Living in the Wye Valley ....

Will I miss Flat whites, humous and craft ale?

What? It's posh AF down there. There are fancy big houses scattered all over the hills, I'm sure they get their craft ale from somewhere. You should probably go and check it out first...

Staunton out-bikes Peaslake all day long.

All other considerations seem covered.

Go for it.

Will you miss craft ales? :

https://www.wyevalleybrewery.co.uk/

Heading down there is weekend for mooch as only ever biked in the area, agreed the biking is decent! though Redlands pretty dang good on my doorstep right now.

Chepstow or Monmouth would be local towns - so need to get a feel for these.

Will I miss Flat whites, humous and craft ale and Peaslake ?

I love the Surrey Hills, for those of us in the South East it is a fantastic place to ride. But Wye Valley, FoD, proximity to all that Welsh riding? I’d be over there like a shot.

Redlands pretty dang good on my doorstep right now.

Indeed but do you remember what Redlands is like in the winter?

You seem to be missing a vital middle step. About half (maybe more) of the current crowd I ride with have moved from Surrey to Bristol, and then on into SE wales. Looks like you are trying to cut out the middle man. I reckon that, apart from the bottleneck of getting through Chepstow (or Monmouth) (or Glouscester) to go anywhere when busy, it ticks almost all the boxes of an ideal place to live. Certainly would be a great place to bring up kids. What are the property prices like a bit further up the valley where the river is no longer tidal?Might be worth a look around St Brivials or above Redbrook. Or even Llandogo

@rubber_ Yep lets face it can be a mess though more rideable than Ranmore LOL
You are right - withing 45 minutes there is so much riding - and got several mates in Bristol and S Wales already

@welshfarmer - yep no need for that middle step! my raving days are sadly mostly long behind me.

I think its a tad cheaper the further north you get. For some reason I would like to be on the west bank of the river to get any sunshine available.

I live just outside Monmouth so quite near. As someone else stated hummus, flat whites and craft beers are widely available here.
Also Surrey is ghastly so get moving.*
*- Personal opinion (but it's obviously true)

i’d move.

i used to live in surrey and have a friend who lives in mid holmwood. last time i was there it took me almost an hour to drive from my dad’s in ripley to mid holmwood. on a sunday. it was horrendous.

how do your teenagers feel about moving?

are the natives hostile to outsiders?

Indeed but do you remember what Redlands is like in the winter?

is it as wet as the wye valley? *wink.

Boys are 10 and 11 so now is the time to do it.
Though we would ideally need good level football and rugby club - which I presume isn't to hard certainly for Rugby!

Wye Valley is on my places 'I'd want to live if I ever have to move' list. Its a small list, along with Northumberland and Mull.

Pretty settled here in the Scottish Borders but always loved the Wye and thought it would be a great place to bring up kids.

Nice list @franksinatra

Will I miss Flat whites, humous and craft ale and Peaslake ?

Monmouth can supply those if needed. Chepstow, maybe not…

We moved from Hampshire into the FoD (probably 10 mins drive from Brockweir) pre CoVid & wouldn’t go back now. Although house prices have jumped up quite considerably since we have been here, they are still at the more reasonable end of the scale, especially compared to the South East.

Indeed but do you remember what Redlands is like in the winter?

Staunton is not exactly ‘user friendly’ in the middle of winter if you venture to the steeper stuff, but plenty of the FoD actually rides pretty good in the wet.

are the natives hostile to outsiders?

I mean they are a pretty basic bunch & we will never be a local, even if we m never leave the place, but certainly not hostile. They have all been decent.

Sports clubs are everywhere in the forest & all super active - there is a huge social scene around them as well.

I’m a fan of being here - we took a bit of a punt & it’s worked out well. We have a bucket load of great riding on our doorstep (rare to drive anywhere to ride now) but if you want to, there is endless Welsh valley riding within 30-45 mins of home. Big riding community & it’s not too bad a commute for the odd office trip I have to do back down to the south coast.

@HobNob Great info - thanks..
Interesting what you say about Chepstow vs Monmouth.

Lovely place to live. Redbrook always seems like a friendly, well organised village to me. You’re right to bear the sunlight or lack off it in winter in mind. Some of those deep valleys are pretty dark and dreary in parts in winter. Monmouth is surprisingly posh for the edge of the Forest - Waitrose etc. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to get to places like the Black Mountains for proper mounting biking. Bristol is an easy drive away filled with all the cool city stuff. Public transport is rubbish, driving your kids around will be a major call on your free time. You’ll spend a lot more time driving full stop. People are way friendlier in the FofD than most cities down south.

Waitrose you say...

Yes we are looking at Redbrook this weekend.

I spent my life driving the kids around already so no change there...

supernova wrote:

You’ll be surprised how easy it is to get to places like the Black Mountains for proper mounting biking.

lol. I live in the middle of the Black Mountains and we think nothing of heading down the Wye Valley for our Wednesday night ride, especially in winter when the hills are too hostile. We ride Trellech, Llandogo, Tintern, Redbrook, Staunton and FOD itself, probably twice a month. Even driving to Parkend is under an hour from here.with Staunton being about 35 mins. As mentionerd. Get high and open if at all possible. The valley itself can be dark, dank and damp in the depths of February. I just wish I had bought a property there 30 years ago when £30K would have bought something worth 10X that now.

Can I hijack the thread and ask if anyone here has experience of living in or around Hereford or Ross? I am having similar thoughts to the OP.

Currently live in London, and would like more outdoor space. Hardly ever socialise in central London since everyone works at home anyway, so the reasons for living here are diminishing. Having said that I would like the option of having an OK meal out every week or two.

Don't have kids so schools and bored teenagers etc are no issue.

Thanks

Ross is nice, plenty of amenities there. Great Thai takeaway place. I find Herefordshire a bit ‘ger orf my land’ compared to the freedom of the Forest, which is fairly unique for the south of England in its free roaming-ness.

I live in Hereford and work in the FOD. Ask away.

I live in Chepstow and I assume that you'll be looking at schools towards Monmouth rather than Chepstow, as driving from Brockweir to Chepstow for drop off would get tiring very quickly due to the traffic.

I like Chepstow, easy access to most places but as a town I prefer Monmouth. It's bigger, more going on, more shopping etc and generally feels a 'nicer' place. If you don't have to commute for work I'd jump at the chance to move from Surrey

I love FoD, visit it all the time and have done for 20 odd years, live 30 minutes away just outside Bristol, but have to say, i enjoy visiting, but the more i visit and holiday in FoD the more i like not actually living there!

@bigblackshed

How long have you lived there and what are your favourite and least favourite things about it?

Is it difficult to head south east, ie to the M4?

Are there nice pubs and does it get a bit fighty on a friday night?

Can you get a flat white?

(Some of these questions are more serious than others)

Thanks again!

You rang?

I'm at the top of the hill above Tintern. I rarely travel to ride - just straight out the door and down. . .

First decision will be: England or Wales? More expensive on the English side, but prices are completely bonkers at the moment around here. I couldn't afford our house now!

Message me if you want showing around or want to drop in for a chat.

Dont forget your Private Signs and new fencing. :-(((

My folks live just over the hill on the Welsh side. I went to school in Monmouth but a fair while ago.
Chepstow high street now feels quite empty buy Monmouth is fairly thriving. There is a Lidl and a Coop if Waitrose is too pricey.
If moving to the Wye valley definitely check the aspect and think carefully about whether the amenities you want are there. The valleys are really steep sided and being the wrong side might feel v. damp and gloomy in winter. The villages are small and spread out so you may have a fair drive to a shop or pub, longer than the map miles suggest. Brockwier had a good village shop (worth checking out and it has a cafe so possible flat white). Llandogo has a shop but it was closed when I needed to get some supplies this summer (wasn't clear if it was refurbishment or permanent). Llandogo is sort of terraced up the hill and I think most of the houses are built to catch the sun. If you got the wrong spot is could be dark.
Tinterm is v. touristy.
I think that Redbrook has only a pub (a good one though).
Worth getting the FoD cycling OS map which shows bike routes on Welsh and English sides of the valley.
https://www.bandhvillageshop.co.uk/

I don't live in the Wye Valley but it is my nearest riding and has been for many years. I can't add much to what has already been said. It is a great place to live. I was brought up in Bristol and moved here 35 years ago. I prefer Monmouth to Chepstow as it has a more town atmosphere to it. If you are going to have a snoop around the area it might be worth having a look at Abergavenny. It's a bit further on but has everything and a lovely town. Also you are in real Wales.

Chepstow is more of a commuter town due to proximity to Bristol, Newport and Cardiff. Monmouth is more of a proper little town due to being that little bit further away. Lots of coffee shops!

I live at the top of the Staunton trails. Redbrook has village stores and 2 pubs (one over the footbridge). I also coach at Monmouth Rugby Club (U14s), so would obviously say to go there, but other clubs are around - Lydney, Chepstow, Berry Hill, etc.

Cracking part of the world to live. Go for it.

Apologies not stopped in Redbrook for a long time so never found the shop! Does anyone know if the Llandogo one has reopened? The one in Llanishen at the top on the Welsh side has and is v. handy.

@snowy1

I live in Hereford, on the north side of the river. Moved here in 1990 so have seen lots of change. South Hereford City is classed as a deprived area, it does show in places, but 5 minutes out of the City is home to some stunning properties, escape to the country type places.

The nightmare tales of the traffic problems are over exaggerated, it’s still a bottle neck, but it’s not the M25. It’s cut off from everywhere, you need to do 30 minutes at least in any direction to find a motorway or even a dual carriageway. But that’s part of the charm for me. I can ride less than a mile and be in the countryside. It’s very green.

Hereford itself has got a fair number of really good cafes, bars, restaurants. Lots of independents, a few of the big chains, a multi screen cinema, theatre / arts with lots of live music. Live music pubs, “disco” bars and clubs if that’s your thing. The “strip” on a Saturday night can be just like anywhere else.

We’ve got 3, well 2, craft breweries in the city, Wye Valley Brewery, brewed out of town now but The Barrels is it’s tap house, Hereford / Spinning Dog Brewery and pub, The Wobbly Brewery and tap house. Countless cider makers.

8 big supermarkets, the usual names, the Germans and Waitrose. Loads of independent specialist foods, etc.

I work in The FOD, so that’s where I usually ride with work colleagues. The FOD itself is an island of small towns with stunning scenery. It’s beautiful in certain lights, but as said above you could find yourself in a steep sided valley with barely any light living inside a cloud for days or weeks at a time. Some areas are really run down, some are great. You will have to travel for any sort of culture, but the whole area has plenty of pubs with good food.

Depending on where in the FOD you are you could be 30-45 minutes to access Gloucester to the east, Bristol, Hereford, Abergavenny, 20-30 minutes to Ross-On-Wye, Chepstow, Monmouth.

For me I’d head for the west side of the FOD or Wye Valley, Monmouth, or even Abergavenny. But I can be in Bristol in 1:15, Cardiff in 1:30, Worcester in 45m, Birmingham in 1:30 from Hereford.

Re kids rugby Berry Hill always seemed to be a decent set up. You’ve also got Monmouth as mentioned above - I think they play welsh clubs and follow their junior approach. I think this meant more contact earlier compared to English clubs but may be wrong and certainly not starting a thread on which is the best approach😀

Cheers all for all the great info

Having had a think overnight we are going to look at a few in the Redbrook and Brockweir area
then several on the edge of Monmouth
something tells me about as the kids get older being able to walk to school, meet friends would be a good thing than being stuck in a village

RE Rugby contact. English RFU are so over cautious !

Cheers all for all the great info

Agreed - thanks everyone.

We moved from Hampshire to the Wye Valley in 2018. We love it here. We are about 1km from Brockweir but up on the hill at St Briavels Common.

I would suggest that you come and visit the area and stay a week first. Its a great place to live but does have is issues.

Poor phone signal....you might struggle in the valley bottom.
Internet.....haha....5mb top speed. Fibre isn't due to mid 2023.
If you have a car its ok, but dont rely on public transport

Oh one other thing.....Wales and England is different in terms of tax when buying. Wales has land tax and England has Stamp Duty. They arent the same %. The more expensive a property, the more tax you'll pay in Wales compared to the same value in England.

In Wales they have free prescriptions too.

Main issue with Brockweir.....thers no pub in walking distance and the houses by the river are susceptible to flooding there. Seen it 3 times in 4 years.

Happy to have a call if you want more info.

Jesus - 5mb - could make home working interesting with both online!

Been Through this myself, concluded it's somewhere i love in the summer but hate in the winter, so moved to Haslemere... with WV only being two odd hrs away with plenty of friends to crash out at

Brockweir looks nice I went to the Soapbox Derby there a couple of years ago and the village did seem lovely.

Interesting @nasher
Does slightly concern me the winter months, but its hardly tropical in Surrey during the winter..

Hmm we have looked at this ourselves, no kids but multiple dogs
I live right in the Peaslake area so have plenty of riding and i know a lot of people here but i do wonder if it's a grass greener situation for me.

Thing is if anything happens to me or the missus we would be Ok here with a support network, I worry that we could be left a bit lonely and unable to afford to move back

Another thing to check out is healthcare, we have a very good hospital and doctors' surgery here it gets more important the older you get trust me!

Hereford is great for road riding, rubbish for MTB.