Reflections on Our Move to the Countryside, Two Years On
It’s been exactly two years since we moved into our home. After months of living out of a suitcase while renovating, we officially moved in late June, to spend a long hot first summer in our new home in the countryside. I can’t quite believe that this is our third summer here.
Now, more than ever, I feel so happy that we made the decision to move here. During lockdown, I’ve felt so lucky that we are surrounded by hills, fields and woodland. We’ve been able to spend time in nature throughout the pandemic, thanks to our kind neighbours who allowed us to place a gate from our property into their private woodland, giving us a place to roam even at the beginning, when I felt nervous going for a longer walk. As lockdown progressed, we have discovered new paths and new places as we’ve explored our local area. I’ve discovered a new favourite spot, a quiet lake where I’ve been swimming as often as I can. I love living in a rural environment, and although I already knew this, the pandemic has made me appreciate it so much more.
Due to the current circumstances with the pandemic, more people than ever before are toying with the idea of upping roots and making the move from the city or suburbs to the countryside. I’ve been having lots of conversations recently about how our new normal will affect decisions of where to live. When working from home has become the norm and you’ve got used to living without cafes, bars and restaurants, your priorities change. Over the past year I’ve definitely experienced FOMO when I’ve seen my friends hanging out together in the city where I used to live, or been frustrated at how long it takes me (and how expensive it is!) to get to work. There have been times when I’ve missed the choice and convenience of having so many places to eat, drink and shop on my doorstep. The past three months have made me realise that (for me) there are more important things. I love being surrounded by nature.
The pandemic has forced me to think about where I live from a different perspective but even if things were normal, I’d feel the same. This move was the best decision I ever made. I used to spend my evenings and weekends seeking out green spaces, driving to parks and nature reserves, or heading out of the city in search of fresh air and space to stretch my legs. I don’t know why it took me so long to realise we could just move to the countryside and live in a place that I loved, rather than just visiting for the weekend.
If you’re thinking of making a similar move, it’s definitely sensible to think things over in detail for a long time before making the plunge. Some of these are practical - do you have a car? what is the public transport like? can you get to work easily? - but you also need to consider if living in the countryside fits in with your life. Will you miss living close to your friends and family? Will you miss city life? What parts of your life do you prioritise? I’ve said before that I wish I’d made this move sooner but in reality, I moved at the right time. Where I live is right for me now, it probably wasn’t right for me five years ago.
I’ve previously wrote about why we moved and the realities of countryside living. If you have any questions, leave a comment below!
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