Life in a tiny village

This is one awesome blog article.Really thank you! Really Great.

Very nice write-up. I definitely love this site. Keep it up!

Hi dear, I just found your wonderful blog and I’ve read your posts for like 2 hours now (and I’m not done yet). I’m trying to slow down and live a still, peaceful, more meaningful life even though I’m living in a very big city. But, every day I think about how great it would be to move out to the countryside and live with nature, far away from stress, shops and millions of people. In a few years I hope it’ll come true. I also want to thank you for your very good advice on how to start living a slow life. I’ve been sitting with my pencil and notebook, writing like crazy while reading your posts. So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you <3

Wow, your experience of rural life sounds horrific! I’m counting myself lucky we live in our little community with it’s nearby towns and public transport.

Growing up in a village, (albeit the tiny, horrible, inbred, snobby village of Mawdesley in Lancashire) I can say that after the age of 10 all the benefits were outweighed by the sheer hassle of living somewhere so obscure. Daily things like getting to school, college, meeting friends, long commutes to work, was a real chore. You couldn’t just hop on a bus, there were no buses, or trains, or anything. It was impossible to gain any independence, you had to be ferried everywhere by your parents – and that’s if they would. Always feel I missed out on my youth by having grown up in such an isolated rather lifeless place as Mawdesley.

Personally I found living in the countryside a very lonely, alienating, not to mention a very boring existence. No one lived anywhere near where I did so it was a very easy place to end up completely alienated.
Life in Mawdesley depended entirely on the car. No local amenities, no public transport, no pavements, and miles from anywhere. Because the surrounding countryside in Mawdesley was so horrible (flat, featureless bog land) we often drove miles out of the village to find somewhere nice to walk or cycle. God knows why my parents choose such a grim place to live, given that it was so expensive, even then.

If you weren’t an inbred farmer type or from a millionaire family then you were out of place in Mawdesley. I was from neither. Very weird place to grow up.

Ah, the being within walking distance of shops is what I hate. The nearest one to us is only 2.5 miles away, but there’s several huge hills (not really safely walkable with the bendy road) between us and it, the rest are 7 miles away, so everything is done by car. I do miss being able to just go for a walk round a village – we’re in between 3 – it’s more like a trek to walk anywhere, and just boring fields. (I was brought up in a large village)

But the life is lovely, especially for children

Thank you, it was and now I think I’m ready to adjust back. I think….it’s such a big decision.x

Ahh love this post, and the last caption about it being good for the soul is so heart warming. It’s so true and I think doing all those things with little ones makes you so grateful for the simple things in life. Watching your little ones outside just playing makes you feel so free.mlovely post. ️Xxx

I love that you wrote that driving out to get wine is always worth it…yes, yes it is. And I also really badly want a neighbour like Mary. An hours commute with my little ones in tow would freak me out too, but that is probably just because Pearl is not a fan of being in the car for more than 10 minutes. Hoping she grows out of this. Curt is likely going to have to commute to Manchester when we move back (though first I need to work on actually persuading him that he wants to leave Aus and all the world class surf breaks! Bit harder for him as he is a South African and England is not his home), That or I am living in hope he may consider a career change into farming and work with my Dad on his farm! A girl can dream, right xxx

Haha yep, people suck and people rock regardless, it seems! Pet rabbit stealers sound like the worst!!
I think having a baby out here would be a totally different experience to what I had in the city. Perhaps I’ll try it out one day… 😉 x

Ah, it feels like no time at all since we were exactly where you are! I think if it’s calling to you, it’s the right move, and things will happen.
Wishing you lots of luck in your big changes! Looking forward to following along 🙂 xx

Well, this is the eternal question that has been tearing us apart for some time now, so your experience will be read, and re-read for useful guidelines and inspiration as we try to change our way of life. We have not succeeded much so far – still pretty much in the urban grinder we are, tied to jobs, schools and what not… But we have faith and reading that others have had successful moves and shifts in life is encouraging. Wishing you a pleasant ride to school today and a lovely week-end ahead!

We have definite dreams of moving to the countryside, with our three lovely daughters. But for now, we live in San Francisco, a wonderful bustling city, the city I grew up in. I live with nostalgia for the “good ole days” of San Francisco, when it was not so “techie”. We would love to buy a farm, but we are kind of stuck here for now, so for now, I will just live vicariously through your posts and pictures. Thank you for sharing, Sara!

I do love the look of your village. I am a city girl at heart but growing up in Auckland, NZ, I was pretty lucky to have the best of both worlds. Wild beaches nearby, lush rain forest, a big rose garden and a city centre only a short drive or bus ride away. Now these days, I do love London terribly but wonder how people cope here when they have babies or are old. Hmmm. One thing I have learnt from living on both sides of the world. You can have lovely neighbours (who you drink wine with in the garden) or horrible neighbours (who cut down your beloved trees and steal your pet rabbit) on both sides of the world. Stay away from anyone who threatens your hen! x Charlotte

When Frieda flees for the big city, she doesn’t know, but we are going with her! We love country life, but fancy city life when we’re old.

I love hearing from people who did the opposite, because it’s exactly what I imagine Orla will do. I like the idea of ‘someday I’ll head back’; I hope she’ll grow up to go anywhere she wants, but to always call this place home x

Crossing my fingers for you too! Moving to London must have been a pretty huge adjustment! Hope your forever home finds you soon x

Ah, I know Lyme Park well, mainly from my teenage re-enactments of Pride and Prejudice 😉 Having little ones definitely makes things like green space and snowfall feel more important, doesn’t it? This winter was Orla’s first sledging experience – one day the snowfall was so heavy I had to abandon the car and Rory came and met us with the sledge! Only an ex-city girl would find that joyful! 😀 x

I can’t imagine moving back now! It’s funny how quickly we adapt, isnt it? x

Ah Kate, this makes me sad for you, though I’m sure you’re loving lots about living in the city too! They both have their upsides for sure. Come & visit us here, and have a bit of a countryside top-up sometime! xx

See, I suspect this will be Orla’s view as she grows older. I’m pretty much resigned to the idea that she’ll flee for the city as soon as she’s old enough, and never look back. I hope she’s always glad to come home for visits though, and always knows its here when she wants it 🙂
Starbucks is overrated, but the job opportunities is a real sticking point. I hope you get a mini escape to the seaside soon! xx

Village life sounds amazing!! I currently live in a small town that I actually grew up in. When I was younger I hated how little there was to do, but now I don’t mind it too much, although my mind does wonder to life near a beach more than necessary. And I do wish we had a Starbucks! I do wish there was more job opportunities as well.

Such a beautiful little village, Sara! I’m so glad you’re exactly where you want to be. We’ve just had to move back to the city after nearly two years of blissful life in the country (it’s a renters life). I miss life in our little valley so very much, the horses and foxes, the quiet and the sky.

I’ve only just moved into the city from the countryside and I’m already looking forward to moving back again. You just can’t beat the country for a sense of calm and serenity.
http://www.thesnugblog.com
x

Lovely post with gorgeous photos. My husband and I moved to a rural location last September when we found out I was expecting. I really love the quiet, and we’re so lucky to have Lyme Park around the corner. When my little one arrives and he’s old enough I can’t wait to take him to the park for sledging on those hills in the snow 🙂 I too work in city, and grew up in Manchester so I totally get why you love the countryside. X

I’m originally from the countryside moved to London and have been here 6 years. We’re now in the process of trying to move back- fingers crossed something crops up soon (I think we’re very nearly there…)
K.
http://www.wonderingthrough.co.uk

Such a lovely account – and much of it sounded very familiar! I actually did the opposite – I grew up in the Peak District and escaped to the city, but I’m sure one day I’ll head back in the other direction. The little things really do make rural life special – whenever I visit my home village I love breathing in the fresh air, listening to the owls and seeing the stars.

Five years! You’re way ahead of me 🙂 Ducks and hens are such a great pleasure, and so full of character.
You put it perfectly; people are just people, wherever you go. The good thing about living is the country is there are less of them, so it’s easier to figure out who the bad ones are and keep out of their way 😉 xx

Well I’m glad I’m able to help you out with the dream, at least a little bit ;). You should definitely come and stay one day!
It wasn’t a silly question at all. It’s a really annoying glitch! Argh! xx

Yes! We got a whole lot more house for our money out here than we would have done in a villagey-city area. I grew up in an area just like that and loved it. I think the tipping point for us was the realisation that, though the cinema and bars were near enough, we never actually went out to them because of Orla! Haha! x

Thanks Helen. Great minds! 😉 x

We left suburbia five years ago and never never have we looked back.
People are people, good and bad, wherever you live (this very morning, the padlock on the honesty box for the church stall had been broken). My dream of keeping hens a reality now with ducks flying in daily for brunch.
Your post is thought provoking Sara, with gorgeous photos, as always.

You’re living my dream life 🙂 I would love more than anything to escape city life and live in a small English village. Sigh. I’m thankful that I can live that dream vicariously through your blog!

I love this post. At the moment, we’re very happy in the city – we’re in a bit which feels like a little village and is surrounded by riverside walks and trees – but part of me is aware that we could so easily swap the 31 years remaining of our mortgage for a completely mortgage free life in the tiny town my mum lives in. On the other hand: there’s no cinema there…

Lovely photos, I took a pic of that door with the 1950’s fabric too!