Saturday 17 August 2013

Loving rural life.

I have lived by the west Wales coast of Cardigan bay all of my life.  Even though I have moved numerous times all the homes I have lived in have been within a few miles of each other.  The beauty of Wales has captured my heart and I love living in this area.

Whilst the area may be lacking in some ways such as poor public transport links and no large city centres and shopping outlets for miles that may put some people off the area, the beauty of the area, relaxed way of life and gorgeous surrounds overpower those downsides for me.  Being a proud Welsh woman and feeling privileged to live in such stunning surroundings I consider the west Wales coast to be a special place to live. 



One of the main reasons I love this area and consider it a special place to live because it is a beautiful rural area that showcases Mother Nature at her best.

I love the stunning coastal shores and beautiful beaches.  There are a number of gorgeous beaches within a few miles from our home where I have amassed numerous memories of fun times at the seaside……one of my best memories of being at the beach was Lee proposing to me on Penbryn beach where we had spent a few romantic hours together enjoying the sunny weather, golden sand and splashing in the sea.


I admire the gorgeous woodlands that are the perfect backdrop for country walks.  



I also love the expansive green landscapes with lush green fields surrounding our home everywhere we look.



Living in the countryside I also appreciate the wondrous wildlife that also call this area home.  With numerous farms in the area Bug loves seeing the cows, sheep, goats and horses that are a frequent sight in the fields. 



The magnificent castles, historic properties are a stunning sight and wildlife centres and nature reserves a great place to go for a walk and enjoy the idyllic, quiet country lifestyle in this area.



Whilst the stunning surroundings of this area is what makes it special to me another reason why I think this area is special is the close community and friendly people.  I love the strong community spirit we have here and feel privileged to be part of the community.  Even though I cannot personally attest to how our community welcomes incomers being born and bred here, I know that Lee as a non-native felt welcomed by the friendly community and says this area the finds the people in this area very friendly and have warmly welcomed him and accepted him as an adopted local.

Another bonus to living in this quiet countryside is that crime rates are low.  Whilst I cannot claim the area is crime free the low crime rates and rarity of serious crimes makes this an area that I feel us safer to raise children compared to areas with high crime rates and where serious crimes are commonplace. 

Being a proud Welsh woman who adores the Welsh language I love hearing Welsh and even though the language may be dwindling in some parts of Wales I think the language is still strong in this area with the older generation still supporting Welsh language and little ones learning it in schools.


I also love the schools in this area and think education is thriving in this area with the development of new hub schools that combine a number of small primary schools into one larger school (which in comparison to primary schools in a large city is still relatively small) that incorporates new facilities to provide children with a fantastic education.

Having always wanted a family I have always hoped and wished to raise a family in this area as I think the area is perfect for raising children.  After briefly considering moving to Leeds to live with Lee and start a family with him there where we thought work opportunities and social facilities and opportunities would be better we decided the specialness of this area overshadowed the lack of work etc. and would be perfect to raise a family. 

Now that we have Bug we love raising him in this rural area where he is thriving from being able to enjoy the great outdoors, learning about wildlife as we get to meet lots of animals on our adventures and socialising with other little ones in the friendly community children’s groups.  We are hoping to move soon but as we love the area so much we hope to stay in the same area.  At the moment we rent but one day we would love to buy a home to call our own where we can raise our family with our home being the heart of the family.

Hopefully having a home that we can call our own will be something we can achieve in the not too distant future.  When the time comes to dip our feet in the property market we will have to consider our financial budget, gain financial advice and check out a mortgage calculator to help us achieve our dream of buying our own family home.

When the day comes that we can get on the property ladder as well as considering financial matters, even though I have lived in this area all of my life there are a number of things that I would consider when looking for our ideal family home in this area; things that I consider to be important for all first time buyers who already live in the area to consider when looking to buy their ideal first home.  I also think there are a number of things that people looking to move to the area from away should consider when looking for a property to buy in the area.  For people considering moving to the country and wanting to enjoy the beauty of this area near the coast of Cardigan bay I would highly recommend it.  As the quiet country life here is not for everyone, for people considering moving here I would recommend a few things to consider when contemplating a move to the west Wales coast. 

*  Get to know the area.
With the vast area here being very rural outside of the small towns that scatter the mainland I would highly recommend getting to know the area you are considering buying a property in as well as the surroundings areas taking into account the facilities within the area and whether it meets your needs in terms of schools, public transport links, shops, distance to shops and other amenities.

*  Consider distance to schools, shops and other amenities.
As mentioned above the area here is very vast and rural and as such many houses within this area are miles away from schools, hospitals, shops and other amenities.  With shops and amenities being miles away from most houses when looking to buy a property in this area you would have to consider what facilities you want to live near and if you are happy with the distance between your home and amenities such as shops, hospitals etc.

*  Be aware of poor transport links.
In the open countryside in this area there is a lack of commuter links and public transport is poor.  The nearest train links start at the top of the county over 30 miles away from our home or in the neighbouring county of Carmarthenshire with the train station located over 30 miles away too.  Public transport via buses is also very poor with bus routes only covering the main roads, connecting the main towns to each other.  We live off of the main road and have a number of miles to cover to even reach public transport in the form of buses therefore we rely on our own car.  When looking for a property in this area I think it is important to consider the lack of public transport and if you rely on using public transport and/or cannot drive I would advise considering properties that are near public transport links so that you can access public transport without too much difficulty.  With the area being so rural and with poor public transport I would say that driving is paramount unless you live by a public transport route or in one of the towns in the area.

*  Check on the developments and boundaries.
With farmland and undeveloped land being rife in this rural area checking on new developments and the status of undeveloped farmland surrounding properties you are considering is advisable so that you are aware of any upcoming developments to the land surrounding that may affect you in the long run if you were to buy said property.  Also with it being a rural area it is advisable to check boundaries and rights to access to public paths and trails to prevent any surprises down the line that may affect your decision to buy the property.

*  Be prepared for slow moving property markets.
On the whole rural property markets can be slower moving with property chains slowing the process of buying your dream house.

*  Consider jobs in the area.
Unless you are retiring and wanting to enjoy retirement in the quieter pace of life here finding a job in the area will be foreseeable.   Even though the job market on a whole in the UK is lacking the downside to the job market in this area is that due to the rural location having to travel many miles to work is often commonplace and the cost of travelling to and from work has an impact on finances.

*  Older properties.
With most countryside properties being older if you are considering making home improvements or extensions make sure that they would comply with planning regulations to prevent being restricted in the future when you attempt to go ahead with your plans and end up with a property you cannot alter.

But it is not all doom and gloom, the above are only points to consider and there are many benefits to living in the area.  As well as the reasons I mentioned at the beginning; gorgeous surroundings, friendly community, great schools and low crime rates, another bonus to buying a property in this area is that house prices on average are lower than the average prices in the UK making properties here a lot more affordable.  A major advantage of buying in the country is that you will more than likely be able to afford a bigger property than you would be able to in a city and you will also benefit from more outdoor space with the property too.

If you are considering moving to the sticks to enjoy a calmer and peaceful way of life in beautiful surroundings the west Wales coast is a special place to live.  Living in the country is not without its sacrifices but the fresh air, stunning surroundings and relaxing pace of life are amazing rewards that make living in the country amazing.

8 comments:

  1. I would love to live in the country side,I have lived all my life in south London but as I am getting a little older now would love the slower pace of Life

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    1. Living in the countryside is lovely and we do love the slower pace of life but the lack of public transport and shops can be too much for a lot of people to put up with.

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  2. We live rurally too, I can't cope in cities and I love the beauty of our British countryside. The public transport is rubbish and there's no decent shops but I wouldn't swap it for the world!

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    1. So true, I find when I do go to a city shopping it is more enjoyable and a lovely treat because we do not have it on our doorstep.

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  3. Wales looks lovely. I'm in coastal Norfolk and it's a lovely quiet life here too :)

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    1. Thanks you it really is. I have never been to Norfolk but I have heard it is lovely there.

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