I've learned a valuable lesson

We live in the quiet part of a big village. It has a Co-op, Indian restaurant, hairdresser, several pubs and a good bus service.

We moved from a busy corner in a big town and we have never regretted the move.

A time may come when we need to be much closer to facilities, but we have been here 20 years and see no need to move in the near future.

Another one here who loves living in the depths of the French countryside. Absolute peace and quiet, pitch dark at night, strong sense of community. We often drive to our nearest shops (10 km) without seeing another car.
We used to think that we would want to go back to England eventually, but I don't think we will now. When we come back here after a visit, we are coming home.

That's ok Wot. Norfolk is the second biggest county apparently, and there are bits which are really open, isolated and ever so slightly weird. My bit is Norwich and the Broads and the north east bit, and it's becoming quite popular and crowded here! Where are you?

If I walk to the end of our avenue which is really quiet, there is a bustling shopping street, several cafes, supermarkets, charity shops, post office, a doctors and dentists, plus a good frequent bus service to town, and I love it here. If I need anything, I can nip out and be back in ten minutes.
We lived in a village before and it drove me mad being a long way to anything. When DH broke his arm and couldn't drive for a while we realized it wasn't for us. We don't want to be reliant on a car as we get older, so this suits us fine. Each to their own though, we are not all the same.

The silence is deafening.

When we bought our first house in Cornwall, on the outer edge of a village and just fields behind us I was afraid I would feel too isolated. However four years later we were in a cottage, miles from anywhere, in a little hamlet with no shop or pub and one bus a week

Now, although we live in a busy town, our road is so quiet that we could still be miles from anywhere.

Sorry if I've been rude about Norfolk. It's not you its me, as they say

I hope you enjoy your Norfolk town as much as I do ours Down! Best of both worlds.

Lucky you Kitty I wish we were in your little village, we are in Barrow and IMO it is the back of beyond, no offence to any Barrow people it's just me. The High street is just dead and not one charity shop.

Having said that we are finding the locals in the shops very friendly. We visited a fab NT property Calke Abbey yesterday, we are off to the National Space Centre tomorrow and on a steam train on Sunday, before returning back down south, so it hasn't all been bad. Oh and the surrounding countryside is lovely.

I'm dreading being asked if we will house sit again, because I don't want to upset my DH's family. Can I say I find their home too quiet and isolated ?

I suspect they would hate staying at our house with the local children playing noisily on the green in front of our house, I love it. They might find our many coffee shops and restaurants pretentious, as well as expensive. And finding a parking space is a miracle.

Anyway thanks all for your input.

And before any if you think I am a southerner, I am in fact a Brummie born in the heart of Birmingham, that explains why I am like I am.

Definitely another who would go 'stircrazy' here. Holidays for us are in the hub of things. I don't want to travel miles for a pint of milk or a loaf of bread. We do live in a village but on the main road and plenty of footfall going by.

I am not very happy with isolation or the dark so my nightmare would be a cottage in a wood with no curtains. Yikes.

NanKate Horses for courses! So good to know what you most enjoy and you couldn't have better research if you had commissioned and paid for it.

We moved recently to a bungalow with a sunny south-westerly facing back garden on a hill overlooking our small town with a lovely view over it and the surrounding miles of countryside. We can see the life of the farm in the valley, the river in the distance and the hills. We can't hear much noise at all except for bird song and sometimes animals calling but we are only a two minute drive into the main street with it's shops and cafés etc.
We love it as does the whole family and, whilst it may just be coincidence, since we have been here they have visited more often.

We are in the East Midlands, on the same river andnot far from from where NanKate is marooned I believe, but we are in the middle of a busy village with lots going on but with lots of good countryside close by. I think we have the best of both worlds.

Only going to Swaffham...still love Norfolk....just transport issues and the need to be more central to bus links ..and shops

wot where are you am going to be Swaffham are you nearby

Feel compelled to defend rural Norfolk which was my home for over 20 years and Norwich is my all time favourite city. We have lived in rural France for 9 years now and for me it is blissful. We are the only British couple in a small hamlet of friendly neighbours and 8kms from a reasonably sized town. When we do eventually return to the UK, it will probably be a return to East Anglia. At that point, we may well look for a location with good transport links and ease of access to a bit more bustle.

Yes, Dumples, it is nice in its own way; peaceful and safe. It's just me. If I wasn't a nervous driver it would be easier,

Some bits of Norfolk are quite nice Wot!!

I spent much of my youth in a Norfolk village, but we were fortunate enough to have a car. Many then didn't! I think it's fine when you're young, have children, animals etc to keep busy and transport to get out and about but otherwise noooo!

Very pleased to here you're on the move into town downtoearth. Hope all goes well

Hell, don't I know about this! My ex-husband and I bought a caravan park in very rural mid-Wales and lived there for 8 years. I hated it. It broke up our marriage, because he actually loved it. I 'm a townie. Back in a city now with new husband and loving it. Ex is still in the village in Wales, and also loving it. Horses for courses, as they say.

My idea of heaven, no noisy neighbours or traffic noise - bliss.

Good that you have found out it's not to your taste before you were tempted to move somewhere similar.

Norfolk no no no bad move of my parents. (From Brighton)

Downsizing and moving out of village for that very reason have tried being a country girl,I prove that you can take the girl out of Essex,stick her in the middle of Norfolk,but you can't Essex out of the girl....ee are moving to our nearest town 3 miles away

NanKate you are in the fortunate (if boring) position of having learned what you don't want.

Absolutely, NotToo Old

NanKate - We're in the process of trying to move and being near shops, buses, cafes etc is number one on my list of 'must have's'. Peace and quiet is overrated in my opinion, let's see a bit of life around the place.

I love they quiet where we live but would have to have unlimited broadband!