Not quite Brittany!

[greg.g]

About 20 months ago I posted a thread about a possible move to Brittany or the Peak District.
Well we have taken the plunge but its neither choice. Post Brexit we gave up on the France option as I do have some health issues and was concerned about health care should I need it once we had exited from the EU. So I started paying more attention to the Peak District. Regular checking of properties online and a few visits and we soon realised that it was not going to be easy finding a property in our price bracket that met our needs.
That's when a friend suggested North Wales. A quick check and it was nice to see how far your pennies go in this area. We viewed a few properties in Snowdonia and Anglesey and were looking for a character property in a village location. The one that best suited us was in the village of Penmachno in the Snowdonia national park. We found it last September but due to holdups with the chain we did not move till early march, two weeks before the lockdown!
The property needs a little work but its full of character being 160 years old. Any jobs will have to wait till the country is moving again but its not a bad place to be in lockdown.
The locals have made us more than welcome as they were happy the property had not been sold as a second home. Its only a small village 4 miles from Betws y coed. There will be plenty of choice for walking and bushcraft once we are able to explore the area more. We are already feeling completely at home.
I thought I would post this update for anyone who is thinking of getting out of the rat race and looking for a bit of inspiration. We have also made many good friends through our old local meets at North Wood in the midlands. If any of them are in the area after lockdown feel free to drop me a line or phone and pop in for a coffee or beer.
I have only taken a few snaps on my phone in the current situation. I am sure there will be some better photos in the months to come.
Thanks all
Greg & Alison

Our house


Back garden



Penmachno

 

[Broch]

About 20 months ago I posted a thread about a possible move to Brittany or the Peak District.
Well we have taken the plunge but its neither choice. Post Brexit we gave up on the France option as I do have some health issues and was concerned about health care should I need it once we had exited from the EU. So I started paying more attention to the Peak District. Regular checking of properties online and a few visits and we soon realised that it was not going to be easy finding a property in our price bracket that met our needs.
That's when a friend suggested North Wales. A quick check and it was nice to see how far your pennies go in this area. We viewed a few properties in Snowdonia and Anglesey and were looking for a character property in a village location. The one that best suited us was in the village of Penmachno in the Snowdonia national park. We found it last September but due to holdups with the chain we did not move till early march, two weeks before the lockdown!
The property needs a little work but its full of character being 160 years old. Any jobs will have to wait till the country is moving again but its not a bad place to be in lockdown.
The locals have made us more than welcome as they were happy the property had not been sold as a second home. Its only a small village 4 miles from Betws y coed. There will be plenty of choice for walking and bushcraft once we are able to explore the area more. We are already feeling completely at home.
I thought I would post this update for anyone who is thinking of getting out of the rat race and looking for a bit of inspiration. We have also made many good friends through our old local meets at North Wood in the midlands. If any of them are in the area after lockdown feel free to drop me a line or phone and pop in for a coffee or beer.
I have only taken a few snaps on my phone in the current situation. I am sure there will be some better photos in the months to come.
Thanks all
Greg & Alison

Welcome to God's country - just don't tell too many people that the locals aren't woad covered barbarians though

 

[Erbswurst]

Looks like Britanny.
Do they speak French around you?

 

[Broch]

They speak Breton in Brittany which is a gaelic language related to Welsh - so, linguistically closer than French

 

[greg.g]

Looks like Britanny.
Do they speak French around you?

That's something I haven't tried yet

 

[Broch]

Oui, on pet parler Francais ici en Pays de Galle mais preferemant Gallois

 

[Toddy]

It looks very pretty and the countryside around kind of inviting for a ramble too.
Good neighbours are gold. I hope you're both very happy (and healthy) in your new home

 

[Le Loup]

About 20 months ago I posted a thread about a possible move to Brittany or the Peak District.
Well we have taken the plunge but its neither choice. Post Brexit we gave up on the France option as I do have some health issues and was concerned about health care should I need it once we had exited from the EU. So I started paying more attention to the Peak District. Regular checking of properties online and a few visits and we soon realised that it was not going to be easy finding a property in our price bracket that met our needs.
That's when a friend suggested North Wales. A quick check and it was nice to see how far your pennies go in this area. We viewed a few properties in Snowdonia and Anglesey and were looking for a character property in a village location. The one that best suited us was in the village of Penmachno in the Snowdonia national park. We found it last September but due to holdups with the chain we did not move till early march, two weeks before the lockdown!
The property needs a little work but its full of character being 160 years old. Any jobs will have to wait till the country is moving again but its not a bad place to be in lockdown.
The locals have made us more than welcome as they were happy the property had not been sold as a second home. Its only a small village 4 miles from Betws y coed. There will be plenty of choice for walking and bushcraft once we are able to explore the area more. We are already feeling completely at home.
I thought I would post this update for anyone who is thinking of getting out of the rat race and looking for a bit of inspiration. We have also made many good friends through our old local meets at North Wood in the midlands. If any of them are in the area after lockdown feel free to drop me a line or phone and pop in for a coffee or beer.
I have only taken a few snaps on my phone in the current situation. I am sure there will be some better photos in the months to come.
Thanks all
Greg & Alison

Our house
View attachment 58510

Back garden

View attachment 58511

Penmachno

View attachment 58512

Well done Greg, good move. Now you need to get a garden going as soon as you can.
Keith.

 

[woodspirits]

Hi Greg and Alison, pleased it finally all came together for you, looks lovely.

 

[Tony]

Lovely job Greg, good on you for making the move and there's no denying that it's beautiful up there! We're 2.5 - 3 hours south of you. You're going to love it there and as you say, there's going to be plenty of opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors

 

[Herman30]

Lovely looking village and landscape.

 

[greg.g]

We have put out bird feeders in the garden and we have had some visitors that we didn't get back in Brum.
These include blackcap, siskins, goldcrest, linnet, song thrush and all the usual suspects. Will try and get some photos in time. Already set up a suitable branch nearby to use as a perch. Just need to add a few blobs of Superglue now to slow em down a bit

 

[MartinK9]

Very nice Greg and Alison, stay safe down there.

 

[Broch]

We have put out bird feeders in the garden and we have had some visitors that we didn't get back in Brum.
These include blackcap, siskins, goldcrest, linnet, song thrush and all the usual suspects. Will try and get some photos in time. Already set up a suitable branch nearby to use as a perch. Just need to add a few blobs of Superglue now to slow em down a bit

It sounds like you're enjoying your new environment
It's a fantastic area. I even like Betwys it has a real fun atmosphere when the tourists come in in summer. You're spoilt for choice for outdoor shops there too - anything from walking, camping, climbing, canoeing, cycling ... And, of course, in Penmachno, you're out of the bustle when you want to be.

If you are into canoeing there's a nice lake North of you that's worth a paddle (Llyn Geirionydd); actually there's a few in the area.

The roads over the moors south of you are well worth exploring too - beautiful scenery and views and, usually, very quiet.

As for Blackcaps, I was working in our veg patch yesterday and you'd have thought there was an aviary of budgerigars in the bramble patch further up the hill; well they sound like budgies to me anyway I don't know if they are on the increase but we seem to see more each year.

 

[greg.g]

It sounds like your enjoying your new environment
It's a fantastic area. I even like Betwys it has a real fun atmosphere when the tourists come in in summer. You're spoilt for choice for outdoor shops there too - anything from walking, camping, climbing, canoeing, cycling ... And, of course, in Penmachno, you're out of the bustle when you want to be.

If you are into canoeing there's a nice lake North of you that's worth a paddle (Llyn Geirionydd); actually there's a few in the area.

The roads over the moors south of you are well worth exploring too - beautiful scenery and views and, usually, very quiet.

As for Blackcaps, I was working in our veg patch yesterday and you'd have thought there was an aviary of budgerigars in the bramble patch further up the hill; well they sound like budgies to me anyway I don't know if they are on the increase but we seem to see more each year.

We have already discovered the roads over the Moors. Perfect drivers roads. Nice and quiet but scenic and challenging to drive. As well as the birds, we bought a bat detector and have hung a batbox in the garden. I think they are amazing little creatures. Flying mice
As for canoeing, never tried it, but always fancied giving it a go. There's no shortage of outdoor activities in this area.
Went for a local walk today and found a lovely little wild camping spot for a couple of hammocks. Roll on relaxation of lockdown.
Another couple of birds to make an appearance are a treecreeper and nuthatch.

 

[Broch]

We have already discovered the roads over the Moors. Perfect drivers roads. Nice and quiet but scenic and challenging to drive.

Yeh, great driving roads; I used to take the local Westfield club up there for a summer run - there are a few fantastic routes around.

 

[greg.g]

Yeh, great driving roads; I used to take the local Westfield club up there for a summer run - there are a few fantastic routes around.

You don't see many Westfield's these days. I used to watch them hill climbing at Shelsley Walsh. I owned an S1 Elise for 14 years and only sold it when I started to look for a property to retire to. Do miss her though.

 

[Broch]

You don't see many Westfield's these days. I used to watch them hill climbing at Shelsley Walsh. I owned an S1 Elise for 14 years and only sold it when I started to look for a property to retire to. Do miss her though.

One of my 'lock down' projects is getting my Westfield back on the road - making good progress

 

[greg.g]

What engine have you got in it?

 

[Broch]

Only a 2L Pinto - it puts out about 150hp which, in 620Kg, is more than enough to have fun in; there's plenty of torque so 0-60 is a little over 5s and I can trickle through villages without having to hold the revs high which is the problem with more modern engines - and that's the least 'bushcrafty' thing I've ever written on this forum