I've learned a valuable lesson

We decided long before I retired that we wanted to move where there were good public transport links. The problem was, I wanted a small city while Himself wanted mountains. We've had to move a long way to find this (Oviedo in Asturias) but have managed. We find we both love city life and with mountains just 10 minutes away and the North Coast 25 we have what we want. Wonderful culture, Lang Lang, NT Live etc. recently. Only trouble is having to learn Spanish as not much English is spoken here. Still, keeps the old grey cells going.

We live in a very tiny village, - blink when you're driving through and you've missed it! I wouldn't change it for the world. It's so peaceful and quiet and we all look out for each other. We don't have a shop or a pub but we've got a bus stop - but no bus service!! We get up in the morning, open our front door and find a big bag of fresh veg (and fruit in season). Our doctors surgery is two villages away but we can phone at lunchtime and still get an afternoon appointment. There's a lot to be said for living in a remote area and we just love it.

Welshwife I also used to suffer from the "stir crazy in winter" problem in rural France. We now spend the whole of January in southern Spain. Our son lives there so we get to see our grandchildren as well. We find that we can rent at a very reasonable sum for a month and we save on heating bills at home. By the time we get back we are looking forward to the year's gardening though it isn't much fun at the moment in a freezing northerly wind.
I think that nowhere is perfect, but for the moment our rural existence suits us and the forced labour of the garden and property keeps us fit. As you will know there isn't much to spend your money on in rural France so we can foresee paying for a bit of help when it all gets a bit much. Our neighbours all seem to manage into their nineties, but obviously major health issues would have us thinking again.
We might well eventually move the 50km to the channel coast, which would make it as easy to get to our daughter's home as lots of places in England. I hop backwards and forwards for about £20 as a foot passenger; the train fares in England are much more expensive!

Yorkshire is lovely, and has some wonderful towns with plenty of independent shops. The Lincolnshire wolds is an area I really like.

I went to visit my sister in rural Norfolk last year , her home is stunning , fun filled and she was an excellent host but I love my Hovel the best !
I found the quiet country claustrophobic and the days long , but we visited Southwold and that was the most exciting place - stormy seas, screaming gulls, beach huts and a time gone by estuary where a girl rowed you over the water . I hope my sister moves there !

Welshwife I meant.

Wilshire, north Yorkshire,s where I want to go if possible. Very affordable too.

I have been fascinated reading this thread. I was brought up around the Heathrow area although as a child it was very countrified and at the end of our garden was a farm where at one time I could see the farmer ploughing using a horse! Difficult to believe now. I continued to live in towns or well populated areas all my life and when we bought our house in France as a holiday home it was in a very rural area - I found it wonderful when we stayed for up to three months at a time - a place to restore the soul - then circumstances changed and we moved there full time - I have very mixed feelings. I know if we sell and move away - whether to a more populated area of France or back to UK I will be very sad at leaving the setting etc and my neighbours nearest of whom are some distance away - but at the same time I do get stir crazy from time to time and feel the need to break out and go to a more lively place - when I manage it I have to sit and have a people watching session lasting at least two to three coffees long! We say that we need next time to live within walking distance of places where we can buy bread and milk - but I do feel so torn as to where I would choose. If we remain in France we would like to remain in the near area as we have a number of friends but if we were to return to UK I think we would choose either N. Yorkshire or Devon and not isolated.

Yes, you're quite right........two sides to every coin!

Perhaps a cottage in the country and a flat in town is the answer. But then there's all the hassle of packing up and travelling from one to the other so you'd need a maid and a chauffeur. And then what about the cottage garden while you were in the flat in town? Of course, you'd need a gardener to keep an eye on it and you might miss the flowering of the magnolia. And what happens in the winter if you are in your flat in town worrying about the pipes freezing up in the cottage in the country? You'd need a someone reliable, perhaps an estate manager, to keep an eye on it. And what about being in your cottage in the winter worrying if anyone has broken into the flat and stolen your stuff? And, worse, left the front door open so that squatters can get in? Oh, no, far too much trouble. Let's be grateful for what we've got. Whatever it is.

(Sorry for the flights of fancy, it's a boring Saturday evening and nothing on TV until Dad's Army at 8.30.)

If /when I meant. Oh, this damn tablet iPad or whatever it is.

Thanks Lavande, I might pm you if when I cheer up.

Hi wot a shame we are not in the market for a Norfolk cottage just yet. Dilham is undoubtably a quiet spot, easy to miss too! As I mentioned earlier, although a country girl, thinking ahead would mean that I would probably look to the outskirts of the city or a town with good bus or train links to the city. Personally, isolation is not for me because I like to have people around but not too close or too many!

I learnt a lesson too by house sitting; Broadband is still rubbish in some rural locations.

You can still be anonymous by the way as we only know the one couple in Dilham! But if you want to blow your cover and if you are in Norwich at the end of April, I will be there for a couple of days.

nfkDumpling I know Aylesham quite well too, lovely town and have lots of memories of the music and Shakespeare events at Blickling.

NanKate, I wasn't offended in the least. You don't live here so don't really know what it is like. If you did live here, I'd have you volunteering in the library straighttheway as they say round here.

I really hope you enjoy your day tomorrow.

Mean not me wot!

Someone did do that near us Mrsjones. A middle house in a very old terrace. Builders, heaps of soil coming out. No one could make it out. It transpired they'd built themselves a wine cellar!

No, sorry Wot. Don't know a Collette - but that doesn't me I don't know her. I have an appalling memory for names and know lots people 'to see'. People who just chat as we pass.

A cosy country cottage sounds great. I am surrounded by noisy families and all my neighbours have continuous building projects going on. Loft extensions and large kitchen extensions which take over the back gardens. I'm sure someone will start digging a basement soon!

Oh Ana. Hopeful we will feel better when the weather warms up and the sun comes! (Flowers)

Me too, wot

Glad you understand Ana. I'm feeling really down today/ night.

That was to Petra.

I think you're right, wot. When DH and I moved to this house over 20 years ago he loved it and I got used to it. It's in a lovely location with breathtaking views, but fairly isolated and no passers-by.

After DH died I decided to sell up (it's too big for me anyway) and move nearer one of my daughters, but finding a serious buyer has proved to be a problem...sigh

I just had a lovely small trifle from Lidls. I normally have two but held back tonight.

Thank goodness we don't all want to live in the same places. We are down a lane on the edge of the village but thinking to downsize into the actual village which will be enough of a culture shock for me. I Iike towns for about three days then need to get back here to peace and quiet and the community where I know people.