Retiring to the Isle of Wight

[EzLife]

Hi,

Semi-nearly retired and looking to move to the IoW.

Have visited and will do again next month.

Considerations:
Local shops, coast/beach walkable, ideally not too far from ferries, good GP and Dentist not far away - thinking should we be unable to drive in the future.

I appreciate there are downsides like fewer shops and ferries are £££ but the island has drawn me in...

What are your thoughts?

TIA 🙏

Absolutely not a difficult decision once you've made it, @EzLife Certainly not one that you'd regret.

I moved here not knowing a soul apart from one lady I'd lost contact with 20yrs before. Didn't even know the island very well.

I've never felt more 'at home' anywhere (and I've moved a bit), than I have living here.

Do look at housing in West Wight.. It's a really beautiful part of the Island ..
Brighstone, Freshwater, Totland Colwell ( Yarmouth is v expensive and particularly is pretty empty in Winter because a lot of people come for the summer and sailing) . .

Don't expect to find an NHS Dentist !

Hello I’m IOW born but never moved back after University . My parents though remained on the Island until they passed . Happy to answer any questions

Brilliant, so good to hear - I guess what we're looking for too...😊,

I think the IoW’s issue are probably different to those of the Scottish Islands. Happy to stand corrected as I’m not an islander (but do have friends and family there). There are quite a lot of houses but many are second homes and holiday lets. So someone living there and contributing to the community and the economy year round would be a positive. And OP may be vacating a home in a rural environment elsewhere for all we know.

OP I think the suggestion of renting for 6 months is an excellent idea. Test out the public transport system, get to know hidden pockets of the island. It is a beautiful island and well suited to retirees.

Spot with your assessment! 😉

I used to live there and my son does still. While I made loads of friends it was through my children’s school - I never found any neighbours particularly friendly (whereas where I am now in London they are).
St Helen’s (as it’s been mentioned) is nice but no shops to speak of and the bus only runs once an hour. Bembridge has more small shops but pricey and neither are near the ferries.
Newport of course has all the big shops but I don’t think it has an island feel.
Ventnor (where my son lives) is lovely, great beach, great food and some independent shops. But it is on the opposite side from ferries. It is a land slip but my son lives in an 1850s house and it’s not moving!
West Wight I’m less familiar with but Yarmouth would be the only place I’d consider. Really pretty and ferry to mainland. But West Wight is quite isolated from the rest of the island.
Seaview has a thriving community but few shops and the socialising revolves around the yacht club. 70% second homes though - buzzy in summer and quiet in winter. It is not far from Ryde and the ferries.
Ryde really has it all. Plenty of shops, parks, great beach, and fast connection to Portsmouth. Many students go over daily and some commute to the island for school (there’s a private school in Ryde).
Cost of housing is definitely a draw - you get bang for your buck. There’s enough about - it’s rentals that had an extreme shortage a few years ago when everyone seemed to be Airbnbing but seems to have eased. Eating out costs the same as the mainland.
I think your main issue will be transport if you are not planning on keeping a car. Buses can be hourly in smaller towns/villages and stop running relatively early and not at all on some days. Plus it doubles your time getting anywhere.
I left the island for my DDs schooling but also I’m a city person. I do miss my friends though and go back for a couple days most months. Sitting in my son’s courtyard overlooking his garden and the sea beyond and it feels like heaven. His neighbours are great.

My grandparents lived in a seaside town all their lives, they retired to a culdu sac bungalow

there were approximately 15 bungalows and people from “up country” would retire to the close, stay about 2 years and move back “ up country”

they found their life and friends/family where elsewhere

some integrated others didn’t but still they moved back, none seemed to make it permanent

could you rent for a couple of years instead?

Thank you!

That is such great detail about island life, honest and covering the main challenges, which is really helpful.

I think you're right re getting the location right, such a big decision, Yarmouth would be ideal on the west, and near Ryde on the right, quite different places...

So much to think about but this is really helpful. 🙏

Thanks, another interesting perspective, not thought about longer-term renting except it would eat into our capital, and we would need to put stuff into storage.

Plan C methinks...

Like another PP I have a friend whose parents retired to the IoW. The parents loved it. The family is wealthy so could afford the visits, but it was still something of a greater undertaking to go in terms of travel time. My mum was further away on the mainland but considerably quicker to get to.

Ultimately the parents in later old age were moved back to the mainland to be in a care home close to my friend which made life logistically easier.

Before that happened there was a lot of traipsing back and forward for hospital trips which were hugely expensive.

In all other respects in your position I would want to make the move, but the health side would personally put me off. If you are wealthy, so you can afford the taxi and the ferry during the unhealthy years of retirement and don't mind if people do find it a barrier to visiting more often when you need them, you may be in a different position.

Thanks for sharing and your advice, health quite rightly is the biggest issue. We don't see family much, although have good comms, so I guess this is about creating and embracing a new chapter in our lives. Not wealthy, so ferry costs need to be manageable-downsizing will also a play major role in the move.

Don’t get cancer, you need to go to the mainland for treatment. Brother in law had an awful time plus when he had radiotherapy even though the hovercraft give a discount it was mainland 30 times in a 6 week period. Ferries are currently breaking down a lot. I grew up in Ryde and still have family and friends that live there.

It is an absolute arse for visiting family I spent years going to see my parents every couple of months and the car ferry had become ridiculously expensive, loads of stuff is more expensive and some companies won’t deliver to the island.

In high season last year I paid £180 return for my car, it was a wedding so had to be in high season.

What @mondaytosunday writes as well, overners are not always liked, it can still be a bit backward. When I go home I know so many people by sight and last time as usual bumped in to loads of people I know. When young many leave as did I to get on. As harsh as it sounds it meant the less ambitious were left there plus with the mix of pensioners and very rich second home owners, I couldn’t wait to leave. Of my friendship group 90% of us left.

Thank you, it's a big decision and the feedback here in addition to your own is immensely helpful. 🙏

TBH I'm swaying towards staying in the NW (mainland) whilst BH is more positive - after some initial reluctance.

Interestingly, I had to look up 'overners', which took me to a county press article with some vitriol between respondents re life on the island...

We have a make or break week on the island to come to a decision next month!😕

Do you have to move, can you not spend lots of time there once you're retired and not time restricted?

Good question; looking to downsize, loved our time on the island last year, supported by created by downsizing with proximity to coast and countryside, a fresh challenge whilst still young enough! 😉
Having to balance this with still wanting to travel the UK and where we are is better placed to do so, plus health concerns inc. support...

I wouldn't. I totally get wanting to be near the coast, but on the mainland where you are also near hospitals, public transport (sometimes) and so on would be more sensible.

@EzLife nothing to add but we are across the Solent and dream of doing this on retiring ! Good luck OP! I would move there tommorow if I could to be honest!( still have a teen at home just about!)

My FiL is housebound on IoW. It costs us around £60 for a day return out of season once a fortnight and around £90 in the summer. That's with a 20% Red Funnel discount. A longer stay in the summer can easily be around £150. You may find that's a barrier for visitors.

It's a nightmare. Fil has always lived on the IW, but his family ad friends have rather passed away or moved to the mainland. He needed medical care last week and it took 4 days to get the meds he needed from calling the GP to delivery from Boots. He relies on us to help from the mainland as he no longer has a support network, despite being in his house for nearly 50 years.

St Mary's and the council are struggling financially, especially as cuts are also being made in all their supporting services in Hampshire. Don't even think about trying to register with a dentist.

Some companies won't deliver to IoW, treating it like the Highlands & Islands in Scotland.

In the nice areas like Yarmouth and Seaview, second home owners turn up at Easter, but the community is dead for 6 months of the year. I think 4 primary schools are closing this summer, as locals can't get housing or jobs and rural schools are no longer viable.

The ferries, Red Funnel in particular, are unreliable. They suffer from a lack of investment and cancellations occur on a weekly basis.

Would I retire there? No way. It sounds lovely when you trot over for a short break and the sun is shining & you are fit & active Reality is very, very different, especially if you have no support from family & friends as you get old.

The other thing I notice when I'm there is how expensive everything is, factor that into your decision too.

Also if you have to be in the mainland for something such as an early flight factor in the cost of a hotle as well. My sister missed her own DS wedding because she chanced the boat in the morning. Even the car ferries were not running because of the weather. I was stuck on a catamaran in a force think 8 gale once my God it was bloody awful.

Loving your user name

I love the IoW

But I would encourage you to spend time there and strike up conversations with other retirees before making a decision

I spoke to a lady in the summer who was saying how impossible it is getting because the ferries are so expensive and unreliable.
And she was also telling me how dreadful it was to have to get a ferry then a bus for regular chemo.

Healthcare aside, it's a lovely island.

Thank you, it is a beautiful place, popping over in July when speaking to locals is top of my list.

Thanks, some horror stories coming out, do we dare to do, or play safe(r) on the mainland and miss what could be an amazing opportunity...July/Aug is decision time.