Moving house, doubts creeping in!!!

Depends on where in WALES you intend going, town or village, North or South
Same as others suggest, IF you have never been, do not even think about moving there until you have spent time

It is similar up here in Fife, the village along from us "our watering hole" as it has twelve pubs our town only has three :-)

I got friendly with an old man 7O odd, he moved into the village when he was five
At his funeral a couple of years ago, it was mentioned he was an "incommer"
as it was mentioned often in the pub Old John an incommer
He only lived there 79 years, worked there too, but was NEVER one of them
and he was Scottish from a town not far away

I stand no chance, being English, but they like the money I spend and know I am only there for the beer not intending to settle :-)

As an incommer myself to Scotland, I am now a respected and welcome person in the area, but it did take a lot of work for a few years, to become accepted
If you are having to move there then well and good GO and make a go of it
If it is just a dream rural cottage, then visit many times first and then make your decission

Jack McH

 

. I seem to remember that Val was thinking of somewhere around Hay-On-Wye, rather than the peaks of Snowdonia.

There are plenty of holiday cottages which will let you take dogs, Val. Why not take an extended vacation and get to know the place? Go in the winter so that you see things in the worst of the weather as well as the pretty season.

If you're really only thinking of going in order to be close to your children, beware. Make sure you have realistic expectations. OH has an auntie who upped sticks to be with her daughter a year or so ago. She's now in the process of moving back where she started. Her daughter works full time, so with the best will in the world she couldn't be much of a companion to her mum, and auntie missed her old friends.

PS Here's the Tanat Valley in Shropshire, just over the Welsh border, to prove that it doesn't always rain:-

 

But then, the English got rid of the last real Prince of Wales a long time ago. Can't imagine Llywelyn being fazed by a bit of bad weather.

Llywelyn the Last - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Where was that, then, JWK? I was brought up on a farm just outside St Davids. I would say it's stunningly beautiful from March through to October but the dark, stormy winter months are tricky when it's dark at 4 and the SW gales roar through the branches. Also, it's the first in the line of fire when the big wet clouds come rolling in off the Atlantic. It is very rural, but sports and culture are available in St Davids, there are strong local communities to get involved in, and of course nature is resplendent and all-encompassing.

Most of Wales is amazingly beautiful - just try driving north on country roads from, say, Llandovery, or take the A40 east to west.

I think there's a big divide between North and South. My experience of the North is that they're a grumpy bunch who don't like any outsiders; even South Wales people are included in that group. I think the only way to get respect and integrate into those communities would be to fully commit to learning Welsh fluently. If I went to live there I would consider that an absolute must.

Things are a lot more relaxed in South Wales though their national pride and love of the Welsh language is just as strong. The St Davids area has many native Welsh speakers and it is the language of the local farming community through N Pembs up into Cardiganshire and beyond. Historically, though, there has always been a stream of incomers, from Viking invaders to medieval pilgrims to modern caravanners and retirees "from away"; the economy and society of the area benefits from it so I don't think anyone would encounter closed attitudes there. I still think learning Welsh would be the decent thing to do, though.

As for acceptance, I think it is the same everywhere. Friendly, open folk, will usually be given a friendly open welcome. Having said that, my family come from South Pembs originally, and are not native speakers of Welsh. Despite having been in situ for 80 years or so, there's still a slight feeling that we are part of the Englishry. Ah well.

Back the moving to Wales problem. If it was me, the main problem would be lack of contact with the friends and facilities provided by big towns. It's worth considering how far you are from a motorway or dual carriageway which will waft you to where you might want to be. For example, St Davids is a full hour's drive from the nearest major trunk road so getting there and away is a major undertaking. Abergavenny, however, has good links to the M50, and much of Carmarthenshire would be pretty accessible to the M4. I would think about a small town or big village within 30 minutes drive of Cardiff or Swansea - and think about how you would manage if you became disabled of the price of petrol becomes unaffordable. I would want to have some shops and a doctor's surgery within walking distance, ideally.

If you want to do things like evening classes, theatre/cinema visits, specialised hobbies etc, proximity to a big town is essential. If you want to do gardening , bird-watching and breeding prize alpacas then rural isolation is much more acceptable, especially if you have a partner/family to bring along.

If you would be moving to be nearer to family then I can only see the move as enhancing your life, but you would still need to think about activities to do independently and ways to make friends etc. Hay on Wye is fairly lively little place with more assets then the average little market town, I would think.

Going on holiday there would be an excellent idea - try going in the winter months. If you can hack it then, you could hack it any time!

 

I recommend Jan Morris' Wales: Epic Views of a Small Country as a excellent read for anyone who has an interest in things Welsh.

Wales Epic Views of a Small Country: Amazon.co.uk: Jan Morris: 9780140274844: Books

 

Could it have been Long House near Trefin, that has a fine cromlech, don't remember any railings though.

My father grew early potatoes for many years, as the mild climate gave them an edge over the Lincolnshire crops. That all finished now, with potatoes being flown in from all over the world.
My brother still grows a range of salad and maincrop spuds, though.

 

Might have been cut down for the War Effort.

 

St Davids is full of coach parties in summer.

This site has most stones on it The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map

Mrs Scrungee's relatives had a holiday cottage in Wales, but they were Welsh and the only problems they had was from English hippy squatters.

 

Don't go here,

 

or here:

http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.com

or here, even longer:

http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgoge...lgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.co.uk

 

I think the name is a bit of a sham,unfortunately. It was cooked up as a way of getting curious tourists to visit. It was originally a model of brevity: Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll.

 

Like all those signposts everywhere in Wales pointing to somewhere called Llwybr Cyhoeddus but you can never actually find the flippin place.

 

Thanks everyone for all your advice, the reason I am going to Wales is because my Son and daughter-in-law have settled in Brecon and they really want me to live closer to them. Can't take a holiday there first, 3 dogs plus a cat plus 2 aquariums plus 1 parrot plus 1 cockatiel make it kinda difficult!!!!
Anyway I have decided that I AM going, I went to the estate agents today and my house is being valued etc on Monday!! All the pets are coming with me and all being well I am hoping to relocate to Hay on Wye!!

Val