Where to live in Northern Ireland?
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Maybe Comber? You have the Greenway if you want to cycle to Belfast and they're proposing further Greenways, also you cycle down the coast of Strangford or up to the North Down coastal path. Also close to Bangor for your Mum and Assissi animal sanctuary is half-way between Bangor and Newtownards (Conlig).
For sure that part of the country is more of the protestant persuasion, however if you aren't religious that won't be an issue. Our experience is that half of the 'protestants' don't go near a church anyway, so unless you're going to start openly opposing things or are particularly bothered by flags going up at certain times of the year then I doubt you'll have any issues. I have no idea how many flags they put up in Comber by the way, I've never noticed because I don't pay attention to it
Overall, most people aren’t devoted church attenders, but it’s a great way to get to know people in the locality. Any area where almost everyone is one sort tends to be quite free of confrontation. I’d agree somewhere in east down including ards is quite idyllic.“What means that trump?” Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare0 -
Number 1 best place to Live in Northern Ireland 2018 according to the Sunday times is Ballyhackamore
https://lovebelfast.co.uk/best-place-to-live-in-northern-ireland/0 -
I was I the same boat as you 13 years ago, hubby wanted to move home after leaving in 1989, and yet I was a born and bred Londoner and didn't have a clue about where to live, only that I didn't want to go to Armagh ( his home city)
Come the end I decided that if I was going to make a drastic move then I was going to go country/seaside instead of city or town
He had fond memories of Portrush as a child
I needed a train station
So the area we kind of pin pointed was the Triangle
We finally found the dream home in the country slap bang between Coleraine and Ballymena, with Ballymoney being the nearest train station and I don't think I could have picked a better area. Im at the foot of the Glens, the beaches are 10 mins away, its 30 mins to International and 45 mins in to both Belfast and London/Derry.
Yes I had to learn to drive pretty quick and you are pretty knackered if you don't have a car and whilst there is a goodish bus service around the coast, there have been cuts elsewhere and our bus into Ballymoney has been cut
Yes a lot of the villages around us are still divided, but the area we live is very mixed and the local Pub is very mixed and very much the hub of the community with people coming from Cloughmills, Dunloy,Loughguile,Armoy and Dervock to drink and eat in it
I love it here and wouldn't move anywhere else. The welcome and friendship we have received is unbelievable. We have more friends here in 13 years then we ever had in 42 years of London0 -
qwert_yuiop wrote: »Overall, most people aren’t devoted church attenders, but it’s a great way to get to know people in the locality.
I agree. Churches certainly have their uses. My old ma met her current boyfriend through one.0 -
qwert_yuiop wrote: »Overall, most people aren’t devoted church attenders, but it’s a great way to get to know people in the locality.
Fully agree, my point was more that they'll not be checking if you're one of them on a Sunday, but yes, it's a great way to meet people if you're new to an area.0 -
Maybe Comber? You have the Greenway if you want to cycle to Belfast and they're proposing further Greenways, also you cycle down the coast of Strangford or up to the North Down coastal path.
I used to play in that old disused railway as a child when we lived in Abbey Park. Fabulous to see it turned into something so useful. Presumably also a haven for wildlife (and possibly my tortoise Hunca Munca who ran away from home in 1971).0 -
Good morning Tammykitty!
I'm from East Belfast originally but - although it's very nice - would really rather live somewhere else as I want this to feel like a whole new adventure.
My old mum lives near Bangor but to be honest, compared with where we live now, anywhere in NI will be much closer to her - even somewhere like Fermanagh or Tyrone - so that's not really an issue.
We love the Great Outdoors. Very keen cyclists. I am very fond of animals and would be keen to do some volunteering work at an animal shelter. Other interests: nature conservation, reading (wouldn't mind doing some voluntary work in the field of adult literacy). Hate shopping.
I know - as Big Al pointed out - that any opinions people might have about the best place to live in NI are necessarily going to be very subjective, but just out of idle curiosity, if you could live anywhere in NI, and didn't have to consider healthcare, employment or kids' education, where would you choose?
As regards housing, budget isn't really a consideration for us as we have no interest in living in a big house and would be happy with something small and very well insulated. A little prefab house would be ideal but haven't seen many of those in NI yet.
Another area to consider is the Mourne's - its not as congested as the North Coast and offers a lot of the same benefits for the great outdoors.
And places like Newcastle are about 45-50mins for Belfast
Murlough Nature reserve is nearby and I assume they have volunteering oppourtunities
Castlewellen, Tollymore and Kilbroney Forest parks also in the area.
Look at Volunteer now, for some ideas of the opportunities in the area
https://opportunities.volunteernow.co.uk/WebSearch/OpportunitySearch?55%2cBT33%2c0%2ctrue0 -
Places to avoid in my opinion -
Lurgan/Portadown/Craigavon
Larne
North and West Belfast
Strabane
Fermanagh worth considering - only 2 hours max from Belfast, very friendly people, laid back lifestyle, scenic, easy access to beautiful west coast/Donegal/Wild Atlantic Way, plenty of National Trust estates for walking volunteering etc. and of course, the lakes.0 -
Tammykitty wrote: »Another area to consider is the Mourne's - its not as congested as the North Coast and offers a lot of the same benefits for the great outdoors.
And places like Newcastle are about 45-50mins for Belfast
Murlough Nature reserve is nearby and I assume they have volunteering oppourtunities
Castlewellen, Tollymore and Kilbroney Forest parks also in the area.
Look at Volunteer now, for some ideas of the opportunities in the area
https://opportunities.volunteernow.co.uk/WebSearch/OpportunitySearch?55%2cBT33%2c0%2ctrue
Some friends of ours live at Clough near dundrum. Bit of small time farming, a lot of fishing, keep a lot of beehives up on the heather. A sort of 1960s dropout’s dream.“What means that trump?” Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare0
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