Relocation to Herefordshire

Another Labels fan!
I don't think the comment that Yorkshire natives are much friendlier is fair to Hereford (grew up on worc /herefs border & still have masses of family there). When we've been on holiday in yorkshire the locals certainly are friendly, but in my experience, so are Herefordshire folk. I've lived in the SW & London mostly since, & find them much more "cliquey" than Herefordshire (and it's stunning)

And there's Labels near Ross!!

We're next door to Herefordshire in beautiful Shropshire. I'd definitely recommend it though maybe I'm biased as I've been here for 63 of my 67 years. Like Herefordshire, it's very unspoilt, has very few visitors and lots of very stunning scenery, National Trust properties and interesting small towns as well as our charming county town of Shrewsbury. Rail links are very good- Manchester, Birmingham, London, South Wales etc. Have a look, I think it's got more going for it than Herefordshire which we drive through when going south. It does look pretty but I wouldn't move there from Shropshire!

Echoing Casdon's post it is very easy to find the exact vicinity of local bus stops/routes, train stations, & their routes. You can also find the exact whereabouts of larger shops, hospitals & schools.
They can be found on Google maps, it's easy to use & one can zoom into areas for a more detailed view. It's an invaluable tool for researching a move to an unfamiliar area that you fancy.😊

There are a lot of chicken farms in Herefordshire and the River Wye, unfortunately, is polluted now with run-off so be careful if your dog is a swimmer.

... plus - I like baking.

Bus service doesn't bother me. For what I will need regarding local town centre, I will walk down and then take taxi back if I have any food shop to carry. Nowhere else for me to want to travel to, really. If I go on holiday, it will be a coach holiday. I have always wanted to travel that way. I prefer walking with dog in countryside setting. Otherwise, I will keep busy at home. Lots of fabric and yarn to play about with.

Public transport is poor in all rural areas and potholes are ubiquitous.
But you can opt for a rural market town with more facilities and transport on the doorstep.
I have opted to live in a tiny village because I love the peace and am happy to pay the price in poor transport.

Perhaps not having good transport links could be part of its attraction for anyone who might want a slower pace of life. It's not going to end up as a dormitory area for those working in the cities.

I live on the three counties border, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. House prices on the Herefordshire side of the Malvern hills are definitely cheaper but unless you live near a station ( ledbury, Colwall etc) transport is limited and tbh the roads are dire. Not impressed with Hereford hospital either. Gloucestershire is expensive if in the Cheltenham/ Cotswolds area. South Worcestershire has some lovely villages but transport can be an issue. I live in a beautiful place but I have no local transport and no local shops within easy walking distance.

And Mappa Mundi!!

Not to mention the Black Mountains and the Malverns nearby ....

Woe betide anyone who might try to move me from Herefordshire - my paradise, my happy place, my home.

Thriving villages, fabulous scenery, cathedral city with international music festival, proximity to Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham.

Check out the view before me as I write ........

Ps I'd choose Hereford! Cirencester is in a lovely area too but yes, more expensive because it's a desired location for Londoners escaping to the countryside.

DrWatson

For 'spabbygirl', and that "Cirencester, it's in Gloucestershire, quiet and safe and near Hereford" of yours?!!
I'm not sure what your understanding is re "near", but to everyone but you, and perhaps residents of the Australian Outback (where paramedics come by air!), Cirencester is most certainly NOT REMOTELY 'near' Hereford!

Both are nice places, and the OP could likely be quite happy in them, but Cirencester is vastly dearer than Hereford. It also - as someone else observed - has no trains, whereas Hereford connects to Shrewsbury, Cardiff, and Brum (maybe others too!).

😀
I suppose as the crow flies it's only 50 miles? from Cirencester to Hereford but it probably takes quite a long time.

As far as the Australian Outback is concerned it's probably the next door neighbour 😁

My aunt relocated to Hereford and liked it very much. I have visited and found lovely countryside and an interesting town. As far as I know she found the medical services there good.

For 'spabbygirl', and that "Cirencester, it's in Gloucestershire, quiet and safe and near Hereford" of yours?!!
I'm not sure what your understanding is re "near", but to everyone but you, and perhaps residents of the Australian Outback (where paramedics come by air!), Cirencester is most certainly NOT REMOTELY 'near' Hereford!

Both are nice places, and the OP could likely be quite happy in them, but Cirencester is vastly dearer than Hereford. It also - as someone else observed - has no trains, whereas Hereford connects to Shrewsbury, Cardiff, and Brum (maybe others too!).

I live in Salisbury and many buses don't run of a weekend.. Salisbury is not a small town but is a city similar to Hereford in size. Some buses run every2 hours..Ringwood is near Bournemouth and has one service which runs just 4 times a day and stops by 3pm. No Sunday or evening services. Remember bus routes change and cease. Hampshire council is no longer subsiding certain bus routes so people have to use taxis.

Herefordshire is a lovely place to live compared to big city life. But the shops aren't great, being mostly rural you need a car as transport in outlying villages is very poor. The potholes in the roads have been judged as some of the worst in the country and depending which side of Hereford you live the traffic is a problem. The local hospital was in special measures (not sure if that's still the case) but definitely rated as one of the worst in the country according to The Telegraph a few weeks ago.
Having said all of that it is still a bit of a rural idyll in places and there are some lovely villages around but why not stay there for a few weeks to get a real feel for the place before taking such a big decision. Yorkshire is a lovely place and the natives are much friendlier!

Per day, sorry.

But if you live in a small town surely you’d realise that buses would be hourly at best kjmpde? The example I gave of Ledbury has 21 trains day to Hereford, as well as buses.

Many rural areas have buses which stop early afternoon, not evenings. not weekends. I live in Wiltshire - similar in size to Herefordshire . One area has a bus on a Tuesday and Friday. There is no bus from Salisbury to Winchester. There are buses from other towns Monday to Friday and not weekends. I would want a bus more regularly than every hour . What happens if you miss your connection?

It’s easy to find out online what local transport is like. A number of towns in Herefordshire have railway stations, and at least hourly bus services - it’s not quite the back of beyond!

I echo the need to investigate. Are you happy to drive a car or do you need a good bus service ? if the latter then Hereford is probably not for you.

gibson2222

i,ve been trying to move to greenwich for many years( have since widened my search to inlcude other areas in london as well as looking so long) since i was in my 40s now in my 70s and still want to move there. but it,s housing associtaion and via exchange and the few from london that show an interest are either in parts of london i dont want or flats in high rises or tower blocks or one some or all of those

We visited Greenwich a few years ago and I was surprised to find out how lovely it is.