[Closed] Moving to Wales

I moved to Snowdonia last year. Best thing I ever did.

*Completely* rural. Next nearest house is 500m away. Can't see it. I'm 35 minutes walk to the nearest town down the mountain via forestry track. I've got the Marin, Penmachno and all the other stuff ridable from my doorstep and the sea is 30 minutes drive away.

Although there are nice bits, I don't particularly like south wales tho. If you're thinking of retiring is proximity to a town or city that important? Frankly, if I was retiring retiring I might be looking at Scotland 😉

Anecdotally, I have never been 'asked out' for a fight in my life (and I grew up in a Yorkshire market town) other than in Wales. On one of the occasions it was only the fact I was with a group of locals (in the valleys but I forget the name of the town) that saved me from a proper beating just for having the temerity to be in 'their' pub.

It's very easy to live in Cardiff and ride to the riding because there's loads of it right outside the city. I do this all the time, I haven't driven to ride in many years. In fact there is more every week, as trails are appearing everywhere.

I would personally choose very carefully if I were going to live in the Valleys. There are places with social problems, although there are nicer places too. But a significant issue for me personally is that a lot of Valleys housing is strips with no decent town centre, and many areas are getting choked up with bypasses and schemes to manage the ever-increasing traffic. If you live in somewhere like Roath or Canton the immediate environment is pleasant so I find it an enjoyable place to be when you aren't riding.

But as I said there are beautiful pockets of rural housing, even if they aren't matched with pleasant towns.

Anecdotally, I have never been ‘asked out’ for a fight in my life (and I grew up in a Yorkshire market town) other than in Wales.

Wales isn't just one single place. There are rough places and nice places, just like anywhere else. The rough places struggle with post-industrial deprivation, as elsewhere, and the nice pleasant countryside is much like it is in the rest of the UK. Don't stereotype the whole of Wales as being inhabited by thugs please.

Nice part of Wales with good access to lots of other areas. There are still some very run down towns and villages around though, not familiar with that one. We're on the edge of an mtb area further north and it's great. Fantastic walking and riding right from the door. Easy access to a bigger urban area which is handy for the shops (supermarkets and Screwfix). The locals have been very welcoming but it's already quite a cosmopolitan area with people from all over. There are some places that are still bit "local shops for local people". I can see somewhere like that holding its value and going up with the good links to Cardiff so not much to lose even if it doesn't work out.

I’m staying at small hotel further up the valley in Treherbert tonight and will maybe visit some of the pubs in Ystrad tonight to sample how the locals accept me 😂

The girlfriend had favoured North Wales but I have close friends in Caerphilly.

House is lovely, just hoping that the area is ok. There is a small skatepark in the nearby park which gives me hope for some reason.

Datalogically ( there's two of us now, so surely I'm allowed to say that) ...
The only place I've ever been followed out for a fight in my life (and I grew up in a Glasgow) was in Wales. Only the fact that I managed to tag on to a large group of visitors prevented us from getting jumped.

On another occasion my Scottish accent was clearly a bit stronger so instead of reviling me the protagonist just focused on the other English people I was with.

I'm sure it's got better since those days, but .....

Do your research...

https://www.instagram.com/bedwyr_williams/?hl=en

Don’t stereotype the whole of Wales as being inhabited by thugs please.

I wasn't – I said
Anecdotally

adverb - according to or by means of personal accounts rather than facts or research.

i lived in Pembrokeshire for 13 years and my work involved travel across South Wales. I never felt comfortable in the valleys, even for the day.

if South Wales is your preferred area - how about considering a little further west around Carmarthen/Llandeilo? Close enough to Caerphilly but doesn't have the 'valleys' feel. Also has great riding from the door!

What @Teenrat says.

Or listen to your other half - go to north wales. 🙂

I wasn’t – I said
Anecdotally

What I meant was that you said 'Wales' rather than 'The Valleys' or even bothering to remember what town it was.

I spent quite a few years living in Merthyr and my parents retired there - nightlife was a bit rough and you need to go to Cardiff if you want to browse shops but otherwise I can't say it was that bad. Despite Merthyr's rep it's a fair bit more developed than some of the neighbouring valleys towns. I'm not too familiar with Ystrad, other than riding through it a few times (there's a lot of good road riding in the area not just MTBing).

My dad never had any issues in the local pubs & rugby club he would often visit, including his insistence in wearing his England rugby shirt when Wales vs England games were shown at the club :p I can't remember my parents having problems with crime/safety either (I think someone tried to break into their garage once but ended up actually leaving a chainsaw there rather than taking anything, no idea why). They fitted in easily in the community but my mum was from there and had various relatives dotted around so I'm sure that helped, I never got the sense anyone was anti-'outsider' though.

What I meant was that you said ‘Wales’ rather than ‘The Valleys’ or even bothering to remember what town it was.

One occasion was in north Wales (Criccieth), the other experience was in Aberdare now that you have pressed for it – I guess I never thought the actual town name was of such importance. Does that help?

My girlfriend thinks there’s no need for me to go visit the area ! I’ll show her this thread…

I’ll leave the watch and wallet in the hotel, or maybe locked in the car, before visiting any pubs tonight 🤣

I guess I never thought the actual town name was of such importance. Does that help?

Of course! If I said I was thinking of moving to England, and another Welsh person said 'well, anecdotally, the only time I ever got beaten up was in Newcastle so.. yknow..' people would be falling over themselves to point out how ridiculous that was and accuse me of anti-English sentiment.

Do you have to take everything in life so seriously Molgrips?

Of course! If I said I was thinking of moving to England, and another Welsh person said ‘well, anecdotally, the only time I ever got beaten up was in Newcastle so.. yknow..’ people would be falling over themselves to point out how ridiculous that was and accuse me of anti-English sentiment.

Based on the (deserved IMO) utter contempt for the majority of the English electorate on every political thread, you'd probably get hearty agreement.

Johndoh... maybe you've just got one of those faces😉 grew up in the valleys, uni in Stoke (only place a gang of lads tried to bundle me into a transit to give me a kicking) and have lived in North Wales past 25 years, I'd say the valleys folk are a little more open and friendly TBH got plenty of good mates up here too tho... if you have an open mind and are friendly, maybe even learn a few words of Welsh you'll be fine! I'd go South purely because of Cardiff... riding mountains and coast are similar North and South

Do you have to take everything in life so seriously Molgrips?

Just the important stuff, like casual xenophobia for example.

My family is from the Rhondda, it's pretty rough. Its unsurprising since there are no jobs so those with career aspirations leave and those that dont dont. But no reason you cant live there happily - you can certainly buy cheap housing. All depends what your prioritise are in life -if you hang around enough in rough pubs you will eventually get your head kicked in - that statement is true for any region of the UK.

Probably the reason most of the Welsh in the Valleys are anti English - they're trying to prove their "Welshness" to cover up their descending from English immigrants to the mines in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

casual xenophobia

Good god - really?

Good god – really?

Yes! I can't believe you can't see the problem with the post you made.

OP: I'm thinking of moving to Wales
JD: Well, you know, the only time I was ever nearly beaten up it was in Wales...

I mean.. what the hell was that supposed to mean other than 'Wales is pretty rough, watch out'? Presumably all of Wales, since you weren't specific, and of course you mean Welsh people are rough since the actual landscape doesn't do anything to you.

Probably the reason most of the Welsh in the Valleys are anti English – they’re trying to prove their “Welshness” to cover up their descending from English immigrants to the mines in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

Yeah not all of them. Many came from other parts of Wales and some were already living there. But if you want to talk history, read about how valuable South Wales coal was, and how much money was made - and then look at how poor the area is now. Where'd all that money go? When were the every day people of the Valleys ever rich? If you want a bit more insight into Welsh/English friction (besides this thread) look up Cofiwch Dryweryn.

I can’t believe you can’t see the problem with the post you made.

I don't dislike Wales or Welsh people (I was out drinking with Welsh friends on that night in Aberdare). I was merely making a statement of fact based on my experience (even going as far as saying 'anecdotally' and reminding you of that statement in a later post). If you want to believe I am a xenophobe then crack on.

I was merely making a statement of fact based on my experience

So why'd you post it? You surely can't be so tone deaf that you didn't know how it would be received? And by the way, 'anecdotally' just means it's a story you've told, doesn't say anything about your intent.

If you want to believe I am a xenophobe then crack on.

If you want us to believe that you're not, you're going to have to pay a lot more attention to what you post!

OP, both south and north are good. South if you want to maintain easy connection with larger conurbations/cities, North (and Mid-) for the more epic scapes. I'm English and I've lived in Cardiff (spending time cycling the Valleys, with no drama), but I'm now in the north. On balance I prefer the north, but my clubbing/partying days are behind me so happy with quieter weekends. If I were you and I'd be looking to get a road trip in (2x days North/Mid/South?).

I'll be a bit more direct and less polite than others are kindly being.

I'm Welsh, I've lived in South Wales most of my life.

'The Valleys' can be like living on a different planet sometimes. Like so many other former industrial areas, there are some seriously deprived places.

I don't know Ystrad at all really, other than to drive through it, but I know Penrhys, which is just up the road. It's better now than it was in the past, but, and this is part-truth, part-urban legend I'm sure. In the dim and distant past (80s and 90s) when the Council and Police were trying to cool down the notorious Gurnos estate, they moved the worst residents to Penrhys, a Housing Estate located on top of a bleak hill, overlooking Ystrad to the East and Ferndale to the North (I know Ferndale pretty well) it was a disaster, within weeks they'd burned down the Police station and Community Centre and local Youths threw stones at the Emergency Services driving them out making it an effectively lawless, dystopian hellscape. They had to demolish 2/3rds to civilise the place. Even today it's worth considering that the average lifespan for a Man in either the Gurnos or Penrhys is 58.8 years, 10 years less than most Developing Countries, and 22 year less than the national average.

It's an cruel, and possibly unfair thing to say, but If you're thinking about South Wales, anything north of Caerphilly or south of Brecon should be considered with caution, take the time to go to the local pub on a Friday night, visit the local shops and the Post Office.

Valley Cops was a short series made by the BBC a few years ago, it's on Youtube, consider this a sort of 'worst case'.

If you want us to believe that you’re not, you’re going to have to pay a lot more attention to what you post!

It's not 'us', it's you. Think what you like.

It’s not ‘us’, it’s you.

+1

It’s not ‘us’, it’s you. Think what you like.

What an arsehole thing to say. Your mistake has been pointed out, either accept it or ignore it, don't retaliate.

overheard one of my favourite pub conversations in a pub in Pontypridd a couple of years back. Most of the pub were crammed into the TV room, watching England v France in the rugby, so they could cheer every time England made a mistake.

In the back room were two blokes ignoring the rugby, steadily munching their way through a catering-sized pack of custard creams. They had the strongest valley accents you're ever likely to hear.

Bloke 1: You know what I REALLY hate, right?
Bloke 2: What?
Bloke 1: CAAARDIFF ****S.
Block 2: <nods knowingly>

Your mistake has been pointed out, either accept it or ignore it, don’t retaliate.

Not agreeing with you is not retaliating.

What an arsehole thing to say.

Is retaliating.

read about how valuable South Wales coal was

My Dad was from the Rhondda- I've seen what has happened to the area from the penny pinching that caused Aberfan to the pit closures, my Nan witnessed the soldiers Churchill sent to quell the Tonypandy riots.

My comment was partially tongue in cheek, but my Dad didn't find out until a few years before he died that rather than having 1 English grandparent, he actually had 2 and 5 English great-grandparents from mines/quarries in Somerset & Cornwall. I doubt that's not unusual (no pun intended) and a lot of staunch "Welsh" folks, whilst they may not be full-on Meibion Glyndwr supporters, will be loath to admit to any English heritage.

What most English folks don't appreciate, is that Welsh economy, culture and language has been restricted by the English rulers.

The girlfriend had favoured North Wales but I have close friends in Caerphilly.

Something to consider, particularly in areas of north Wales, is the social impact.
There's been a lot of protests recently, similar to ones in Cornwall, with local people complaining about being priced out of their communities as house prices rise.

It's caused by the move to remote working and a surge in properties being bought up for second homes/retirement - people doing similar to what you're doing.

In Welsh-speaking areas there's the added impact on the language and culture.

Go for it, you only live once.
Universe is billions and billions of years old, and we lucky few live for such a tiny amount of time. So spend that time happy rather than in regret.

@molgrips:

If you want a bit more insight into Welsh/English friction (besides this thread) look up Cofiwch Dryweryn

That's plastered all over the place now and in the back of every single black vauxhall-corsa-a-like by every tiny minded welsh ned nationalist now so they don't have to engage in a real intellectual discussion on why they're poor (and uneducated) and gives them a stick to moan about the english (especially holidaymakers).

Of course, they don't actually remember the flooding of that village to provide water to hundreds of thousands (as has happened in quite a few places) but it's definitely being used as an ugly front for the resurgence of the worst bits of Welsh nationalism that's come about since the finanical crash of 2008.

I was born in Wales, I've spent most of my younger years here, I holidayd here all the time (and about a third of weekends in the past 20 years camped here) and have now moved to a welsh hill farming community for hopefully the next 40 years of my life, or until I die, whichever is sooner.

But Welsh nationalism is definietly a thing, bitterness, anger - and it's on the rise. But at least they're not burning holiday homes down like they used to in the 70;s and 80s

But at least they’re not burning holiday homes down like they used to in the 70;s and 80s

Bit rich coming from a British nationalist.
A national identity borne out of a belief in the racial superiority of the Anglo Saxon.
British empire. Iraq. Slavery. Indian famine. Irish famine. Brexit.

it’s definitely being used as an ugly front for the resurgence of the worst bits of Welsh nationalism that’s come about since the finanical crash of 2008

It is yes, and this isn't an attempt to promote Welsh Nationalism; but the original story is pretty interesting if you think about the perspective of the inhabitants of of Capel Celyn. The fact it was a solely Welsh speaking community and the fact that 35 out of 36 Welsh MPs opposed it raise some interesting points IMO.

 Even today it’s worth considering that the average lifespan for a Man in either the Gurnos or Penrhys is 58.8 years, 10 years less than most Developing Countries, and 22 year less than the national average.

It’s an cruel, and possibly unfair thing to say, but If you’re thinking about South Wales, anything north of Caerphilly or south of Brecon should be considered with caution, take the time to go to the local pub on a Friday night, visit the local shops and the Post Office

Thing is though unless you actually move onto one of those notorious estates they have very little bearing on you. My parent's lived a stone's throw from the Gurnos but it just didn't have any impact on them (or me whilst I was living there), it wasn't full of marauding hooligans who'd go out and trash anywhere within a couple of miles after dark. I'm not saying as an English person I'd want to actually retire to live on the Gurnos (especially not back in the 90s) I'm sure the vast majority of people who live there would be perfectly good neighbours and whilst it certainly did/does have it's problems they don't really extend outside it's boundaries.

Maybe my parents got lucky and I agree you should do some research about the specific area you're thinking of moving to but any areas to be avoided at all costs are few and far between and their 'reach' is very small (and no different to anywhere else really, in Bristol I live close to a couple of notoriously run down areas but I've not had any issues as a result)

Can I just add that the only fight I've recently witnessed was two old dears who stumbled out of a pub in Port Talbot, swinging wildly at each other, but being careful not to spill the pints they both still carried. Friends and family piled out after offering advice and occasional encouragement, and it was only when one of the old dears bent down to put her pint on the pavement the better to clobber her rival, that they all decided that it was a step too far and the fight was broken up...

Edit: I'm sure the South Welsh are lovely...

@copa:

Bit rich coming from a British nationalist.

Buh?

Did you have to reach a long way in to pull that out? Did it require a lot of lube?

For the record - I'm with Einstein:

Nationalism is an infantile disease. It's the measles of mankind.

@molgrips:

It is yes, and this isn’t an attempt to promote Welsh Nationalism; but the original story is pretty interesting if you think about the perspective of the inhabitants of of Capel Celyn. The fact it was a solely Welsh speaking community and the fact that 35 out of 36 Welsh MPs opposed it raise some interesting points IMO.

Honestly. It's not nice - but pooping on a small number of people in the interests of a larger group of people never is. But the water was - and is - needed.

It's not a special circumstance tbh. The fact that 35 out of 36 welsh MPs opposed it is, frankly, suprising - because one did. I don't really think it raises any interesting points because at the time we were politically different - and nobody is complaining about the villages elsewhere in the country that were sunk for reservoirs.

E.G: https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/the-secret-drowned-villages-under-ladybower-reservoir/

Only in Wales is it attracting continued - and increased - interest. And that's because of Welsh nationalism.

The shame is, people don't feel so passionate about the really important things - the ecological devestation we're visiting on the planet, the structural economic reform we desparately need to make to change the equation for our rampant destruction. But tell a few welsh bovver boys tooling about in crappy cars that the english drowned a town just before their parents were born and that gives them an excuse to get feisty when they're battered on a friday night.

within weeks they’d burned down the Police station

Version I heard was they set fire to a car above the station and rolled it down the bank into it

PM'd you, I'm English and live just outside the valleys in Pontypridd, everywhere has its bad spots but after 15 years I'd not move back 'home' to the flat lands of Lincolnshire...there was that time my step dad walked into the local during a Welsh 6 nations game wearing an English Cricket overcoat with a huge 'England' and rose on the back, then ordered a pint in a southern accent, that situation could have turned 🙂

It’s not a special circumstance tbh

My entire point is that it is special circumstances, it is different to Ladybower. That's what I'm trying to point out. Because it was one dominant cultural group overriding and marginalising a minority. That's why it's different. It was symbolically far greater than other instances.

But tell a few welsh bovver boys tooling about in crappy cars that the english drowned a town just before their parents were born and that gives them an excuse to get feisty when they’re battered on a friday night.

Is that really how it goes?

I understand where you're coming from @molgrips, but I still disagree.

Because it was one dominant cultural group overriding and marginalising a minority.

Only because one "cultural group" decided that they were Welsh and being Welsh was more important than being "British" and the "English" (not British, of course) Parliament (who governened the whole of the UK) was just crapping on them because they were Welsh, not just because there was hundreds of thousands of people who needed water - and it was decided that their need overrode the needs of a small number of people.

I'm pretty sure that the people in the village in Ladybower must have been pretty peeved that they couldn't fall back on being "Welsh" as some special status that meant it was not OK for their homes to be flooded.

It's all a load of nationalist sillyness. Einsteinian measles.

<Deleted post (in the interests of being nice)>

🙂

I'm not saying it was right or wrong. I'm saying there is additional context to this particular move. And it wasn't just the fact it was in Wales to supply England, it was how it was handled, and how the sensitivities were ignored.

It’s all a load of nationalist sillyness

As I said - it was more of a cultural issue than a national one.

Out of interest, OP, what have you heard against Neath that has turned you against it? Im Neath born and bred, black blood in my veins, and I know it has a bad reputation, but I for the life of me dont see why? There are people on here speaking as if South Wales is some violent aberration in the normally peaceful idyll that is mainland Britain (except South Wales).
Face it, Britain is rough as guts top to bottom, East to West, and standards have eroded enormously since I was a kid. Youre as likely to get a leathering down here as anywhere else in Britain, but not especially so, unless youre the type of person who deserves one. Dont be scared mun, we're only people just like you.
Also, the anti English thing is very definitely a thing, but only due to the supposed class system that abounds in places like the affluent South East of England. I have plenty of Northern and Midlander acquaintances who are liked and accepted here because they havent got a BFO born -to - rule attitude, as if Wales was put onto England as some sort of coastal, hilly playground populated by adorable little folk who speak a funny little language and farm sheep, not a proud and skint Nation of its own who sometimes balk at being patronised by wealthy Southerners in their own country.
Just an insight, based on experience, for you. Not in any way aimed at OP by the way.

In fact, I was talking to a fella from Oop Noorth yesterday, and he commented how South Wales is actually a well kept secret. If you come only 5 mins away from the M4 youre likely to be surrounded by mature woodland and healthy rivers and friendly people like me. He said to get a comparable house in his part of the world would cost 50% extra without the benefits of biking, climbing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, etc.

Oh and the Cofiwch Tryweryn thing has very little to do with remembering drowned villages, and lots to do with resenting the idea, real or imagined, that Wales is a commodity to be used and abused by the English for their own ends, and to hell with the locals.
If you drive through here, youll see it painted everywhere, along with FWA and their emblem, if you know what it is. How bitter the people who paint these things really feel is a different matter, but its definately alive down here.

I’ll be a bit more direct and less polite than others are kindly being.

I’m Welsh, I’ve lived in South Wales most of my life.

‘The Valleys’ can be like living on a different planet sometimes. Like so many other former industrial areas, there are some seriously deprived places.

I don’t know Ystrad at all really, other than to drive through it, but I know Penrhys, which is just up the road. It’s better now than it was in the past, but, and this is part-truth, part-urban legend I’m sure. In the dim and distant past (80s and 90s) when the Council and Police were trying to cool down the notorious Gurnos estate, they moved the worst residents to Penrhys, a Housing Estate located on top of a bleak hill, overlooking Ystrad to the East and Ferndale to the North (I know Ferndale pretty well) it was a disaster, within weeks they’d burned down the Police station and Community Centre and local Youths threw stones at the Emergency Services driving them out making it an effectively lawless, dystopian hellscape. They had to demolish 2/3rds to civilise the place. Even today it’s worth considering that the average lifespan for a Man in either the Gurnos or Penrhys is 58.8 years, 10 years less than most Developing Countries, and 22 year less than the national average.

It’s an cruel, and possibly unfair thing to say, but If you’re thinking about South Wales, anything north of Caerphilly or south of Brecon should be considered with caution, take the time to go to the local pub on a Friday night, visit the local shops and the Post Office.

Valley Cops was a short series made by the BBC a few years ago, it’s on Youtube, consider this a sort of ‘worst case’.

I absolutely 100% agree with what P-Jay wrote. The Valleys is such a diverse place with some amazing little bits tucked away but lots of absolute hell-holes right next door. When I say right next door I mean it, you can go one or two streets away from a really pleasant area and be in the equivalent of a ghetto! I've also lived around (but never in) the Valleys areas all my life and work has taken me around them for the last 14 years, they really are another world. Some parts are stuck in the 80's, others fully modern. Merthyr Tydfil is a classic case, you can see everything there from every part of the area at the same time.

The point I'm making is you really have to get to know the exact bit you want to move to before moving. Your example of looking at Neath is a prime location for being easy to make a big mistake. You may well bw very close to Afan but there's a reason the area has previously been hosed with EU development cash - it desperately needed it. Now that has gone it's very hard to say whether the area will decline rapidly or not. One thing is for sure, I'll never live in any of the Valleys areas. Not because I'm a snob or anything (coming from Crickhowell that's automatically assumed!). There are just so many other, better areas to live in not far away. I know you said you're retiring so no commute to worry about but to realise that the Valleys pretty much empties every day into Cardiff, Bridgend and Swansea causing massive traffic issues. If you want to go anywhere during rush hour times make sure you want to go the opposite way to everyone else.

Bottom line is if you want to be near mountain biking and in a decent area you're looking at anywhere in Wales except the empty bits in Mid Wales and the Valleys. The Beacons and North Wales would be my choice.

So again I ask, whats so wrong with Neath? I think it has a lot to offer people as long as you dont expect the full shopping experience from town, especially people who like a bit of hills and trees and that .What Neath and surrounding areas need is well paid manufacturing, processing and mining jobs like we used to have, like I used to have, instead of the bullshit exploitative jobs that abound nowadays.
And definitely what reluctantjumper says about traffic. If you like the Gower move there, because every one heads there on a nice day, you can be stuck in traffic for miles. Moving West to East is generally easier than moving East to West, all the big cities are relatively East and the undeveloped pretty places are relatively West.
Out of interest OP, wherabouts are you thinking of moving from, and what are you expecting from your new prospective location?

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with Neath, it just suffers the same issues as the rest of the Valleys. You have good areas intertwined with bad areas and the contrast between the two is quite stark. As for jobs, the manufacturing ones are unlikely to come back due to geographical issues. Companies want to be within fast, easy reach of motorways and ports. Getting lorries in and out of the Valleys and South Wales in general (thanks to the Brynglas tunnels) is slow and expensive, there's a reason that you don't really find any distribution hubs away from the M4 and fewer once you go west of Chepstow.

A few years ago I worked in Ebbw Vale for a couple of months.
Christ, the place is grim at first, but, I grew to love it. Everyone was really friendly, even the local druggies when they were not stoned.A group of us used to go into Wetherspoons for breakfast, all the locals talked with us, no animosity to 'outsiders' at all. MTBing not far away, lovely scenery all around.
Some of the Locals are very insular. One Lady told me she had moved away for 15 years while she was married, but she was back in the area now. I thought she had gone to Cardiff or Newport, no, she had moved to Tredegar, 5 miles away in the next valley.
It's just about at a low now, but is slowly recovering. Houses in the area can be had for bargain prices. TVR are building a factory there now, that will attract a few more people to the area, so it will be going a little more upmarket from the rock bottom it has been for the last 15 years +.
Be aware of traffic problems in the Valleys. It can be grim heading South in the morning, and North in the evening. Top of the Valleys is a good location, a hour or so to Cardiff, and very easy access to the Brecons and beyond. The Heads of the Valleys road is pretty good too. The Valleys railways are all (well ,mostly) being electrified now, so the train service will improve in the next few years with more trains and better reliability.

Define a good area. The area I live in is classed as a shithole problem area but if you walk 100 yards off the main road I have huge mature Beech forests, badgers foxes and owls galore, reservoirs and rivers to fish and boat in, off road access to Afan, and the associated forest areas. I can literally walk 400 yards down the road, turn left then go offroad for miles in any direction except South . Cos I'd get wet, cos thats Swansea Bay.
So, if youre someone who likes spending as mu h time in Nature as possible, I'd say thats a good area to live, despite its reputation.

I have never been ‘asked out’ for a fight in my life (and I grew up in a Yorkshire market town) other than in Wales.

I have never been 'asked out' for a fight in my (adult) life other than in New Zealand...so don't move there it's shite.

If you do move please respect the local culture and possibly try and learn a bit of the local language. You will be accepted as part of the community and respected a lot more.

Define a good area.

For me it's relatively quiet, good neighbours and access to open space. A difference of a street away can make a massive difference. Where I live now is technically classed as Tremorfa in Cardiff, a generally unpleasant part of the city that has a plethora of issues. But as it's the other side of the main road and not a through route it's fine. If I lived two streets to the south I would be on road that is access for a lot of people to the rougher part of my estate and has a few issues. Literally 100 yards makes a massive difference.

If where you live suits you then great, the more people in an area that like it and are happy then there's a higher chance that they will take pride in an area and look after it and improve it. The Valleys as a whole don't really have this enough to lift the whole area, I wish it did as the area could be great for WFH, local enterprises and cottage industries. I actually had a delivery to do a few weeks ago to one part of Neath I didn't know existed and it was really pleasant, just north of Llantwit Cemetery. Classed as Tonna but definitely dind't feel like it.

Ha! Llantwit is where I was born and raised, and its about half a mile from Neath town. See why I wont have people slag it off ?

But if you want to talk history, read about how valuable South Wales coal was, and how much money was made – and then look at how poor the area is now.

The same could be said of the NE or Lancashire, and probably plenty of other areas.

Capel Celyn

A pedant would point out that Welsh industry and people benefit from the Dee Regulation scheme as well as those on the other side of the River including the steel works, the paper mill and the customers of HDCymru. The history of the scheme and the quality of the decision notwithstanding

Just wait to they find out that Vrynwy is going to be dedicated to supplying London

I’ve arrived in South Wales and earlier visited my friend on Caerphilly mountain who then took me on a tour of some areas in Cardiff that he thinks I should consider. Radyr, etc.

Also looked at some of the new build estates than Barrett, Persimmon, etc are building but they are not very inviting!

It was his daughter, who works in Neath, that told me to avoid it. Personally I am not so sure, I have seen comments on previous threads on this forum from people in that area who really like it. All the websites that list surveys of good areas in wales also seem to indicate that it might be preferable over the ‘valleys’.

So now I have checked in to my hotel room in Treherbert, which is a little further up the valley than Ystrad.

I’ve just spent a pleasant couple of hours in the hotel bar with a group of 7 middle-aged ladies from the local area who have been advising me how it is much safer and nicer now than it was in the past, and a couple of them knew the house I was interested in. I bought one of the 3 rounds of sambucas we had 🤣

I am moving from Woking in Surrey. It too has some less desirable areas, including the most local pub to me, but one difference is that generally people in London and the south east are distinctly less friendly than many other places in the country - except maybe Brighton.

My mother moved to a house on the Whitehawk estate in Brighton, which was a pretty rough estate, but she liked it and her neighbours.

I feel quite happy about the area now based on meeting some locals and might stay another night and try the other bar.

When I first moved down to Cardiff as a student in 1983 it seemed like another era as well, with fashions a decade or so behind mainland England. It doesn’t seem that much of a disjoint here from what I’ve seen so far.

If I move here I will make an attempt to maybe learn some of the language - at least to correct my pronunciation. The local hospital seems to have a Welsh name purposely designed to be hard to pronounce, even one of the locals made a bit of mess of it.

What is the local hospital name?
Welsh is a very old language and Wales is a very old Country, most of it is named in Welsh.
Trying to learn the correct pronounciations will go a long way to a) endear you to locals, and b) make it clearer exactly where it is youre asking directions for.
Dont fret too much , a lot of the locals cant pronounce the local area and features correctly either. My personal PITA is Swansea people who pronounce their local river Tawe (Tah-wear) as towie. There is an actual big river called the Towy (towie) not far from there. This kind of thing happens all the time between non-Welsh and Welsh speakers.

Ysbyty George Thomas - although when we looking at the map I think it was a different name starting with Ysbyty as one lady asked her friend ‘is that the George Thomas?’

Maybe we got it confused with Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bronllwyn.

@bullshotcrummond - what's the rush? If you're retiring, I'd spend some good quality time trying out lots of different places. Then shortlist, and visit again.

casual xenophobia

How can you tell what he's wearing? Would one prefer more formal xenophobia. Perhaps black tie - xeonophobia is more to sir's suiting?

A lot of valley communities are a little insular.

I worked in South Wales on and off for a while in the early 90's and found a lot of similarities to the Calder Valley.

A couple of places, Blackwood being one, were extremely friendly and welcoming. Some of the smaller places slightly less so until you got to know folk.
No surprise there.

Lots of studies done on how living in steep sided valleys affects mental health.
Buy somewhere that gets plenty of light throughout the day if possible.........

Ysbyty George Thomas – although when we looking at the map I think it was a different name starting with Ysbyty as one lady asked her friend ‘is that the George Thomas?’

Maybe we got it confused with Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bronllwyn.

Ysbyty means Hospital. George Thomas in Cardiff at least was rebranded, something to do with old George being a wrong un back in the 70s. The one in Cardiff is now just called City Hospice. I don't know if they've renamed the one in RCT, but they might have been the confusion.

Ysgol means School, or indeed Ladder!

I do love Welsh, not that I can speak it well at all, sadly I detested it in School. There are actually a surprising number of Welsh Speakers where I live in Cardiff, you have to speak Welsh to work in the Media around here, bit of a closed shop.

I’ve arrived in South Wales and earlier visited my friend on Caerphilly mountain who then took me on a tour of some areas in Cardiff that he thinks I should consider. Radyr, etc.

Also looked at some of the new build estates than Barrett, Persimmon, etc are building but they are not very inviting!

I live near Radyr, it's very nice. Lots of really good riding near by too, none of it 'official' but they're actually working towards moving some of the trails from 'tolerated' status to 'official' if nothing else to stop some of the wilder building. Someone unknowingly built a big berm over a Badger set and obviously everyone got upset.

There's a huge housing expansion taking place in the area, which you've seen, the first major house building project for decades in Cardiff, as much as it's disruptive and will bring more traffic etc, people need somewhere to live and at least it's not going to be completely featureless suburban blandness. Not my cup of tea though.

I live in Swansea, it's fine and the surrounding area is lovely. There are some areas that you wouldn't to live in but it's not like England is some ****ing utopia.

I worked across South Wales in the mid/late 1990's, and then biked in most places from the late 2000's.

All the factories I worked at in the 90's have gone (Aluminium). It felt grim then, and felt grim last time I was there (w/e in Merthyr pre-Covid).

I'm from a post-industrial northern area plus worked in the East just after the Wall came down. I know what grim feels like.

I work in an Aluminium factory in Neath, it's fine.

There is some bollox in this thread. Generalisation and stereotyping and prejudice. stuff that if you said it about other places or groups of people you’d not get away with it. Why do people feel they can say it about Wales.

I say this as a Welsh person who lives in S Wales. I have lived in N Wales too.

Wales is great. Loads of people come to live here because it’s great. There are some crap places and crap things going on but that’s the same everywhere.

There are places I would rather not live but most of the reasons I’d rather not live there are in my head and linked to my prejudices, tastes and the way I perceive a place to feel. You may feel differently. I live in a place that I like (except for the cars) You may not like it.

I wasn't going to contribute to this thread but then I felt compelled to share my views because this is the internet!

I was 10 when my parents up sticks from Surrey and moved us to Cardigan, West Wales, in 1988.

I 'king loved my childhood! Near beautiful beaches and great countryside - loads better than Walton-on-Thames! I sounded like a proper Saes (English) too with my accent and no one gave a sh!t.

Most of my school mates were also English immigrants like me and most are desperate to return now they have families. Most are making it happen too.

I left Wales in 1996 to go to uni but I settled in Cardiff in 2000.

It was brilliant. Great night life and great, accessible, countryside and great people.

I then moved around a bit, spending time in America (San Fran), back to the SE England, again to Cardiff and, finally, settling back in the Cardigan area 9 years ago.

Wales is awesome. (Mostly) relatively affordable with great countryside and beaches.

I've enjoyed nights out in Cardiff (obviously), Swansea, Blackwood, Neath, Newport, Bridgend etc etc and I even lived in Cwmcarn for nearly two weeks and loved every bit.

I was based in factories in Swansea, Pontypool and Resolven over nearly 13 years and the people were as "normal" as any where.

Of course there's some crap here, just like everywhere, so do your homework prioritising what you want/need/like and make it happen.

Ysbyty means Hospital. George Thomas in Cardiff at least was rebranded, something to do with old George being a wrong un back in the 70s

I met him in about 1985, and he seemed a decent person, but then I was only a politically naive 17 year old, and I certainly wouldn't agree with his views today. Wiki reveals rather more - I'm surprised that he's been disgraced enough that 'his' buildings need rebranding? (assuming we're talking about the Speaker of the House of Commons.)

There is some bollox in this thread.

Oh definitely.

Generalisation and stereotyping and prejudice. stuff that if you said it about other places or groups of people you’d not get away with it. Why do people feel they can say it about Wales.

Makes a change from sheep shagging jokes, I guess.

I live in Swansea, it’s fine and the surrounding area is lovely. There are some areas that you wouldn’t to live in but it’s not like England is some **** utopia.

Same here. I'm half a mile from the beach, about the same from the nice area where Dylan Thomas grew up, and the same from the area where the riot happened a few weeks ago! I can ride from the door to a huge variety of proper MTB trails, surf or paddleboard when I have an hour spare, walk up hills and mountains... I'd rather live here than in Dagenham. 😀

at least it’s not going to be completely featureless suburban blandness.

I hope it's better on your side but over here it's either expensive or pretty bland and rubbish looking - St Ederyn's. They're building a school though and there are three or four retail/food units, but they've been empty for ages. I hope they fill them as we really need more than token offerings in places like these.

settling back in the Cardigan area 9 years ago.

I'd like to move out of Cardiff, since I am a rural person at heart (although Cardiff's pretty good as a city); and Cardigan would be a great choice if it weren't so far from my parents. As it is, I'd go to Abergavenny for the train links, or if I end up not doing the business travel I'd go for Builth Wells or Llandrindod Wells. Mainly the latter because there are loads of massive fantastic houses for very cheap, but I think this might be related to the rumours that it's a bit rough...

Only ever met nice people in Wales. Love it. My wife is Welsh so yeah, we spend a lot of time down in the South (she's from Bridgend).
I'd happily move there but I can't remain in the job I have and remote work to that extent. Maybe in the future things may change but it becomes a bigger/more disruptive move as the kids grow.
A friend of my Dad has some beef with some nationalists back in the late 80's, he owned a hotel near Pwllheli...I was a kid so not sure what the deal was.

Anyway, Wales is ace.

Makes a change from sheep shagging jokes, I guess.

Or jokes about unpronouncable names. Ha ****ing ha, how long did it take you to come up with that sparkling wit? The names are all perfectly pronounceable, you're just ignorant.

Interesting that the people who seem to think Welsh people hate English people are the first ones onto a thread about Wales to say how rough it is. Maybe some introspection is required?

@molgrips - My mum is still here, just up the road, sadly my wonderful/awesome dad died nearly 3 years ago (but that's probably for another STW thread) and my MIL lives almost opposite! FIL lives in Scotland so we've ticked the aging parents box as best we can and get to live in a wonderful part of the world.

I've always liked the look of Abergavenny, not so sure about Builth Wells or Llandrindod Wells, but, like you say, Cardiff is a pretty good compromise if you're a rural person at heart.

We treat Cardiff like a holiday destination now, visiting my bro in Llanishen and friends in Cefn Mably, and it's great as a tourist!