that people tend to have in towns.

greenbeanie · 04/04/2009 11:32

I mean quiet country roads!!

Original poster
WantingToMove · 04/04/2009 17:13

Hi all, thanks again. We actually viewed the house this afternoon & love it! Loved the countryside too

OP posts:
paisleyleaf · 04/04/2009 17:29

Good. Like someone else said earlier; there'll be no going back.
I feel my mood sink when I have to go into town for anything now, and can't wait to get out again.

lalalonglegs · 04/04/2009 17:32

My idea of living hell...

sarah293 · 04/04/2009 17:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

peanutbutterkid · 04/04/2009 17:43

I would also hate to be reliant on a car. Mind, one could in theory do a lot of shopping cycling from from the village/house clusters around where we live (edge of a town in rural Norfolk).

I know someone who lives in a house near only about 4 other houses, so not in a village, like OP describes. A 2-3 minute walk around to nearest neighbour's door. Only a 10-15 minute drive to nearest police station.

One night, about 4am, a complete nutter started banging on their door. Shouting and threatening to get in, etc. Eventually they managed to get the police out, but I think the guy had finally left by then. It was very scarey. The neighbours didn't hear anything and couldn't easily be called for help.

I couldn't hack it, myself. But I'm a city person thru and thru.

OrmIrian · 04/04/2009 17:44

I don't but I would. I would love to. Was brought up in the countryside.

However it would probably only be me an DS#2 as my other DC are established pavement-trotters by now and DH is scared of cows

HortonHatchesTheChocolateEgg · 04/04/2009 20:13

I would be really scared of living in such an isolated place. I don't find towns at all scary but I find the countryside terrifying, especially at night. What peanutbutterkid says sums up my fears - who do you go to when something goes wrong? In a town, there are probably fifty people who you could grab in a 50 yard radius, at least.

I like the idea of the countryside but don't think I could do it, myself.

Original poster
WantingToMove · 04/04/2009 20:36

Oooh you are all making me feel scared! The house is one of 5 in a row & they are building a new house behind it & 4 houses at the end of the row. I fully understand what you mean that when you live in an urban area you have help at hand but here there will be 10 houses, so it is not entirely isolated. Would that make you feel less scared? It is a great house but now I am feeling nervous

OP posts:
HortonHatchesTheChocolateEgg · 04/04/2009 21:57

If you love it, do it! It sounds like you want to so I suspect you might not feel as scared as some of us dyed in the wool townies!

Twinklemegan · 04/04/2009 22:15

I think that if you're used to a town, you end up projecting town/city dangers onto a country location. Unless you live in a huge mansion that's a target for organised crime you'll be much much safer in the countryside than in a town.

We used to live in a small village - loved it - then moved to a larger village on the edge of a town. It might have well been the city centre - I hated it. Now we live in a steading conversion about 2 miles from a hamlet. We only have two permanent near neighbours and we love it. DS sees cows, sheep, tractors, hares. pheasants and deer on a daily basis. And don't forget the beautiful night skies.

You definitely have to be more organised and self-reliant. But it's fantastic - do it!

Twinklemegan · 04/04/2009 22:16

I knew that didn't "sound" right - I meant, it might as well have been etc. Duh!