Seeking Quality of Life ....

prometida

I'm desperate to move out of London - planning to re-train, and the course I'm looking at is carried at all major university cities. Question is, where to go? I have no pre-conceptions about where's best - but interested in hearing people's views. I'll use my equity from London flat to buy somewhere around 100k (and get lots more for my money). Main criteria is somewhere relatively easy to get around, with green spaces not too far away. Also needs to be a decent job market as I'll need to work whilst studying. Any links or other forums which will help with research?

Becles

Have you considered the North East?

I live in a village north of Durham. Green spaces are all around us. I sleep with the window open most nights and never hear a thing, and it's quiet enough for me to let my children play freely out the front. It's a real old fashioned community spirit, where you can't go to the Post Office or shop, without stopping to pass the time of day with someone!

We're only 15 mins drive from Newcastle or Durham, 15 mins to Gateshead Metrocentre and 25 mins to Sunderland, so we're still in easy reach of 3 city centres and a huge shopping complex.

If you want to stay in a city, Durham is a really nice. It's my fave city to wander round.

I love it here and never want to move

Savvy_Sue

Well I love Bristol, born in London and came here via university in Durham followed by 20 years in Guildford, and apart from Durham this is my fave place so far. But you have to pick your area carefully to get 'easy to get around'! And the house prices in the classiest areas are similar to London, I'd say. But it's got the green spaces and the jobs market and two universities! But one of them is in the city centre, and the other on the outskirts, and that's something to think about wrt universities, do you want a campus in the middle of nowhere, or a city based one? You'll probably find all the campuses in the middle of nowhere now have a good bus service to the nearest centre of habitation, which they never used to, so it's not the problem it used to be. But check this out - I'm only going on my experience of the open days I took my son to last year!

You also need to think carefully about what sort of lifestyle you want. When people knew we were moving to Bristol a standard comment was "Oooh, there are lots of lovely villages around Bristol". Frankly, nothing would induce me to live in a lovely village! I have to recognise that I'm a city girl at heart. I need good transport, not a weekly bus service. I need shops. I need people! Apart from wanting to get out of London, try to know what you want to get into!

And good luck!

bylromarha

I stayed in my uni town after graduating. The midlands is okay...a bit far from the sea, but heaps of greenery, cheap beer and housing, excellent transport links and easy to get to anywhere in the country. Also close to Brum for London lifestyle.

If your uni course is offered all over, go to the place with the best reputation. My teaching degree was easy to get onto, but I chose to go to a top 5 uni to do it due to its reputation.

prometida

Funny you should say that - been looking into it, but where do I find 'league tables for universities?

kdee_2

University League Tables
Lincolnshire is lovely.

Peakma

Sheffield is really nice(my "home") , especially for it's greenery,20 min drive from the Peak district.It doesn't really have that buzz of being in a city like other large cities, so if night life is a top priority it might not be for you.(what do I know though ,I live just out of Sheff in the countryside now,with 3 kids and never go into Sheff at night anymore, so I could be wrong.)I think it is the greenest(Trees) City in England, and theres loads of parks.It's easy to get to other Cities such as Manchester and Leeds by train.If you want any more info try the sheffieldforum.co.uk it has a section for moving to sheffield,accomadation etc.I'm sure there will be other people on there who can help you.-just a warning though I notice that on that forum although it's genneraly full of helpful people, I notice threads often deteriate into two people having an online bicker about things as trivial as the price of cheese(example!) but don't let that put you off, Sheffields a really freindly place, where it's not odd for strangers to speak in the street,I've not been to London but I've been told it's weird for strangers to stop and talk! Is this the case?
Good Luck with searching for your new life!

Savvy_Sue

Most places will have a link on the tourist info pages of the local council where you can ask for info on moving to that place.

N9eav

Come to Cornwall Me Ansome....

anguk

Becles wrote:

Have you considered the North East?

I live in a village north of Durham. Green spaces are all around us. I sleep with the window open most nights and never hear a thing, and it's quiet enough for me to let my children play freely out the front. It's a real old fashioned community spirit, where you can't go to the Post Office or shop, without stopping to pass the time of day with someone!

:eek: So do I! We moved here 3 years ago from Washington and I wish we'd done it years ago, I'm never leaving! We've even said if we ever win the lottery :rolleyes: we'll stay in this area but a bigger house.

jos_4

How about Plymouth or Exeter university? It is beautiful in Devon you would have access to dartmoor, exmoor and the coast. Devon is where i would go if i had the chance.