Town or countryside living, which do you prefer?

We’ve just moved from a rural area. We loved living in the countryside but the local services had all gone and this past winter, when we had a week without electricity, crystallised for us that living there in old age was going to be difficult especially if we became unable to drive.

We’re now on the edge of a large town and all it’s services, with the countryside just two minutes walk away in the other direction. Funnily enough, I hadn’t realised how noisy it was living in the countryside, with all the farm vehicles whizzing about! It’s very quiet here.

In my dreams I’d live up a mountain with no neighbours but with my sensible head on, I’m going to enjoy all the new experiences and services available to me instead.

Times have changed a lot in my lifetime. It feels to me, recently, that living in a village is desirable and a lifestyle choice (certainly house prices have risen). Then the assumption of policy makers is that we all drive & that we don't need much in the way of public amenities.

I've lived in good sized towns (with nature within walking distance) for the last 20 years.
Good friend also in her 60s, recently moved out to a one shop village with a bus every couple of hours. Another, ten years older, hasn't considered her position once she can't drive, even though she's nowhere near any shop at all.
Being near amenities is important to me, post-retirement.

I live somewhere between the two. In a large village in a populous part of the country, 3 country towns, one very much a new town within 5 miles a university town replete with culture 15 miles away. There are science parks and warehouse developments everywhere and plenty of buses to all the three towns and the city and a major railway ststion in one of the towns. We have a goodsized co-op in the village with a post office, primary school and choice of secondary schools in all three towns.

I have had two stints of country living with 15 years apart and the difference, for me has been technology, now nearly all the research materials I want are available on my desk, as are all the shops I want whether main stream or esoteric. So many of the downsides of country living have gone.

What I have is trees and greenery and wildlife, and solitude. I live in a 550 year old house in the conservation area of the village, it is quiet, even though we live opposite the primary school. I can walk out of the house to a netork of footpaths through fields and woodlands without going near any road that goes anywhere. I can stand on the hill behind the house and look across miles of countryside. The wind can whip my face, or freeze it in winter and the sky is enormous

I live in the country in a very quiet village and I have got used to the slower pace and less noise (in winter) You do have to drive though, our bus service only comes one day a week and I always wonder what happens if you miss the bus back. Are you stuck in town for a whole week?

Countryside, I like the slower pace and the scenery. You have to be a bit more organised when it comes to shopping but that’s not a problem when anything can be delivered.

To me, it doesn't really feel like a choice. I was born and bred in a rural area, and it is part of my soul.
I have, when training, lived in a city and a market town (where I at least had good access to the countryside).

Although mostly I am 'live and let live' I have become aware of a few newcomers to our village, who must have a lot of money, but no real feel for the place. They are not 'second homers' but they have what they call 'pieds-a-terre' in European countries, and they seem to go on a lot of other holidays. They get supermarket deliveries, and say 'oh aren't you good' when I tell them about our local independent shops and markets. I don't shop there because I am 'good', it's who I am.
Fortunately our village is a good mix, so they don't affect us too much, and are generous at fund raisers (unless they're away!).

I have lived in the Yorkshire Dales all my life. I have been to cities ( holidays ) and I have been by the sea ( holidays ) but my heart is right here in Yorkshire ....

So countryside it is.....

I was born and grew up in a town about 30mins rail journey from London and stayed there until I was 38. We took advantage of the proximity of London and the benefits of a town.

We've been back to visit. It's crowded, noisy smelly...

We've lived in a country village for more than 30 years now and I hate having to spend more than a few hours in a town. There's enough going on here to keep us occupied although we have worked in town and visited for essentials and cultural things during those 30 years.

No way would I go back to live in a town!

I am in a village jn the country which suits me perfectly. Public transport absolute pain though. Whenever I go to London I am like wow so this is how it should work.

Countryside for me every time. I think I'd go mad living in a large town or city. In many ways, where we live now is ideal, because we're only a short distance away from Edinburgh with everything it has to offer, but I can step out of our garden and be surrounded by nothing but fields and woodland.

I like living in the countryside. There is a larger village about a mile away with doctors, dentist and shops and the city is about 6 miles from here.

I’ve lived in London all my life, I like the idea of living in the country but I know I’d miss everything that’s available to me, cinema, buses, tube, shops, hospitals and much more.