Relocating in retirement

I'm sure Charleygirl you get those responses because that is what you put out yourself. As Gagagran said a smile costs nothing and repays a lot.

I moved from Scotland to London over 40 years ago and where I live now the people are really friendly and helpful. My next door neighbour is taking me to pick up my car when it is ready, I offered my gardening wheelie bin yesterday to another as he was cutting so much grass. Another is going to help me sell and buy my car- It is a very nice place to live.

I do agree that in buses, on tubes etc. people do avoid eye contact. We take in parcels for each other here or whatever and I do not feel alone. My neighbours are gems.

I'm a northerner born and bred mrsmopp and whilst I agree with you about how we are in the north, I now live in SE Hampshire and have found the people here just as nice and friendly and chatty.

Doesn't it come down to oneself? I speak to people passing our house when I am in the front garden and they always respond. I smile at people in the village and they smile back. I thank shop assistants and chat to the cash out girls in the supermarkets and always get a friendly response.

I have to admit I am not sure about London but it is a massive cosmopolitan city and with lots of foreigners who are perhaps just shy. A smile costs nothing though.

I have found Northerners are much more friendly, and will strike up a conversation in a shop or at a bus stop.
On London buses and tube everyone avoids eye contact and pretends to be immersed in the paper or kindle. I always feel I want to shake them up and say Hello Everyone, How are you today!! But I don't dare.
I would never be lonely up North (no it's NOT grim) the people are the salt of the earth. DS lived in London for ages, nobody knows their next door neighbour.

Oop North and down south are all relative. When I moved to Scotland from Sussex 33 years ago we had a builder who said he'd 'been down south once' - to Carlisle - which to me at that point was almost as far as 'oop North' could be. He couldn't understand why I found it so funny. Of course now I am almost accepted 'up here' I can understand his problem!

Babs, yes we have good reason, but it's still scarey isn't it? I'm worried about relocating to somewhere we have no connection with and will need to make a new social circle. We have our son and his family there now, but they might decide to move! Unlikely perhaps as they've built their business there, but a worry nonetheless. We're also concerned about moving from our farm (nearest neighbour a mile away) to a more 'normal' house, although we will have that to face when we retire anyway. The next 2/3 years until then will be spent exploring the area.

Our move will be from "Oop North" to Norfolk, so just as many jokes to be made about either location

I have a very good friend who lives across the Pennines in Lancashire and she does seem to get a lot more rain than we do on the east coast.

Eloethan, I have lived in various parts of Lancashire since I was born, with the exception of 2 glorious years in south devon in my late teens/early 20's. Your point about the Lancashire weather is well taken. Any chance you'd support my new political party "reduce tax levels for Lancastrians". The money saved by those of us here in the north west could be put towards new umbrellas, wellies and heating, oh yes, and holidays where the sun shines

We moved from West Sussex to Lancashire thirty years ago, and stayed in Lancashire for four years. I just couldn't cope with the weather - it seemed to be raining an awful lot of the time, and in the winter the constant dampness made the cold seem much colder.

My friends who were born in Lancashire were used to the weather and it didn't bother them too much. But on the day I rang my mum in Suffolk and found out that she was sunbathing in the garden (while we sat in the house with the central heating on, looking out at gloomy grey skies and a garden shrouded in drizzly mist) I decided that enough was enough.

We relocated 7 years ago when we retired leaving our home of 25 years in Derbyshire to live in Lincolnshire where my husband has family.

We moved down market as they say but ended up with the same size bungalow but on a smaller plot, and money towards our retirement.

We are still in touch with old friends and colleagues (one and half hours drive away) and we visit and phone on a regular basis.

I can honestly say it is the best thing we have ever done.
Our neighbours both sides are from the south and are wonderful.
We do feel very lucky because you never know what awaits you.

We looked around for almost 2 years before finding the perfect location and home for retirement. We knew immediately when we viewed this property that it was for us.

Just check out thoroughly the locations you are thinking of moving too and don't rush into buying until you are absolutely sure it is what you want. It's better to wait than be unsure. I had a check list for all viewing.

Best of luck.

We've recently moved from the Midlands to the East Yorkshire Coast. We've actually moved further away from family, though I do have a sister about 30 miles away. It was a big decision, but I have to say that we are, so far, not regretting it one little bit. So far, I'd say it was right for us. However, that doesn't mean it's necessarily right for others. We are happy with our own company, very independent and self-reliant, so maybe we're fairly well equipped to move away from what we've always known.

I always refer to 'Oop North' when talking about DH's home county of Yorkshire. I also call it the Frozen North.

He takes the piss mickey as well saying, 'When I were a lad' whenever he's passing on little gems to the DGCs.

He calls me a nesh Southerner.

Derogatory?

I never knew that "Oop North" could be derogatory either! #somuchtolearn

Must say moving South to join daughter and grand-kids in Surrey would be near on impossible with house prices in Cobham area ...

merlotgran I can empathise with that !

Three years ago DH & I made a small (in miles) move from Sth London to a small town in Surrey because our DDs are here. I have got involved in the community quickly and easily and already know many local people some I would consider more than acquaintances. DH & I still work p/t but he is less proactive in getting involved or meeting people locally. We deliberately chose a home near transport links and walking distance from some shops. We regularly return to Sth London to socialise with friends and that is fine now we are still both physically fit and confident drivers /travellers but it may change in the future.

I mahappy here but think DH will struggle when he is fully retired.

It sure is a lot of work. We're only going a few yards and today I did the first bit of de-cluttering. I threw out an old pair of shoes.

Sloeginny so you are thinking of moving to pastures new too. You have good reasons to go - as do we - but it is such a big decision isn't it? One thing is for sure we won't be moving again!

Good luck and please let me know what you decide in the future

Good luck to you tiggypiro 6 miles may not be far but still a lot of work.

Hope you are taking into account just how house prices increase when "moving south" tiggipiro!!

I live in North Yorkshire and at some point in the next 5 years I am going to move 'down south'. All 6 miles of it !

I've read this with interest as we are contemplating leaving our home of 30 years, close to my birthplace and family and the friends we have here. The move would take us close to our second son and his family and halve the journey to visit our first son and my husband's family, especially his mother who would like to see a lot more of us than is possible at the moment.

It feels like the right thing to do, but it's going to be a huge wrench to leave this place and start again.

Just to add 2 years is a long time maybe we will win the lottery and have homes ever you where �� you never know !

Anyway much to think about Mishap you seem really settled where you are. I have always had a desire to go back even after all these years, odd really as I am not unhappy here.

Well what a great response! You have made some very interesting comments and have made me think!!

We live in South Devon and the North we are referring to is Lancashire - which is North to us you must agree though DH comes from the North East. Our children- mine, DD in NYC DS in Surrey with their families my DH daughter and family 50 miles away. We frequently travel on the motorways for some celebration or just to visit our very large family. One of us is going to be left on our own - hopefully not for a while - and I feel it would be nice to have family around - it is a 2 hour drive to DH family. Also on a more practical note Manchester airport is much closer to to Lanc's than Heathrow is to Devon when travelling to NY.

Iam64 sorry if you feel "Up North" is derogatory, we have always joked about it in a nice way of course . Lancashire is beautiful especially where I was brought up which is why we would like to go back.

Thanks to you all

Experigran, We were tempted to move back to the Island last year, especially as some of our friends have moved back but they have family already there and ours have either moved off or died. I think we would soon feel cut off because although we have daughter living in Gosport, the flippin' car ferry is so expensive it would be off putting for our other daughter and son.

It's cheaper to go to France

It's still my spiritual home though

www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/30/industy-wastelands-work-revival-mining-areas

An article about up north. It doesn't appear to have made the news at all, unless I missed it.

We're going to be moving north - to the bottom of the garden - once the annexe is completed. It could be North Yorkshire the way I feel about de-cluttering and downsizing again.

Hats off to anyone contemplating a big move but go with your instincts. If you feel it's right just do it.