How did you decide where to retire?

We took the plunge and moved from London to Devon yesterday. As I sat on the train leaving Paddington I had mixed emotions, but life's what you make it and wherever you move to there will always be positives and negatives. We chose the area for the beautiful scenery, clean healthy climate, good transport links and enough activities to keep us entertained.
You will know where you feel most comfortable when you visit places but like others have said, the best way is to draw up a short list by process of elimination.

If you do see a town or village which you really like, I would advise visiting in the winter to see who lives there full time! Many pretty places look completely different on a cold, dark, winters day!

Could you take a few coach trips to various places, staying at hotels for a few nights? You might get the 'feel' of a place which may help. OTOH it may make you more indecisive,

Good heavens, you need to take a good look at your social life and friends before dashing off to the wilds.

I agree Riverwalk. City centres can be perfect places to live. My DD2 can drive but doesn't as she hates it so much. She's told me that once DGD2 goes to uni (she's nine!) they intend to move into the centre of Norwich which has all the facilities they need and appreciate plus the transport links to the rest of the country.

At least supermarkets deliver now. We have no need of the service here but I think we may use it in Suffolk.

As you've been living abroad for many years and have a London flat but no real ties here, have you considered the advantages of retiring in London? If you'd been here for decades and looking to 'escape to the country' that would be a different matter.

I too love market towns but nothing would drag me from London as it has all that I enjoy in life. Maybe one of the outer suburbs that are now London boroughs but physically/historically in Herts, Surrey, Kent, etc. Many of them are villagey in atmosphere and architecture but at the end of the train/tube line!

From what I know about couples where one is a non-driver this can be quite an issue as you get older.

Travelling around the UK there are so many lovely little towns it must be a real problem to decide which direction to head in if you've no ties.

Perhaps a luxury caravan and turn gypsy for a while until something really grabs you!

We live in a Midlands city but even after nearly thirty years, it isn’t our home town. We are moving very shortly to a village near Bury St Edmunds - nice market town, not too far from London and closer to both children.

This is something we are thinking about too. Probably the Cotswolds as we can do an easy commute back to London when needed. Pricey but lovely countryside !

I'm in Northumberland and recommend Alnwick, the seat of the Duke of Northumberland - Harry Potter fans will know it. We have fantastic beaches and unlike the south coast, they aren't overcrowded. Alnwick is a small town and has a hospital, dentists, supermarkets, a huge second hand book store in the old Alnwick railway station, a bus station - and the cinema is just being renovated. As the area has a low population, the shops are basic - you have to get the bus or train into Newcastle for the major stores. No aircraft noise as we aren't on the flight path. There are old and new houses. I've met people who have moved here from all over the country including Cornwall. Amble is another popular 'relocation' town. Has a lot going for it, but it is seriously cold in the winter, I've got used to it now but was horrified when I moved up here 20 years ago.

What about Colchester? It's a big place so you'd be all right if you had to give up driving but not so far from London that you couldn't get back easily to visit for the day.

Near the coast and easy to get into the rural areas as well.

Properties are cheaper there too.

We are still where we moved to when our children left home. My DH still works part time in the Co-op here. He wants to wait until he is 70, in a couple of years time.

I think the time is about right now though, as things need doing in the house.

If we do stay here, I want a new kitchen and bathroom which will be costly.

I live in a London suburb and retired around 18 years ago and I have no intention of moving unless it is to a care home. Where I live it is so quiet I feel at times I am living in the country. I am not far from Heathrow but not on its flight path.

My local hospital is 2 miles away, my GP, dentist, optician all within a short bus journey. When I can no longer drive a large supermarket is a short taxi ride and there are local shops about 10 minutes walk away.

A friend of mine retired to be near her family around Berwick but she has had to drive her sister to Newcastle hospital for cancer treatment daily for 6 weeks and that is a 130-mile round trip. It is places like that which should be factored in as well as local transport, entertainment and places to eat.

We moved, mainly because we lived in the university area of a big town and over the 15 years we lived there the university expanded so much and 24 hour drinking came in, so instead of just having noisy Saturday evenings, we had noise and vandalism 24/7. However we only moved 20 miles so that we could still do the things we always did and keep up with friends in the area.

If I lived in London and the only driver was a nervous driver, I would stay in the London area. Not necessarily the centre, but get to the leafy suburbs, especially within the green belt. All the advantages of country living and all the facilities of a great city as well, tubes, suburban trains, an extensive bus network and the endless cultural opportunities.

Do most people move when they retire then everyone I knows just retires where they are ?

@dinahmo thank you, will check out Bury St Edmunds and Woodbridge. Hope you are happy in France.

I can understand your reasons for wanting to leave London, we don't regret it one bit.

Do you have friends or family in other parts of the country? Could you ask them to do the research for you? If you take the right approach it is quite easy to make new friends wherever you go so don't worry about that.

May I suggest a suburb of one of the big conurbations? You would then still have access to many facilities and have good public transport. Not many offer as good free facilities as the Freedom Pass but many of them do have something more than the basic bus pass.

When we decided where we wanted to live we chose somewhere very convenient. We live in a cul de sac just off a main road and near a good parade of shops. If, or when, we can't drive everything we need will be close by.

Good luck

Thank you so much everybody, what a brilliant response with lots for me to think about. Husband and I have been working abroad for many years so although we are temporarily back in our old London flat, London holds no ties for us. Many good points made by you all, thanks again.

One thing to be considered is entertainment. We used to live in Suffolk and could easily get to London, Norwich and Cambridge, not to mention smaller towns like Ipswich, Bury St Edmonds and also Snape Maltings was on our doorstep. I made a resolution 30 years ago that we would go to something every week, even if it was just the cinema. It's the only resolution that I've managed to keep, until moving to rural France where it is much more difficult. We're both keen on contemporary dance, ballet and modern jazz and do miss it.
I'd recommend B St E or Woodbridge in Suffolk, both of which have reasonable train links. Bus services are quite good during the day and the beer (Adnams) is excellent.

I am from Canterbury but wouldn’t move back there now. It’s far too busy and you’d starve to death on the High St except for M&S. It’s mostly tourist tat and stuff aimed at students.

If that area appeals, I’d suggest Faversham. It’s friendly, has decent shops, a mainline station and plenty to keep you busy.

@Nina - you may be right about Kent traffic but I think that it is similar in many places. The point about Canterbury is that you just don't need a car as everything is walkable and public transport is so good. OP isn't keen on driving so sounds like a good fit. Also, if she is moving from London, I think a rural village in Norfolk or Yorkshire would be a bit of a culture shock and too far away from her friends and family in London.

Do you have many friends where you live now? If so, I would consider moving out not too far from London, so you can all still meet up regularly. (perhaps on a train route into Kent or Sussex.) That's of course IF they are likely to want to do that. It is not easy for some people to make new friends, but of course not every needs or wants friends. That is one thing to consider.

Do you have close family anywhere, if so I would ask their opinion. You could move within half hours drive, not on their doorstep.

You could consider selling up first, putting essentials into store, and renting somewhere for 6 months. I agree a small city or market town would be better than a village, especially as you may no longer wish to drive at some point.

For me sunshine and warm weather is important. We are in Suffolk which doesn't have much rain. I used to be in Devon, which is green for a reason, especially in winter. Lots to consider, exciting times.

Your decision should of course take into account any children or grandchildren, but please don't make them the sole reason for a move. I have several friends who moved to be close to family, only to find the children then moved (for work), with another friend their DiL broke away and took GCs with her, and another is so disappointed at the lack of involvement with GCs they want to move back. It's a mine field.

I suppose how much you have to spend on a property partly dictates where you decide to retire, plus where family live and what type of retirement lifestyle you hope to have. Also a cottagey type of property might be great when you’re newly retired, but not so practical as you age. Plus how much or how little garden, stairs, etc. etc.

We still live in our market town, but moved from a house to a bungalow. DS and family moved back here when GC were small as the schools are good, DD lives in Australia so it is good to be near one of them.