Has anyone relocated to another part of the country on their own

4 years ago my DH and myself moved from Sussex to Devon. Lovely house but awful time. We didn’t know anyone and seemed to sense a lot of prejudice for some reason especially from builders, gardeners, carpenters etc who lived to rip us off when doing work, all seemed of the opinion we were millionaires or similar because we moved from Sussex! Nothing could be further from the truth. We found People weren’t friendly including most neighbours and stuck with ‘their own’ others that were born and bred in Devon or Cornwall.
We had heard they were like this in Cornwall but now realise that Devon is the same. Friends & Family had all said they looked forward to coming down for a holiday to see us but most didn’t bother in the end and DS who did found after one or two trips didn’t want to do the travelling again too often as it was too long especially if caught in road works. Covid lockdowns didn’t help making us feel more isolated and DH personality started changing and when we moved back to Sussex he was diagnosed with dementia which I hadn’t bargained for so am glad I’m back near family to be honest. I wished we had never moved down there (although I loved the home) but we bitterly regret wasting all that money on moving twice and the cost of buying and seller. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but we now realised we were fed up with lots of problems in our lives before the move and what we really needed was a month or so long holiday and change of scenery. If you’re really going to do this I wish you lots of luck and hope it makes you very happy but my advice would be to first rent a place wherever you are thinking of moving too and see if you like it and would fit in and feel comfortable and are happy with the neighbourhood, Doctors, hospitals, shops and buses etc.

I am in the process of moving back to my home town on the Kent coast, alone, after more than 50 years. I lived abroad for over 20 years, and in London for 30 years. I did join some local groups and forums before I moved, so have met new people, and I am still in contact with a couple of classmates from 1961. So far all good. Just need to get the London property sold, as I have already bought a house on the coast.

For financial reasons had to move from Hampshire where we had a bungalow with large garden in an active village to a small bungalow in an estate in a Norfolk. I even the cat didnt like it and soon died.

When I was nearly 13, I left home under the guise of going to school, but instead of getting on the school bus to Ecclesfield, I got the bus into Barnsley, then another to Manchester. I had the princely sum of 3 shillings and 7pence ha`penny on me. When I got to Manchester, I made my way across the city centre to Cannon Street, and got a bus to Bamford, where my grandma lived. I was a penny short for the fare on this last bus, but the conductor let me off. My grandma was shocked to see me, but I never went back to my mother`s.

We (late 60s) moved from a south London suburb to the centre of a market town in Hampshire two years ago - we are a few minutes walk from useful and interesting shops, doctor, small hospital, station. We are starting to feel part of the community here - it takes time, but I am so pleased we made the move.

I noticed OP said “alone” and yet lots of replies use “we” and clearly refer to a husband or partner.
It is a very different thing to do it alone as Grammaretto says, without even perhaps family in the area.

Moved on my own after a divorce to a town in the East Midlands, from Essex...only because it was the only place I could afford to buy outright. Then moved to Spain ....then to France for 25 years....my brother in the North of England died and I inherited his house .after Brexit made staying in France difficult I moved to North England ...love it ! after rural France it is great to have theatres, concert halls, cinema, shops (those that are left !) an international airport and a ferry for cruises ! would NEVER go back to a rural setting ! I have hospitals, doctors, even Banks (those that are left !again !).....am now 75 and do a lot of travelling whilst I still can !

I moved from France to the south coast on my own after living there for seven years. No family near by. I was lonely to begin with but soon got into volunteering and met new people including my current partner of 12 years. I was 65 at the time.

Some communities can be very closed and don’t like newcomers. I experienced this when we lived in Tasmania for a while. I suspect parts of Devon might be like this. Parts of mainland Australia are,too, or so I hear. That is possibly why some country towns are not doing so well.

Foxygloves

I noticed OP said “alone” and yet lots of replies use “we” and clearly refer to a husband or partner.
It is a very different thing to do it alone as Grammaretto says, without even perhaps family in the area.

I think there are nearly 20 posts from people who moved alone.

In later life, a partner may be someone for whom you are carer, perhaps making it harder to meet new people.

ALANaV, can I ask where you're living now?

Eighteen months ago I moved, on my own, from a village in Cambridgeshire to a Hampshire coastal town. DH had just died and my reasons were to be near family although I had to wait six months before DD and her husband returned from his Navy deployment.

I was too busy getting my life back on track and doing up my bungalow to feel lonely although there were moments when I would have loved somebody to chat to apart from my dog! I laugh now when I look back at those rather dismal winter months and remember not even having the confidence to drive to the local supermarket without using SatNav so I could hear a comforting voice! 😋

But I made it!! Joining U3a was definitely the right thing to do and by the time DD returned I had made some lovely friends and was enjoying a fledgling social life. The area where I live is known locally as God’s Waiting Room but I couldn’t care less. We’ve all got to wait somewhere!

Do I miss my old life? Some of it yes but I definitely did the right thing. You’re never to old for an adventure.

I'm definiely considering it. Preferably somewhere near a beach.