City-dwellers looking to move to the country - advice/experiences?

moneyistooshorttomention

Cash-Cows wrote: »

Don’t even think of doing any work on your house without being reported to planning enforcement.

That probably depends, I'd guess, on whether the neighbours have been doing all sorts they shouldnt previously (eg casually breaking laws etc etc) and have found "things have changed".:cool: In which case - then...yep...better make sure they can't turn round and report "unofficial" work on the house...

[Deleted User]

Just to echo what others have mentioned:
- no gas in our village and we will never have this as we are too far out
- intermittent mobile signal
- no public transport at all and nearest train station is an hour's drive away
- you need to be able to drive in snow and ice on ungritted roads in winter and up grass verges in summer to get past combines
- owls, donkeys, churches, tractors, hgvs with livestock, guns are all noisy
- no takeway - if we drive to buy one (no one will deliver) we have to reheat it in the microwave
- powercuts can last 3 days
- lack of services nearby, but you will still pay lots of council taxes for services you can't use
- no pavements and no street lightening
- have to make your own entertainment and get on with the community
- plan shopping trips (we have no local shop and so the nearest shop / bank / postoffice is about 7.5 miles away).
- lack of choice for some services e.g. we can only have BT broadband
- can get very cold in winter (we have had -15 a few years ago for about 4 days in a row)

Having said that we love where we live

[Deleted User]

Davesnave wrote: »

...A more valid division nowadays might be, 'people who participate and those who just live here.'

Completely agree.

I run several clubs and groups, I run the village website and help out on village cleaning days and other activities too. Never felt left out or an outsider at all.

EachPenny

Davesnave wrote: »

A more valid division nowadays might be, 'people who participate and those who just live here.'

Spider_In_The_Bath wrote: »

I run several clubs and groups, I run the village website and help out on village cleaning days and other activities too. Never felt left out or an outsider at all.

I think it worth pointing out that you don't have to be an active volunteer in lots of events and run loads of clubs and societies to be a participant.

The village communities I know only expect people to be willing to be 'one of us', rather than being aloof and treating the place as a dormitory.

It is the small stuff that counts, like buying something in the local shop, going to the school fair, being willing to lend an occasional hand. For 'newcomers' the real danger is going too far the other way and making people feel you are 'muscling in'. There's often a lot of hiden politics involved in village community life, it is best to get a rough idea of how the land lies before seeking to exert too much control over others.

Personally I've only known of two people who got reported to planning enforcement - both adopted an "I'm from the city don't you know" attitude and treated the villagers as "straw-sucking yokels". One of the most important bits of advice I'd offer is just because someone in the countryside is covered in mud and wears clothes with holes in them, don't assume they are stupid or poor, or don't work for the council

Red-Squirrel_2

Davesnave wrote: »

A more valid division nowadays might be, 'people who participate and those who just live here.'

Why is this so important in the countryside? Most people in towns and cities and suburbs don't 'participate' they just live there.

Some people are just naturally introverted and private, and some of them must live in rural areas!

Davesnave

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Why is this so important in the countryside? Most people in towns and cities and suburbs don't 'participate' they just live there.

Some people are just naturally introverted and private, and some of them must live in rural areas!

EachPenny answered this, but I'll add my 2p.

I didn't mean that one has to join loads of clubs or sit on the parish council, although with only a small community to draw upon, many activities need a higher level of support than in town if they are to function, so some people wear many hats. For them, the village is one big social club.

But I take your point that we're not all outgoing and able to spare so much time. However, there's no need for heavy commitments. People who simply come along to the monthly market, buy some items in the shop, attend church, drop into the pub, or stick a few entries into the produce show will be valued too, because all these things are on a knife edge in a small place.

Village populations have declined. My village, once home to over 1000 souls, now has only about 600 residents. The school went, closely followed by the PO/shop and a pub. The pub is back, just about, and we now have a community-owned shop with a tenant making a go of it, but we take nothing for granted. We need more new builds and affordable housing....and believe it or not, we have a committee to facilitate those things too, although what makes for a better headline is Nimbyism!

do163600

This reminds me of the one-time BTCC competitor, Frank Sytner, and his move to the countryside.

Report from Farmers' Weekly...

"15 July 1998

Millionaire loses ‘muddy road’ case against neighbour

A MILLIONAIRE who took a neighbouring farmer to court because his sheep make the road “too muddy” has lost his case.

Frank Sytner, a car dealer and former racing driver, and his wife, Elizabeth, bought a six-acre paddock in the village of Ridlington, Rutland, to graze his horses.

The farmer Edward Baines retained a strip of land, including part of a track belonging to Sytner, for his sheep during the lambing season.

Sytner claimed his right of way had been obstructed by Bainess livestock and the quantity of mud it generated.

The judge at Leicester Country Court told Rytner that in choosing to live in such a picturesque spot, he should have expected the occasional muddy road."

I believe that his wife also complained that the cows were moo-ing too loudly!

Bossypants

Really interesting discussion to read! Dan has !!!!!!ed off skiing for a couple of weeks now (lucky sod), but I will point him back to this when he gets back, and also bookmark in case I ever do manage to make the leap myself!

hunters

One thing to remember about the local farmer and their tractors is they are your friend in bad weather! Before most people are stirring with their cars in snowy weather our farmer comes along and clears the road of snow and if icy spreads some salt/grit. They can make as much noise as they like while doing so as far as I’m concerned

moneyistooshorttomention

...and, if their tractors are anything like the ones I see now = they're blimmin' enormous, ie could run you over and probably not even realise...:)