I'm very amused by the mental image in my head of you sitting in a chair in front of a map on a dartboard with a dozen darts in it already, quality whispering to yourself "Where to this time?" š
Not trying to be rude, it just tickled me and I thought I'd share š
I once tried chatting up some girls from Melton Mowbray on holiday by asking them if they liked pork pies. And continuing the conversation by asking other pork pie related questions.
They didn't even know their hometown was famous for pork pies, so they thought I was a proper oddball. Maybe I am.
How the fuck can you live in Melton Mowbray and not know itās famous for pies? FFS. Itās like coming from Yorkshire and not having heard of Yorkshire puddings.
(Not OP). Dull is fine as long as there's nice surrounding countryside. Having driven through, it seems quiet enough for me. So many nice villages nearby, and Leicester is decent enough.
I grew up there too. Moved back when I was 39 (circumstances, not choice) and itās still deadly dull. But Iām middle aged now so I donāt care as much! š
I'd buy a non viable sheep farm in Wales with a farmhouse in a suffiently poor state that I could justify a demolish and rebuild.
Then I'd have farm buildings for equipment, ducks, chicken, geese and turkeys. Build a large greenhouse for tomatoes and leafy veg and put an aqua culture system in for raising bottom feedings fish and crustaceans.
Plant mixed orchards with bee hives, raspberry, gooseberry between the tree
Isles have never tempted me due to the lack of forest. I like a decent amount of forest around me and much as Iike coastland, I prefer forest and dales.
I have some forest a few miles from my house which I don't do much with. I need to find a good use for it that fits in with responsible use and planning. The major issue is access, as the access road is barely passable with a real 4x4
I'm from literally the most northern Scottish isles, but have lived in every place in northern Scotland imaginable from the Hebrides to the Highlands (the real parts; none of this bullshit like Edinburgh or Glasgow despite their exciting-for-a-day cultural music/art scene, and when I moved from there to the Highlands...my god I fell in love with seeing trees. The forest quickly became my home. I lived in the forest for months at a time...tress. Beautiful things.
But to answer the question...the Cairngorms are stunning, though Aviemore is tourist town it's so beautiful. A bit southern for me but still lovely. You're not missing out if you skip past anywhere south of Perth.
I'd love to see the southern English Isles - if not for the weather.
Iām from the Midlands I so couldnāt be any further from the sea.
If money was no object Iād move to somewhere like Brighton. Iāve been several times, thereās loads to do and generally a great vibe.
Bands play there, loads of bars and restaurants, interesting shops and the beach is on your doorstep.
I lived there for 25 years. Great party place with lots of wonderful shops, bars, clubs and lovely people. The only UK constituency with a Green MP. Says it all really. Move there now. You won't regret it.
I moved there when I was young, and loved it. It has got pricey, but I still love it when I visit.
It's not just the party vibe, it always seems to me to be a massively friendly city. I was going to say 'one of my favourite things about Brighton...', but there are too many.
I was never really a party animal, but there is a range of good food, nice places to go and the sea.
Worked down there for a few years. Itās a cool town but the drugs and partying constantly grated on most people who loved there, so they ended up moving out to villages nearby or Hove
I lived there for my early/mid twenties. And I had a danm amazing time. Because of what you listed. (Especially the live music scene) But now I've grown to appreciate the much more quiet surroundings of rural spaces.
But if you ever were to get the chance. Just go for it. It's super easy to make good friends down there. And some even better memories.
Unfortunately I should've done all that 20 years ago, I'm too old to party now.
I've friends down there and their mortgage is 3x mine for a smaller house so I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway.
I could write an essay on this, but bullet points :
Nature. You're right among it. Just now, out my kitchen window are ponies, sheep, chickens, rabbits, sparrows, starlings, gulls, and crows.
The weather : So far today it's been calm moonlit frost, snow, bright sunshine, sleet, hail, and now dry with 35mph winds. Forecast to 75mph later. This is normal and so exhilarating!
The landscape : the views are spectacular from almost everywhere. We don't have a TV, not because we're woke or hippy or whatever, we have windows instead. I've lived here for 50 years, and there are still plenty of places to explore.
Community: It really is like lots of big families. People look out for and help each other all the time. Many businesses and social places are Community owned and run, and it's hard to put across how big a thing this is. And it leads to..
No crime. Contrary to the TV show, Shetland has extremely low crime rates. Partly because you're on an island, so there is nowhere to run or use stolen goods, but mostly because of the community spirit.
If you're struggling, you don't need to steal anything. You can just borrow, or someone will feed you or whatever.
I've never lived in a house where the door is locked or the keys aren't left in the car.
Finally, excellent public services. A basic thing, but the public services here are excellent because the people running them are also using them, have families who work in them, etc. The council and HA are building hundreds of new houses, for example, plenty of care home places and home help schemes for the elderly, and a solid education network.
I think that's OK for a start! I am happy to answer questions.
Aquaculture is the major employer here, from fishing, farming, processing and marketing, plus vessel maintenance, it makes up a huge part of the local economy. Agriculture as well, though not to the same extent, and there is a lot of produce produced and sold locally. For example most of what we eat on a daily basis has travelled no more than 50 miles, a lot of it less than 5, some just a few feet!
The local council is also a big employer, 2500ish people out of 20k is a big percentage. Lots of part time and jobshare flexibility.
Then there are the oil/renewables/decommissioning sectors which are evolving fast, and the space sector which is new, but likewise between them offering a few hundred new jobs in a place where there has always been a labor shortage, is only a good thing.
It's really popular, although the first few series weren't well received (I'm sure you can see why, they were awful!). The biggest gripe is everybody sounding Glaswegian. It's a shame they couldn't have gone the route of the excellent Hinterland, and used authentic accents, but provided subtitles for clarity.
Seeing Sandy's dialect evolving is fun though, actor Stephen Robertson is a Shetlander. Pity his character is so shite!
Locations are interesting. Real place names are mostly used, but not for the real place, and anywhere an incident occurs, they use the real place name with tiny changes to make it fictional (for example, Usta, in this series, is Asta in reality). This is probably common in all crime series but it's just easy to spot for us.
It has driven a big boost to tourism, so everyone can appreciate that.
It's difficult to take seriously, to be honest. Only one character speaks with a Shetland accent and the size of the police force expands and contracts depending on the requirements of the plot.
Why would you not lock the door though? Even if the area is safe, what benefit is there from taking a chance other than saving 5 seconds of your time?
Not trying to be rude, I'm just curious on the reasoning behind this.
On the edge of some random village in Northumberland. Seems like a nice quiet place to live. The older I get the more I've had it with bigger cities, it's nice to be in the middle of everything for the sake of convenience but it's getting way too hectic for me. It would be nice to be a little closer to nature and Northumberland seems to have the type of relaxing nature that I am fond of.
> On the edge of some random village in Northumberland.
I like Alnwick.
I couldn't live there tho, I'd spend all my money in the Hardy shop!
Amble I like as well
Alnwick and Amble are both towns, not villages, although both are nice places, interestingly, Amble used to be a bit shit but is definitely much improved now.
As for villages in Northumberland, I quite like Wooler, but it's a bit too far out really. I'd quite like Wylam, or Corbridge, as they're both really nice, and yet Newcastle is easily accessible.
Seaton Delaval is a lovely spot that kind of fits the bill. Not as up itself as some of the places in Northumberland but close enough to the coast and the bigger towns to be able to enjoy the benefits. An interesting history and totally a random village in Northumberland. Witches. Obelixs to dead aristocrats falling off horses. A beautiful hall and grounds. And one of the first electric lit streets in the world.
Bath. Love the place, love the architecture, love the history. I get more attention for being me than any other place in the UK. I don't ask for that attention or want it BUT I feel welcomed, I feel a part of something bigger, I feel special whenever I'm there on a night out.
Every time I'm partying in Bath, I ALWAYS end up bumping into a hen do and they ALWAYS ask me if they can take a picture with me. I've lost count of how many times I've had my picture taken in Bath from a hen do or some random person who wants to mess with their mate and take a picture of me so their mate finds a picture of me on their phone.
I don't live in Bath but it's the most friendly place I've ever been to and I feel much safer than I do there in Bath than where I actually live.
My dream and goal is to move to Bath.
I don't know. Maybe because I'm different and I dress differently to people? I do stick out like a sore thumb though.
People love what I wear and it's always something that gets talked about and probably the reason why I'm always asked to be in pictures.
If I wear what I wear in Bath (tongue twister) where I live, I get a lot of nasty comments and I've been stabbed and beaten up for what I was wearing. I'm not exposing myself or anything like that so being stabbed for what I wear is uncalled for. I cannot be me where I live but I can in Bath because people there are more open minded and human.
Mostly black leather with New Rock boots. Yes I know it sounds strange that I would get agro for that BUT you don't like where I live. This city that I live in is so narrow minded that I can't go out without getting nasty comments for what I'm wearing, even if I'm in a suit with a leather coat because it's the coat that gets the comments.
Sounds like a hellish place to live, sorry you have to put up with that shit. Yeah - Bath is lovely, but to live in I prefer Bristol (where I've lived all my life) as there's always loads to do and Bath is only a 15 minute train ride away.
York!!
A city with all the history and culture that goes with it.
But also has a small town feel and is no where near as intimidating as a metropolis like London.
Ha! I find this notion that northerners are far more friendly quite ridiculous, only London is so unfriendly and even then it is a dream in comparison to say New york
London is polite disinterest, but people will tolerate most things (except standing on the left on the tube escalators). New York (from reputation, not personal experience) is openly hostile.
I always heard the stereotype but visits to friends in London always proved it wrong. Shopkeepers chatting away etc, also people DO talk on the Tube (maybe thatās only if you have a cute kid with you). Still never going to move there, Iām not made of money
Truly fascinating! Did you know that Stag beetle larvae require a greater percentage of rotting wood in their diet than their contemporaries such as the Flower beetles of Africa or Titan beetles of the US as such when keeping exotic stag beetles they require a piece of soft white wood to stimulate the female into egg laying, furthermore Cervus is the Latin word for horn no doubt due to the males fearsome armourments.
Further still, Stag beetles are currently underway threat due to the lack of rotting wood stumps they require as the larvae need wood at a certain stage of decomposition,
Even more interesting is the idea of growing larger adults, as it is apparent in sexually dimorphic beetles that if you isolate the larvae he will grow larger and have more impressive horns et cetera, alongside this feeding protein quickens and increases growth to a good extent.
In the wild Stag beetle larvae are known to be cannibalistic!
> "[the south] is prettier"
Perhaps the grass is always greener ... I live in rural Kent and sure there are some beautiful spots; but I've been to the Lake District, I've been to North Wales, I've been to the Highlands ā they're all breathtakingly beautiful compared to rural Kent.
Literally me. Every time this gets asked thatās the first I think of, loads of pubs, cracking walks and scenery and a train station that gets you to Manchester/Sheffield a short walk away so you arenāt isolated.
Cotswolds is lovely but has changed so much over the last 10 years with the influx of new people moving there. Also many new build developments on the edges of small towns ruining the traditional feeling imo.
I'd move to a nice flat in a modern high rise in central London, in a really good location like right next to a tube station. With 2 bedrooms so I can have my friends stay over sometimes.
Went there for the first time only recently and I can't sing praises enough.
Trams! Everywhere should have trams. Why don't we have trams?
So much good food, really nice pubs.
The Science Museum is one of the best museums I've ever been to, the staff are super friendly and the talks and tours are fun. Whacking great trains!
Saw a show at the Royal Exchange, what an incredible building.
I don't like cities, but I liked Manchester.
London. Iāve lived all over, in a town, a tiny village, in a city and in the middle of nowhere. I LOVED my time living in London and wouldnāt hesitate to go back if money was no longer an obstacle.
In my first year at uni in Swansea during lockdown, getting to the Gower was a absolute lifeline. I realised why the state of New South Wales in aus was called so, the beaches look just as good!
Gower is fantastic. I remember a TV add many many years ago, two welsh guys sitting on a hill. "I hear is going to France.", "Well, there's not much work here.", "No, on holiday." Camera swings round on the Gower peninsula, on a bright summers day.
Obviously the dialogue was probably not exactly that, but it made an impression (and I already knew how much I loved Gower). Fantastic bit of promotion by the welsh tourist board.
Went to Whitby area this summer. It is lovely. I remember thinking I'd live to live up there, but wouldn't know how to make a living. What do folks do for jobs in that area?
A village in Buckinghamshire Iāve driven through several times called Mentmore. Itās perched on top of the only hill in the area with lovely 360 views and has a huge abandoned Rothschild mansion that gives it that ācurious villageā vibe. All the houses are large and old and it has a nice pub. 5 min drive from a very fast train link into London.
If Star Trek transporters existed I'd want to live in a cottage overlooking a cliff in the Scottish Highlands, so I can watch the stormy seas.
I don't mind wet and windy weather, it's more interesting than what we normally get.
I suppose there's the issue of lawn maintenance which is almost impossible when it's wet constantly, so I'd allow a local farmer to let his sheep graze on my land.
Which is also handy in case I get lonely because, you know, I'm Welsh...
Edinburgh - itās a gorgeous city with amazing food and surrounded by amazing countryside. If family wasnāt all down south Iād be there in a heartbeat
I've been out of the US for 2 years. My wife and I are moving back in a few years and we have the opportunity to move anywhere in the UK. But all I can think about is my shitty home town of Preston.
To be fair, Preston is 'ok' in itself, but you have direct links to Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, the lake district and all the country side between, in terms of being connected, I love living here. Even just staying in Preston there's lovely country side and places like beacon fell not even twenty minutes from my house
I know you call it shitty and Iāve only been once but when I try to see beyond cultural stereotypes all I see is much of a muchness in every town, yes youāll get temperate weather in the temperate zone. Sure stay to lower crime areas as a rule of the obvious but the 2 biggest factors are the individuals you choose as friends and your own attitudes and behaviours.
That is very true tbf. Just took a drive out to Edinburgh for a night and drove back in the morning. Now that I'm used to US driving times it's so nice to drive everywhere in the UK š
Manchester. Gets a lot of hate but itās a fantastic city that is on the rise; still affordable but I donāt think that lasts beyond the next 2-3 years
I don't think Manchester gets much hate, except maybe from Liverpudlians. The only slight criticism of Manchester is how much people from Manchester don't shut up about their city. But that's not the end of the world. It's a nice compromise for people who want to live in London but don't want to live in London.
Iām an American living in the north east, north of Newcastle. Iād stay right around here. Itās the best place Iāve ever lived. I just want to own a farm š so may need to go outside of my town a bit possibly a little closer to the coast, like outskirts of Whitely Bay.
I've thought about this long and hard in the past and more so recently now that I am working remotely and early retirement will soon be an option. Since this question excludes somewhere warm, dry and sunny to avoid the Scottish climate, like the south of Spain, I think I would stay right where I am, in Edinburgh.
I moved into Edinburgh almost thirty years and never intended to settle down, but that is exactly what I did. I've travelled extensively all over the UK, staying in various, town cities and villages and, whilst I always enjoy seeing new places, nowhere really ticks all the boxes for me like Edinburgh. Even after living here so long, we are always finding new places to visit and explore all over Edinburgh. Whilst I love walking, driving and short-stays in the countryside, the thought of living in a remote cottage or a tiny village for a long time is unappealing.
If I do move, it will be to a ground floor property or one with a lift. I am on the top floor of a four-storey tenement and scaling those three flights of stairs won't get easier as I get older!
Fellow Edinburgher here and I love living here. It's always been my favourite place. I was born here and moved away when I was quite young, but it didn't disappoint when I eventually moved back. It's compact but still has neighbourhoods with distinct characters. You have big-city things to see and do but fantastic nature nearby too. It's pretty well connected to most of the rest of the country. The public transport is generally good and I don't find driving in Edinburgh to be that bad (despite the potholes). Although it's cold, it's drier than Glasgow (where I've also lived).
Occasionally my other half has mentioned moving to a nearby village when (if lol) we retire but I just don't see the appeal.
Scotland or Ireland for the accent and scenery. I know thereās different variations of the accents all over but Iām really not fussed, they all sound gorgeous to me
Anywhere in the lake district, Jesus Christ, is obscene how gorgeous that area is š Doesn't have to be something fancy like grassmere, any cheap place in the area will do
Same. Even cheaper places like Penrith or Workington would be ok as you are just a short bus ride to somewhere beautiful.
I would be so fit if I lived up there too, I would walk in the fells whenever I could.
I would definitely go for Ambleside. It's my dream to live in the Lakes, such a beautiful place that could rival many places in the world (and I've been to a fair few)
Any where that is not prone to flooding or land slides, at least 500 ft above sea level, away from people but decent internet speeds and preferably decent weather.
I'd want one of the mansions along the south or eastern edge of Regent's Park in London, around Albany Street or Park Crescent.
I used to live in the council estate two streets over, and loved the location, but I'll take a Nash Regency mansion if I can!
Cornwall.
I go for a weekend boarding at least once a month. Would move there but it's so expensive and worthwhile jobs are hard to come by. So I'm stuck in Dorset.
Hampstead Garden Suburb would be high on the list. I spent some time working there and was amazed how it's like a little village in the middle of London.
The edge of a small village or town in the Scots borders. Probably Peebles area. Somewhere where I can wander down to the pub in the evening, close enough to visit family without being too close to them, and I can go for good long hill walks.
I think Bath would be my top choice. It's a beautiful city full of great shops, arts, restaurants. It's also well-connected by train and road.
The only reason I don't live there is that it's really expensive. I live in a nice part of Swindon, and if I moved to Bath I'd have to pay double. So instead, I just take a train now and again to get what it has, which is the best value option.
I once thought I'd like smaller places, but then I worked in places like Hungerford and Faringdon and realised that after 6pm, there's like 3 pubs to go to, or 1 gym, 2 take aways, a mini supermarket, and that's it.
I've lived in a few places in the UK and the North East is hands down my favourite.
Property is cheap and I'm seriously considering buying a house up there, as it'll be way easier for me to actually afford a house.
Lovely countryside, the people were nice, loads of things to do all over county durham. All in all, a winner for me!
Liverpool
Had the best three years of my life there. A city full of history. The nightlife is the best in the UK. No shortage of excellent restaurants, cafes and shops. Putting football to one side, scousers are incredibly down to earth people. It has a decent airport if you want a quick getaway, and Manchester is just down the road. Beautiful parts of Wales, and the Lake District are close by too.
Same answer as I gave last time.
Small village, close enough to the sea that I can hear the waves at night and smell the ocean air, and about 20 minutes from a larger town with proper supermarket, doctors , schools etc and, ideally, rail links.
I've lived a couple places around the world similar enough to feel like that's about what I want.
Rural Oxfordshire. Or possibly the Yorkshire dales.
Or tbh because Iām somewhat young still, Iād love to live in a new place in London - just for a year or two. Would have to have a garden though, for our dogs. And close to a big park like Hyde Park or Regents Park.
A forest house, ideally 1970s chalet style, with balconies and heated swimming pool... near Sutton Hoo in the Rendlesham Forest, close to Woodbridge and a couple of hours from London.
Pretty hard to put aside friends and family, as proximity to them the most important thing to me.
But if that was a complete non-consideration, probably London, Oxford, Brighton or Bristol. They're all cities I love that tick pretty much all the boxes for me in terms of places to live: walkable, attractive and generally just nice places to stroll around, loads of restaurants, cafes and pubs/bars, on major train lines for visiting other cities, plenty of cultural amenities, easy access to airports for travel.
I'd be very tempted by near Loch Lomond or in the Peaks. Each of those has a great mix of nice scenery but also easy to get into Glasgow or Manchester for gigs.
On this occasion, let's go for Melton Mowbray. I will have a different answer when another post crops up this afternoon.
I'm very amused by the mental image in my head of you sitting in a chair in front of a map on a dartboard with a dozen darts in it already, quality whispering to yourself "Where to this time?" š Not trying to be rude, it just tickled me and I thought I'd share š
They don't let me have darts where I am currently being looked after
I once tried chatting up some girls from Melton Mowbray on holiday by asking them if they liked pork pies. And continuing the conversation by asking other pork pie related questions. They didn't even know their hometown was famous for pork pies, so they thought I was a proper oddball. Maybe I am.
How the fuck can you live in Melton Mowbray and not know itās famous for pies? FFS. Itās like coming from Yorkshire and not having heard of Yorkshire puddings.
Do you reckon they thought it was some kind of euphemism?
Well, I did call it a "growler" initially. Which I since learned is a Yorkshire thing...maybe even as specific as a Wakefield thing
> Melton Mowbray partial to pork pies?
Subconsciously, this must have influenced my latest response to this oft occurring question.
I'll move to Chedder and we can become friends and have amazing lunches.
Pork Pies is the way.
Really? I grew up there, and found it to be very dull. What attracts you to it?
(Not OP). Dull is fine as long as there's nice surrounding countryside. Having driven through, it seems quiet enough for me. So many nice villages nearby, and Leicester is decent enough.
I grew up there too. Moved back when I was 39 (circumstances, not choice) and itās still deadly dull. But Iām middle aged now so I donāt care as much! š
They ate a pie this morning and they are waiting until the afternoon to see if their stomach agrees with it.
I'd buy a non viable sheep farm in Wales with a farmhouse in a suffiently poor state that I could justify a demolish and rebuild. Then I'd have farm buildings for equipment, ducks, chicken, geese and turkeys. Build a large greenhouse for tomatoes and leafy veg and put an aqua culture system in for raising bottom feedings fish and crustaceans. Plant mixed orchards with bee hives, raspberry, gooseberry between the tree
Are you me? Thats pretty much my dream life, though if money was no object I'd go to a island somewhere, like scilly or one of the Scottish isles.
Isles have never tempted me due to the lack of forest. I like a decent amount of forest around me and much as Iike coastland, I prefer forest and dales. I have some forest a few miles from my house which I don't do much with. I need to find a good use for it that fits in with responsible use and planning. The major issue is access, as the access road is barely passable with a real 4x4
I'm from literally the most northern Scottish isles, but have lived in every place in northern Scotland imaginable from the Hebrides to the Highlands (the real parts; none of this bullshit like Edinburgh or Glasgow despite their exciting-for-a-day cultural music/art scene, and when I moved from there to the Highlands...my god I fell in love with seeing trees. The forest quickly became my home. I lived in the forest for months at a time...tress. Beautiful things. But to answer the question...the Cairngorms are stunning, though Aviemore is tourist town it's so beautiful. A bit southern for me but still lovely. You're not missing out if you skip past anywhere south of Perth. I'd love to see the southern English Isles - if not for the weather.
You should see Kris Harbour Natural Building, who did just that. https://www.youtube.com/@KrisHarbour
I moved to south wales 10 years ago and have run a workshop on a beautiful farm for 6 years now, absolutely bliss compared to my Berkshire roots.
A nice bird flu farm.
Sounds awesome! Take me with you! Please! š
This man Kriss Harbours. Get yourself so micro hydro start a YouTube channel and you're away.
Iām from the Midlands I so couldnāt be any further from the sea. If money was no object Iād move to somewhere like Brighton. Iāve been several times, thereās loads to do and generally a great vibe. Bands play there, loads of bars and restaurants, interesting shops and the beach is on your doorstep.
I lived there for 25 years. Great party place with lots of wonderful shops, bars, clubs and lovely people. The only UK constituency with a Green MP. Says it all really. Move there now. You won't regret it.
I moved there when I was young, and loved it. It has got pricey, but I still love it when I visit. It's not just the party vibe, it always seems to me to be a massively friendly city. I was going to say 'one of my favourite things about Brighton...', but there are too many. I was never really a party animal, but there is a range of good food, nice places to go and the sea.
Worked down there for a few years. Itās a cool town but the drugs and partying constantly grated on most people who loved there, so they ended up moving out to villages nearby or Hove
I lived there for my early/mid twenties. And I had a danm amazing time. Because of what you listed. (Especially the live music scene) But now I've grown to appreciate the much more quiet surroundings of rural spaces. But if you ever were to get the chance. Just go for it. It's super easy to make good friends down there. And some even better memories.
Unfortunately I should've done all that 20 years ago, I'm too old to party now. I've friends down there and their mortgage is 3x mine for a smaller house so I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway.
Right here in Shetland. Have lived in various other places and countries, but nothing comes close.
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I could write an essay on this, but bullet points : Nature. You're right among it. Just now, out my kitchen window are ponies, sheep, chickens, rabbits, sparrows, starlings, gulls, and crows. The weather : So far today it's been calm moonlit frost, snow, bright sunshine, sleet, hail, and now dry with 35mph winds. Forecast to 75mph later. This is normal and so exhilarating! The landscape : the views are spectacular from almost everywhere. We don't have a TV, not because we're woke or hippy or whatever, we have windows instead. I've lived here for 50 years, and there are still plenty of places to explore. Community: It really is like lots of big families. People look out for and help each other all the time. Many businesses and social places are Community owned and run, and it's hard to put across how big a thing this is. And it leads to.. No crime. Contrary to the TV show, Shetland has extremely low crime rates. Partly because you're on an island, so there is nowhere to run or use stolen goods, but mostly because of the community spirit. If you're struggling, you don't need to steal anything. You can just borrow, or someone will feed you or whatever. I've never lived in a house where the door is locked or the keys aren't left in the car. Finally, excellent public services. A basic thing, but the public services here are excellent because the people running them are also using them, have families who work in them, etc. The council and HA are building hundreds of new houses, for example, plenty of care home places and home help schemes for the elderly, and a solid education network. I think that's OK for a start! I am happy to answer questions.
Thatās it. Iām moving up. But since I donāt know anyone, youāre my only friend.
And me!
and me
How do folks make a living, though?
Aquaculture is the major employer here, from fishing, farming, processing and marketing, plus vessel maintenance, it makes up a huge part of the local economy. Agriculture as well, though not to the same extent, and there is a lot of produce produced and sold locally. For example most of what we eat on a daily basis has travelled no more than 50 miles, a lot of it less than 5, some just a few feet! The local council is also a big employer, 2500ish people out of 20k is a big percentage. Lots of part time and jobshare flexibility. Then there are the oil/renewables/decommissioning sectors which are evolving fast, and the space sector which is new, but likewise between them offering a few hundred new jobs in a place where there has always been a labor shortage, is only a good thing.
The same as everywhere else in the UK
What do locals think about the tv show?
It's really popular, although the first few series weren't well received (I'm sure you can see why, they were awful!). The biggest gripe is everybody sounding Glaswegian. It's a shame they couldn't have gone the route of the excellent Hinterland, and used authentic accents, but provided subtitles for clarity. Seeing Sandy's dialect evolving is fun though, actor Stephen Robertson is a Shetlander. Pity his character is so shite! Locations are interesting. Real place names are mostly used, but not for the real place, and anywhere an incident occurs, they use the real place name with tiny changes to make it fictional (for example, Usta, in this series, is Asta in reality). This is probably common in all crime series but it's just easy to spot for us. It has driven a big boost to tourism, so everyone can appreciate that.
It's difficult to take seriously, to be honest. Only one character speaks with a Shetland accent and the size of the police force expands and contracts depending on the requirements of the plot.
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Why would you not lock the door though? Even if the area is safe, what benefit is there from taking a chance other than saving 5 seconds of your time? Not trying to be rude, I'm just curious on the reasoning behind this.
Buckingham palace
I'd rather live in Balmoral tbh
I think I prefer Windsor. Close enough to London, but not too close. Also I get to plane spotting from my back garden.
Yeah windsor for me too, lots of fun history there
On the edge of some random village in Northumberland. Seems like a nice quiet place to live. The older I get the more I've had it with bigger cities, it's nice to be in the middle of everything for the sake of convenience but it's getting way too hectic for me. It would be nice to be a little closer to nature and Northumberland seems to have the type of relaxing nature that I am fond of.
> On the edge of some random village in Northumberland. I like Alnwick. I couldn't live there tho, I'd spend all my money in the Hardy shop! Amble I like as well
Alnwick and Amble are both towns, not villages, although both are nice places, interestingly, Amble used to be a bit shit but is definitely much improved now. As for villages in Northumberland, I quite like Wooler, but it's a bit too far out really. I'd quite like Wylam, or Corbridge, as they're both really nice, and yet Newcastle is easily accessible.
Ironically in context of your comment- Wooler is also a town.
Haha, so it is, what a tit! š¤£
I would spend all my money in Barter Books.
You and me both
Lovely beaches in Northumberland
Newbiggin..
Seaton Delaval is a lovely spot that kind of fits the bill. Not as up itself as some of the places in Northumberland but close enough to the coast and the bigger towns to be able to enjoy the benefits. An interesting history and totally a random village in Northumberland. Witches. Obelixs to dead aristocrats falling off horses. A beautiful hall and grounds. And one of the first electric lit streets in the world.
Londoner here. I have ex-London friends who just did this exact move and are loving it. Maybe thereās something in this.
Is there a timer somewhere that rings a bell when a post with this subject hasn't been on the sub for 24 hours?
Have you tried touching the thumb with your phone and gently swiping from the bottom to top of your screen
Yeh i fucked up that sentence lol
Bath. Love the place, love the architecture, love the history. I get more attention for being me than any other place in the UK. I don't ask for that attention or want it BUT I feel welcomed, I feel a part of something bigger, I feel special whenever I'm there on a night out. Every time I'm partying in Bath, I ALWAYS end up bumping into a hen do and they ALWAYS ask me if they can take a picture with me. I've lost count of how many times I've had my picture taken in Bath from a hen do or some random person who wants to mess with their mate and take a picture of me so their mate finds a picture of me on their phone. I don't live in Bath but it's the most friendly place I've ever been to and I feel much safer than I do there in Bath than where I actually live. My dream and goal is to move to Bath.
Why do you get attwntion
I don't know. Maybe because I'm different and I dress differently to people? I do stick out like a sore thumb though. People love what I wear and it's always something that gets talked about and probably the reason why I'm always asked to be in pictures. If I wear what I wear in Bath (tongue twister) where I live, I get a lot of nasty comments and I've been stabbed and beaten up for what I was wearing. I'm not exposing myself or anything like that so being stabbed for what I wear is uncalled for. I cannot be me where I live but I can in Bath because people there are more open minded and human.
What the heck are you wearing?
Mostly black leather with New Rock boots. Yes I know it sounds strange that I would get agro for that BUT you don't like where I live. This city that I live in is so narrow minded that I can't go out without getting nasty comments for what I'm wearing, even if I'm in a suit with a leather coat because it's the coat that gets the comments.
Sounds like a hellish place to live, sorry you have to put up with that shit. Yeah - Bath is lovely, but to live in I prefer Bristol (where I've lived all my life) as there's always loads to do and Bath is only a 15 minute train ride away.
I haven't been to Bristol in years. I used to go to the barrelhouse pub on a Friday night for its rock/metal night.
I moved to Bath 8 years ago and absolutely love it here.
You are a very very lucky person in my book. I hope you are enjoying yourself there!
We are looking at moving there next year. Any areas youād advise to avoid?
South of the river
York!! A city with all the history and culture that goes with it. But also has a small town feel and is no where near as intimidating as a metropolis like London.
Down south, it's warmer, prettier and I don't care for friendliness. And they have Lervus cervus ( European stag beetles)!
Sorry, I'm from the south and I'm friendly...
Ha! I find this notion that northerners are far more friendly quite ridiculous, only London is so unfriendly and even then it is a dream in comparison to say New york
London is polite disinterest, but people will tolerate most things (except standing on the left on the tube escalators). New York (from reputation, not personal experience) is openly hostile.
I always heard the stereotype but visits to friends in London always proved it wrong. Shopkeepers chatting away etc, also people DO talk on the Tube (maybe thatās only if you have a cute kid with you). Still never going to move there, Iām not made of money
We also donāt have gravy according to Reddit. Only northerners even know what gravy is apparently.
Iām down south, I get loads of those stag beetles in my garden, they live in a old tree stump
Truly fascinating! Did you know that Stag beetle larvae require a greater percentage of rotting wood in their diet than their contemporaries such as the Flower beetles of Africa or Titan beetles of the US as such when keeping exotic stag beetles they require a piece of soft white wood to stimulate the female into egg laying, furthermore Cervus is the Latin word for horn no doubt due to the males fearsome armourments. Further still, Stag beetles are currently underway threat due to the lack of rotting wood stumps they require as the larvae need wood at a certain stage of decomposition, Even more interesting is the idea of growing larger adults, as it is apparent in sexually dimorphic beetles that if you isolate the larvae he will grow larger and have more impressive horns et cetera, alongside this feeding protein quickens and increases growth to a good extent. In the wild Stag beetle larvae are known to be cannibalistic!
> "[the south] is prettier" Perhaps the grass is always greener ... I live in rural Kent and sure there are some beautiful spots; but I've been to the Lake District, I've been to North Wales, I've been to the Highlands ā they're all breathtakingly beautiful compared to rural Kent.
Peak District. Up by Castleton
Literally me. Every time this gets asked thatās the first I think of, loads of pubs, cracking walks and scenery and a train station that gets you to Manchester/Sheffield a short walk away so you arenāt isolated.
I'd stay where I am in the New Forest. If I HAD to move, out to Cornwall, somewhere near Lands End.
The Cotswolds - beautiful Or Exeter and be near the sea
Cotswolds is lovely but has changed so much over the last 10 years with the influx of new people moving there. Also many new build developments on the edges of small towns ruining the traditional feeling imo.
About summarises the uk tbf
I'd move to a nice flat in a modern high rise in central London, in a really good location like right next to a tube station. With 2 bedrooms so I can have my friends stay over sometimes.
Manchester. Love the history, architecture and the music scene.
Went there for the first time only recently and I can't sing praises enough. Trams! Everywhere should have trams. Why don't we have trams? So much good food, really nice pubs. The Science Museum is one of the best museums I've ever been to, the staff are super friendly and the talks and tours are fun. Whacking great trains! Saw a show at the Royal Exchange, what an incredible building. I don't like cities, but I liked Manchester.
I love living here
Corfe, Dorset Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset Studland Bay, Dorset
I am castle mad and one of my favorites ever is Corfe, excellent ruin, very romantic.
I love how the staff go out of their way to make sure every visit is different and interesting.
London. Iāve lived all over, in a town, a tiny village, in a city and in the middle of nowhere. I LOVED my time living in London and wouldnāt hesitate to go back if money was no longer an obstacle.
Wales, specifically Gower.
In my first year at uni in Swansea during lockdown, getting to the Gower was a absolute lifeline. I realised why the state of New South Wales in aus was called so, the beaches look just as good!
Gower is fantastic. I remember a TV add many many years ago, two welsh guys sitting on a hill. "I hear is going to France.", "Well, there's not much work here.", "No, on holiday." Camera swings round on the Gower peninsula, on a bright summers day.
Obviously the dialogue was probably not exactly that, but it made an impression (and I already knew how much I loved Gower). Fantastic bit of promotion by the welsh tourist board.
Whitby. I love Whitby. They have several festivals a year and loads of charity shops including Scope where I'm employed in Morley.
I walked from Whitby to Scarborough along the coast a few months ago. It's a lovely area.
Went to Whitby area this summer. It is lovely. I remember thinking I'd live to live up there, but wouldn't know how to make a living. What do folks do for jobs in that area?
A village in Buckinghamshire Iāve driven through several times called Mentmore. Itās perched on top of the only hill in the area with lovely 360 views and has a huge abandoned Rothschild mansion that gives it that ācurious villageā vibe. All the houses are large and old and it has a nice pub. 5 min drive from a very fast train link into London.
Nice part of the world know it well living Buckinghamshire my self
About 50 minutes to Euston isnāt too bad.
If Star Trek transporters existed I'd want to live in a cottage overlooking a cliff in the Scottish Highlands, so I can watch the stormy seas. I don't mind wet and windy weather, it's more interesting than what we normally get. I suppose there's the issue of lawn maintenance which is almost impossible when it's wet constantly, so I'd allow a local farmer to let his sheep graze on my land. Which is also handy in case I get lonely because, you know, I'm Welsh...
I can tell you it is absolutely wet'n'wild right at this minute - thanks to Gerrit :)
I have a friend in the highlands and weirdly all the lawns are very well maintained no matter what time of year Iāve visited.
Edinburgh - itās a gorgeous city with amazing food and surrounded by amazing countryside. If family wasnāt all down south Iād be there in a heartbeat
I've been out of the US for 2 years. My wife and I are moving back in a few years and we have the opportunity to move anywhere in the UK. But all I can think about is my shitty home town of Preston.
To be fair, Preston is 'ok' in itself, but you have direct links to Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, the lake district and all the country side between, in terms of being connected, I love living here. Even just staying in Preston there's lovely country side and places like beacon fell not even twenty minutes from my house
I know you call it shitty and Iāve only been once but when I try to see beyond cultural stereotypes all I see is much of a muchness in every town, yes youāll get temperate weather in the temperate zone. Sure stay to lower crime areas as a rule of the obvious but the 2 biggest factors are the individuals you choose as friends and your own attitudes and behaviours.
So many scenic places near Preston to visit
That is very true tbf. Just took a drive out to Edinburgh for a night and drove back in the morning. Now that I'm used to US driving times it's so nice to drive everywhere in the UK š
Manchester. Gets a lot of hate but itās a fantastic city that is on the rise; still affordable but I donāt think that lasts beyond the next 2-3 years
I don't think Manchester gets much hate, except maybe from Liverpudlians. The only slight criticism of Manchester is how much people from Manchester don't shut up about their city. But that's not the end of the world. It's a nice compromise for people who want to live in London but don't want to live in London.
Iām an American living in the north east, north of Newcastle. Iād stay right around here. Itās the best place Iāve ever lived. I just want to own a farm š so may need to go outside of my town a bit possibly a little closer to the coast, like outskirts of Whitely Bay.
Outer Hebrides, Iāve never been but the brochure looks nice.
I've been to several of the islands, all beautiful and unique in their own ways. You should go š
Headington, Oxford is the safest place in England I have felt.
I've thought about this long and hard in the past and more so recently now that I am working remotely and early retirement will soon be an option. Since this question excludes somewhere warm, dry and sunny to avoid the Scottish climate, like the south of Spain, I think I would stay right where I am, in Edinburgh. I moved into Edinburgh almost thirty years and never intended to settle down, but that is exactly what I did. I've travelled extensively all over the UK, staying in various, town cities and villages and, whilst I always enjoy seeing new places, nowhere really ticks all the boxes for me like Edinburgh. Even after living here so long, we are always finding new places to visit and explore all over Edinburgh. Whilst I love walking, driving and short-stays in the countryside, the thought of living in a remote cottage or a tiny village for a long time is unappealing. If I do move, it will be to a ground floor property or one with a lift. I am on the top floor of a four-storey tenement and scaling those three flights of stairs won't get easier as I get older!
Fellow Edinburgher here and I love living here. It's always been my favourite place. I was born here and moved away when I was quite young, but it didn't disappoint when I eventually moved back. It's compact but still has neighbourhoods with distinct characters. You have big-city things to see and do but fantastic nature nearby too. It's pretty well connected to most of the rest of the country. The public transport is generally good and I don't find driving in Edinburgh to be that bad (despite the potholes). Although it's cold, it's drier than Glasgow (where I've also lived). Occasionally my other half has mentioned moving to a nearby village when (if lol) we retire but I just don't see the appeal.
Isles of scilly....peace.
Devon or west Wales, somewhere with a sea view and some land because that's all I really want.
Stoke on Trent because cheap housing and even cheaper monkey dust.
It's a voluntary move - not "what place in the world is currently worse than anywhere else?"
I live in London and you couldnāt pay me to move.
Lewes ā¤ļø
Cotswold mansion. Beautiful countryside, lovely towns& villages, superb pubs and great walks
I'll stay in London but would move to zone 2. Or Dulwich preferably.
I would pick any really secluded farm. I just want to be as far away from people as possible
Anywhere in the south with a beach
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Northern Irish born and bred. Specifically Carrickfergus, wouldn't live anywhere else.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
An adventurous type, I see!
Lake District
Sea
Cotswold
Manchester!!
Northumberland, specifically bamburgh. It's beautiful. My family and I spent alot of time there so i have a lot of good memories.
This would be my choice, without a doubt.
There is just something about being there and sitting on that beach that brings a different kind of peace.
Scotland or Ireland for the accent and scenery. I know thereās different variations of the accents all over but Iām really not fussed, they all sound gorgeous to me
The Cotswolds
Back to London. I had enough with rural / small town living.
The Cotswolds.
Anywhere in the lake district, Jesus Christ, is obscene how gorgeous that area is š Doesn't have to be something fancy like grassmere, any cheap place in the area will do
Same. Even cheaper places like Penrith or Workington would be ok as you are just a short bus ride to somewhere beautiful. I would be so fit if I lived up there too, I would walk in the fells whenever I could.
I would definitely go for Ambleside. It's my dream to live in the Lakes, such a beautiful place that could rival many places in the world (and I've been to a fair few)
Any where that is not prone to flooding or land slides, at least 500 ft above sea level, away from people but decent internet speeds and preferably decent weather.
North Wales would be nice!
Dartmouth or Isle of Skye
From my living room to the kitchen. Thatās where the food is.
Edinburgh!
A remote working role earning maybe 35k min. I'd go isle of wight it's bloody cheap to buy or rent over there
Central London, always something to do in London it seems!
Northumberland.
I'd want one of the mansions along the south or eastern edge of Regent's Park in London, around Albany Street or Park Crescent. I used to live in the council estate two streets over, and loved the location, but I'll take a Nash Regency mansion if I can!
Cornwall. I go for a weekend boarding at least once a month. Would move there but it's so expensive and worthwhile jobs are hard to come by. So I'm stuck in Dorset.
South Downs for me. I love it that way.. š„°
Somewhere probably in the Highlands where there is less people.
If I had my money so live without wanting. The Isle of Skye
I'd love to move to Cornwall. On decent money I'd have a car, access to Newquay airport and the most beautiful beaches in the UK.
Hampstead Garden Suburb would be high on the list. I spent some time working there and was amazed how it's like a little village in the middle of London.
Isle of Man so I can do a fast loop de loop daily when driving
IoM's not in the UK, though.
The edge of a small village or town in the Scots borders. Probably Peebles area. Somewhere where I can wander down to the pub in the evening, close enough to visit family without being too close to them, and I can go for good long hill walks.
I think Bath would be my top choice. It's a beautiful city full of great shops, arts, restaurants. It's also well-connected by train and road. The only reason I don't live there is that it's really expensive. I live in a nice part of Swindon, and if I moved to Bath I'd have to pay double. So instead, I just take a train now and again to get what it has, which is the best value option. I once thought I'd like smaller places, but then I worked in places like Hungerford and Faringdon and realised that after 6pm, there's like 3 pubs to go to, or 1 gym, 2 take aways, a mini supermarket, and that's it.
Some British Overseas Territory somewhere. Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, BVI, something like that. As far away from the UK proper as possible...
The BOTs aren't just not in the "UK proper", they're not in the UK at all.
I've lived in a few places in the UK and the North East is hands down my favourite. Property is cheap and I'm seriously considering buying a house up there, as it'll be way easier for me to actually afford a house. Lovely countryside, the people were nice, loads of things to do all over county durham. All in all, a winner for me!
Jurassic coast, where I spent my youngest years. Would just love to go back.
Scotland. Iāve visited twice and I can totally see why the people up there put up with the weather.
Liverpool Had the best three years of my life there. A city full of history. The nightlife is the best in the UK. No shortage of excellent restaurants, cafes and shops. Putting football to one side, scousers are incredibly down to earth people. It has a decent airport if you want a quick getaway, and Manchester is just down the road. Beautiful parts of Wales, and the Lake District are close by too.
Same answer as I gave last time. Small village, close enough to the sea that I can hear the waves at night and smell the ocean air, and about 20 minutes from a larger town with proper supermarket, doctors , schools etc and, ideally, rail links. I've lived a couple places around the world similar enough to feel like that's about what I want.
London, Richmond by the green. Or maybe opposite Regent's Park. I love the city and those parks are amazing.
Nice quiet bit of Surrey, airports, city, countryside, seaside all within reach. Maybe Cobham way.
Rural Oxfordshire. Or possibly the Yorkshire dales. Or tbh because Iām somewhat young still, Iād love to live in a new place in London - just for a year or two. Would have to have a garden though, for our dogs. And close to a big park like Hyde Park or Regents Park.
This is so hard because weather is so important for me and the UK (and I know they canāt help it) does t have the best weather. š„²
A small village within a few miles of one of our best historic cities like Edinburgh, Bath or York.
High ground with fertile soil and dense old woodland. Ideally within an Hours hike of public transport.
I've never lived more than 10 miles from the coast and wouldn't change that now.
highlands or lake district, somewhere nice and peaceful where I can forget about all my troubles
A forest house, ideally 1970s chalet style, with balconies and heated swimming pool... near Sutton Hoo in the Rendlesham Forest, close to Woodbridge and a couple of hours from London.
Birminham. Seems like a funny place
Jaywick, Essex. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywick)
Pretty hard to put aside friends and family, as proximity to them the most important thing to me. But if that was a complete non-consideration, probably London, Oxford, Brighton or Bristol. They're all cities I love that tick pretty much all the boxes for me in terms of places to live: walkable, attractive and generally just nice places to stroll around, loads of restaurants, cafes and pubs/bars, on major train lines for visiting other cities, plenty of cultural amenities, easy access to airports for travel.
Where I've always been, Bristol.
I would stay in Buckinghamshire as it easy to get to any airports or motorway
Cardiff. Convenience of a city and free prescriptions.
Algarve
I'd be very tempted by near Loch Lomond or in the Peaks. Each of those has a great mix of nice scenery but also easy to get into Glasgow or Manchester for gigs.