I'm having an almighty feeling fat day today, now don't get me wrong i'm not obese (yet) and still a UK size 14 (what are you moaning about then you say) but ...................... I have some lovely clothes and I can't get into them. I have started to selling some of my clothes on eBay in order to buy bigger clothes which is fine but .................... I don't want to.
Obviously due to my illness I don't exercise (or even move) as much as I used to and I need to start a brand new get up, get fit and hopefully get better scheme.
So after the last time (yes I went through this about 3 months ago) spending over £200 and then selling said diet food on FB for £20 (bargain there!!) I have decided to take the plunge into the diet food delivered to your door world but after hating and I mean HATING porridge after the last time I had to find one that wasn't going to make me have porridge for 28 days (although I did lose weight).
So my research.........
Diets to your door: Do the latest home-delivery meal packages cut the mustard?
Miracle cure: A host of new companies promise to
shoulder the burden of working out what you need to eat. But can they help you lose weight healthily?
How often have you looked enviously
at the figures of the rich, famous and gorgeous, knowing the reason
they're so slim and healthy is because they can afford a dedicated chef
preparing nourishing, calorie-counted meals each day? Well,
the good news is that the rest of us can now enjoy something similar,
thanks to the ever-increasing array of home delivered diet food
available. A host of
new companies promise to shoulder the burden of working out what you
need to eat, while removing the effort involved. But can they help you
lose weight in a way that's healthy? 'These
home-delivered diets do suit busy people who struggle to find the time
to prepare healthy meals,' says Dr Denise Thomas, head of nutrition and
dietetics at Portsmouth hospital. 'They
might stop you falling into the high-calorie trap of relying on
takeaways or eating out, and they can help re-educate dieters to accept
smaller portions.' There
are eight main home delivery diet packages on the market that deliver
nationwide. Sign up, and boxes containing your diet food for a week, a
few days, or just one day (depending on the plan) will arrive on your
doorstep. Some work to
a standard daily calorie allowance; others calculate your personal
calorie needs to plan a menu that contains 100 to 200 calories per day
less, to ensure steady weight loss. These
diet deliveries aren't a miracle cure for flab: 'Some people find
losing weight easier when you limit the choice of foods like this, but
successful weight management is all about lifestyle change,' warns Dr
Thomas. However, as a way to kick-start a new regime, they can be useful. We
asked Dr Thomas to analyse the eight different home-delivery diet
packages, and rate them in terms of their overall healthiness and their
ability to help you lose weight.
Balanced: Rosemary Conley's chicken hot pot
SOLO SLIM
Cost: £6.71 per day. Visit www.rosemaryconley.com or call 0870 0507 727
What you get:
One week's diet - a cereal bar and a sachet of hot chocolate per day,
a low-fat soup and a ready meal such as lowfat chicken hot pot or
low-fat chilli and rice in a microwaveable pouch. There is also a 200g
block of low-fat cheese to last the week. What you add:
A bowl of high-fibre breakfast cereal each day, three portions of fruit
or vegetables/salad, 3/4 pint of milk, 1-2 slices of wholegrain bread,
and low-fat yoghurt to make up a calorie total of 1,200 per day. Support: No
initial consultation or helpline, but it's easy to tap into Conley's
media empire with TV shows, websites and interactive forums available. Exercise: Not mentioned with this plan, but very much part of the Rosemary Conley message. Lots of advice on the website. Flexibility: Vegetarian option available, and there's a choice of five soups, ten meals and three different cereal bars in your box. Taste verdict:
Soups are tasty and evening meals are palatable and filling when bulked
up with two portions of veg. The cereal bar is too sweet and, at 65
calories a cup, the hot chocolate is twice as calorific as many diet
versions. Expert view: This
balanced, low-fat diet is the sort of plan most health professionals
would recommend for weight loss. It's a low cost, stripped-down service
backed by years of experience. Adding your own elements gives freedom,
but also a wide margin for cheating - it would be tempting to add
extra cheese. The calorie count for the evening meals varies, so the
meal you select could make an impact on daily total.
VERDICT: 7/10
Not recommended without medical supervision: You
get three milkshakes per day but the low calories could make you feel
light-headed
WEIGHT TO GO
Cost: £8.71 per day. Visit www.weightogo.com or 0845 468 1280
What you get:
Three milkshakes per day (one for breakfast and two snacks), a pouch of
soup, a ready meal (such as chilli with rustic Camargue red rice, or
chickpea and sweet potato tagine) for supper and two energy bars per
week. It's delivered weekly (or as a four-week 'value' box). What you add:One portion of fruit and vegetables, to make a total of 850 calories per day. Support: No
initial consultation unless requested, but you can call or email a
'health educator, leave a message and should receive a reply within 24
hours. You have access to a dedicated blog and receive a regular
newsletter, but advisers do not track individual weight loss. Exercise: You are urged to take a brisk, 30-minute walk each day Flexibility:
There's a 'weekend off' box on offer, so you can have a break from the
diet two days a week. After your first order you can pick the soups and
meals you prefer (from five soups and eight main meals), and order
individual elements (shake powders and snack bars) separately.
Vegetarian or wheat-free diet options available. Taste verdict: Acceptable
soups, but main meals taste like Army rations, and the thick, very
sweet milk shakes are barely palatable. energy bars taste artificial and
are too sweet. Expert view: Low-calorie
diets like this are not recommended without medical supervision. The
high-protein shakes might help you feel full, but on 850 calories per
day you're likely be light-headed and tired. Very little support
considering how hard it is to stick to. You may lose weight rapidly, but
this would be difficult to maintain. VERDICT: 3/10
Delicious: All food is unprocessed and unrefined
THE PURE PACKAGE
Cost: £36.95 per day, from 08456 123888 and www.purepackage.com - not easily available outside Greater London
What you get:
A cool bag delivered every morning containing breakfast ( for example,
granola with goat's milk yoghurt and berries), two fresh organic meals
(fish with vegetables, goats cheese and butternut squash salad), and
individually packaged snacks (oat cakes with tapenade, a piece of fruit a
small sachet of nuts or seeds). All food is unprocessed and unrefined. What you add:
Nothing. Your cool bag contains 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, with a
different menu each day personalised to your tastes and lifestyle. Support:
Kicks off with an in- depth telephone consultation, so the diet can be
individually tailored. Then the consultant calls regularly to check
progress and offer help - if you are going to a restaurant, tell the
team, they'll contact the restaurant, look at the menu, and advise
accordingly. Exercise: not emphasised Flexibility:
The weight-loss programme is one of many options, including healthy
eating, anti-ageing, brain balance and detox plans. Portion sizes can be
altered to suit individual appetites and dinners for partner or friend
are available at £9.50 a time. Costs can be reduced by opting for a no-breakfast, no-dinner or no-lunch programme. Taste verdict:
Delicious and beautifully presented. each meal is laid-out in a sealed
tray with pots of dips and dressings, and bags of nuts and seeds. The
closest thing to having your own diet chef. Expert view:
This diet is very balanced and nutritious. Frequent small meals balance
blood sugar levels to help you lose weight, and reduce cravings and
mood swings. At around 1,500 calories per day you should lose 1lb of
weight a week, which is good. The support is solid, too, but the plan is
definitely unhealthy for the wallet.
VERDICT: 9/10
Generous portions: You could end up eating more calories and slow your weight loss
NKD Cost: £9.28 per day. Visit www.nkddiet.co.uk or call 020 7193 6410 What you get: A
week's supply containing breakfast (sachet of porridge oats or
granola), lunch (soup or pasta salad), and an evening meal (such as beef
casserole, or chana massala) plus a snack (two plain rice cakes or
low-cal biscuits). What you add: One
portion of fruit and one of vegetables and either milk or low-fat
yoghurt with your breakfast, to make a daily total of 1,000 calories. Support:
You can buy online, or phone to cherry-pick food choices and
personalise your menu. Optional phone consultation includes questions on
current weight, weight-loss goals, dietary requirements and activity
levels. The food box comes with a comprehensive weight-loss handbook
with useful advice. Unlimited use of telephone support line and a weekly
call from your dedicated 'weight loss professional'. Exercise: Lots of encouragement to exercise, with exercise log pages in handbook. Flexibility:
Choose the meals you prefer and higher protein or vegetarian menus can
be devised. Option to buy extra evening meals, so you and your partner
can eat together. Free replacement if you don't like a meal. Money back
if you don't like the plan. Taste verdict:
Breakfast portions are tiny, but the soups are delicious and meals
hearty, tasty and very varied - in fact, not diet food at all - many
are re-labelled supermarket ready-meals. Expert view:
Although you could easily buy this food yourself at the supermarket ,
the programme offers exceptional support. The meals seem generous in
comparison to other plans, so be careful or you could end up eating more
calories on some days and slow your weight loss. VERDICT: 8/10
Soul food: Luxurious and impossible to feel deprived
SOULMATE FOOD
Cost: £25 per day (min six-day order) www.soulmatefood.com or 0870 803 3833
What you get:
An insulated box with three days' worth of fresh, organic, low-fat,
wholegrain food, with three varied main courses (such as Thai chicken
noodle salad or swordfish with black bean salsa) and two snacks, plus a
collection of vitamin and mineral supplements. Each menu is bespoke and
the calorie count individually calculated. What you add: Nothing. Support:
A telephone consultation establishes your typical diet, activity levels
and any intolerances or dislikes. You have unlimited phone and email
access to staff including nutritionists. Exercise: Free phone advice from personal trainers. Flexibility:
You can eliminate food groups and up to three foods you don't like. In
addition to the weight loss plan, you could choose a two-week detox or
anti-cellulite package. Taste verdict:
Generous portions (huge plate of wholemeal noodles with 15 big fat
prawns on top), lots of snacks and treats ( such as four large
strawberries dipped in chocolate). Luxurious and impossible to feel
deprived. Expert view:
This is an expensive way to eat healthily, but provides a great
education in terms of portion size, new combinations, and how to spread
meals and snacks throughout the day. Weight loss would be steady and
more likely to last.
VERDICT: 9/10
Atkins by post: Add your own yoghurt and berries to the sachet of breakfast cereal
GO LOWER Cost: £10 per day (£7.23 per day if you pay for 8 weeks) www.golower.co.uk or call 0800 862 0099 What you get:
Weekly or monthly delivery. Each day you get a sachet of breakfast
cereal, soup or a portion of sliced salami with dressing for lunch, and a
low-carb ready meal such as beef in thyme gravy or chicken and leeks in
a cream sauce for the evening, plus two snacks a day. This is Atkins by
post: high-protein, high-fat, but very low-carb. What you add: Milk or Greek yoghurt and berries to breakfast, salad at lunch and vegetables with supper. Support: You will be allocated a personal consultant, who performs the initial consultation and is then available for support (by phone,
email, text). A trained nutritionist is available seven days a week
through an appointments system and you can access a members' forum. Exercise: The plan recommends weight training for toning up. Flexibility:
After 14 to 28 days, you move into the steady weightloss phase and can
customise the meal choice and add treats (chocolate-coated Brazil nuts,
chocolate mousse). Your progress is constantly monitored and your diet
adjusted accordingly. Taste verdict: The
breakfast granola and cereal bars are more nutty than sweet, and the
soups and main meals are rich and tasty. There's more meat than the
other plans, but I found myself eating the thin, oily meatball sauce
wishing I had a potato to soak it up. Expert view:
Few health professionals will endorse Atkins-style diets like this one,
because they are designed to kickstart ketosis to burn fat by cutting
out carbohydrates. During ketosis, the body produces chemicals called
ketones, which are poisonous and affect your blood chemistry, which is
why you can feel ill during the early stages of these diets. Although
these low-carb diets can be effective in the short term and this plan is
not expensive, I would stress caution. VERDICT: 3/10
Only good for short term: Once you start eating solid food in the evenings, you may find it difficult to stop
NOSH DETOX Cost: £50.90 per day for a minimum of six days. Visit noshdetoxdelivery.com, 0845 257 6674 What you get:
Large smoothie for breakfast, mid-morning vitamin smoothie, soup for
lunch, small smoothie mid-afternoon, then a light organic, gluten and
dairy free cooked supper (such as stir-fried rice and vegetables or
bacon and pea risotto with watercress) to total 1,200-1,500 calories per
day. Deliveries within M25 are fresh to the door each evening. Various
nationwide options available. What you add: Fresh ginger and lemon to make into a hot drink to start the day, and herbal teas. support:
There's an optional initial phone consultation, but an online form asks
about allergies and intolerances. You can call or email questions and a
nutritionist will reply. Everyone gets a tenminute consultation with a
nutritionist. Exercise: Plan recommends light, gentle exercise such as yoga, swimming and gentle jogging, and suggests a tenminute walk each day. Flexibility: The alternatives include a sixday juice fast or healthy ( nondiet) food. Can be tailored for people with food intolerances. Taste verdict: The
breakfast smoothie tasted healthy rather than fabulous, and the rest
were delicious but small. The spicy pumpkin soup was tasty but only just
filled a medium-sized mug. And although the evening meal was bursting
with flavour, the portion was not filling. Expert view: A
very-low calorie liquid diet followed by a balanced meal in the evening
means you may feel light-headed until the evening meal. And once you
start eating solid food in the evenings, you may find it difficult to
stop. Generally, meal replacement diets like this do well, but long-term
benefits are doubtful. VERDICT: 5/10
Healthy: Food is portioned but not restrictive
DIET CHEF
Cost: £7.49 per day. Visit www.dietchef.co.uk or 0845 094 9796
What you get:
Granola or flavoured porridge, soup or milkshake for lunch and a
readymeal such as beef bolognese ( no pasta), pork meatballs, or chicken
casserole for dinner, plus a snack (such as a two-pack of oat
biscuits). Weekly, fortnightly or monthly. What you add:
A portion of fruit and veg plus semi-skimmed milk or a small pot of
yoghurt per day to make a total of 1,200 calories (or 1,500 calories if
very active). Support:
An online quiz takes your height, weight and activity levels and
estimates how many calories you need for steady weight loss. Support
comes in the form of monthly email tips and hints, and, if you have
problems, you can get into a rather stilted online live chat with a Diet
Chef representative. Exercise: Not essential but strongly recommended. Flexibility: Choose what you want for breakfast, lunch and supper. More options for active dieters and vegetarians. Taste verdict: A huge choice of delicious soups and a variety of long-life microwaveable meals for supper. Expert view: A
good healthy plan that would help you lose weight. The food is
portioned but not restrictive and the energy levels per meal are good.
Although the level of support is not as comprehensive as some other
plans, its Facebook page is a good way of keeping customers on track.
VERDICT: 7/10
Courtesy of Daily Mail online.
Now me being me I want the expensive one but as I'm making hubby do the diet with me £70 odd per day is a bit pricey in fact we could probably eat quite healthily in restaurants for that.
So (and you notice my old diet saints and slimmers isn't on there) I've opted for Diet Chef (and no time to back out as I've paid for it aaargh) 2 months worth but with hubby its only 4 weeks worth each.
I've also done my virtual weigh in but me being as blonde as I am I did kg instead of the pounds in which I weighed it (and they won't let me change it) so according to the chart I need to lose 2/3 of my body weight in fact a whopping 18 stone OML!!!!
May need to go onto another diet forum to weigh myself and track my weight cor blimey........................
Oh boy oh boy.
now.
My food :_
Products:
------------------------------------------------------
1 x 8 Week Plan (1200 calories) (DC28AUTO2N) = £190.00
4 x Pink Apple & Cinnamon Granola
4 x Apple & Cinnamon Porridge
4 x Vanilla & Banana Porridge
2 x Strawberry Porridge
2 x Original Muesli Bar
2 x Luxury Muesli
4 x Chocolate Soft Cookie
2 x Oat Bar with Strawberry & Apple
4 x Gluten Free Fruity Oats Muesli
2 x Gluten Free Pure Porridge Oats
4 x Chunky Vegetable Soup
2 x Chicken Couscous Salad
2 x Chicken & Bean Salad
2 x Thai Chicken Soup
2 x Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
2 x Smoked Bacon & Bean Soup
2 x Ham & Sweetcorn Chowder
4 x Pasta Salad
4 x Tuna & Rice Salad
2 x Beef in Ale
2 x Paella
2 x Chicken in BlackBean Sauce
2 x Sweet & Sour Chicken
2 x Thai Chicken Curry
2 x Pasta Bolognese
2 x Chicken Korma
2 x Chicken Jalfrezi
2 x Taka Dahl
2 x Beef Goulash
2 x Chicken Fricassee
2 x Chicken Curry
2 x Coq au Vin
2 x Spelt Risotto
1 x Chocolate Milkshake
1 x Strawberry Milkshake
1 x Vanilla Milkshake
1 x Cafe Latte Milkshake
2 x Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits
2 x Ginger Oat Biscuits
2 x Berry Oat Biscuits
2 x Salted Popcorn
4 x Sweet Maple Popcorn
2 x Sweet and Salty Popcorn
4 x Cheese & Onion Flavour Bakes
4 x Paprika Flavour Bakes
4 x Tomato Salsa Flavour Bakes
------------
Exercise plan is a bit more hit and miss -
So I will try to walk the dog for just a small walk up to the park and if I can around the park once a day, that might help to strengthen my muscles
I start Hydrotherapy once a week soon and I could try to get hubby and little man to go to the swimming pool for me, but needs to be warm, jacuzzis apparently are the best for my illness and just moving the legs around when in there.
Phew i'm worn out already now where's my choc bar ????
I believe that is a great start to what needs to be a wonderfully chilled blog ...........................
Where has the sun gone??? for the past few days we have had extreme heat but not a glimpse of the sun and as I have been feeling poorly spending a lot of that time on my lonesome in the bedroom does not increase my mood. So what do I do I dream..................................
So off on my dream I went and it isn't really the kind where you shut your eye, my dreams are all virtual with real places and me going if only I had a million pounds (don't we all?)
Well for my million pounds in this dream alone I have picked my top 3. Torpoint, Cornwall just £595,000
This spacious bungalow is set in a waterside location with direct access
to the foreshore and views over St John's Lake. It has a kitchen,
breakfast room, study, sitting room, three bedrooms and garden. Marchand Petit (01752 829000, marchandpetit.co.uk)
Bracklesham Bay, Susses just £1,100,000
This beachfront property has a reception hall, kitchen/breakfast
room,utility room, conservatory, sitting/dining room, master bedroom
with en-suite shower room, four further bedrooms and gardens with direct
access to the beach. Jackson-Stops & Staff (01244 328 361, jackson-stops.co.uk)
Weatherly, North Wales £625,000 Looking for a coastal home with spectacular views? This
exceptional marine residence sits right on the waterfront and enjoys
breathtaking coastal vistas against the backdrop of mountains. Weatherly
is well placed for Porthmadog which has good local amenities. This
house has three bedrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, utility room and
balcony. Jackson-Stops & Staff (01244 328 361, jackson-stops.co.uk)
It does make me laugh though that despite the price is isn't big enough heigh ho ............... maybe when all the kids have left home (but isn't that the time that they come over all the time with your grandchildren) and with 8 kids between us I wonder how many grandkids we'll get!!!
I think in the picture that is their children, hmmm maybe they'll have a few extra grandchildren than us then :)
So i've been thinking about this move again, obviously for us the one would be Cornwall you just can't beat it for the views but..........................
We are also thinking about moving back to Norfolk, Lincolnshire to be closer to Jons mum and the sea and bigger houses for the price, Devon, Isle of Wight and even Jersey (maybe if we rob a bank first).
Neither me or hubby have been to the Isle of Wight or Jersey, maybe I should think even further away then to little Britain Gibraltar???
hmmmmmmmmmmmm not too sure that was the type of area I wasn't hoping to retire to? The Reality of Life in Gibraltar and Surrounding Region
Anyone considering coming to live in southern Spain and the Gibraltar region, in particular, should carefully think it over.
In a nutshell, the advantages are:
Great location if you’re interested in Andalusian (inland Andalusia)
and/or North African culture, and like being near the sea. However, be
prepared to take advantage of all the benefits life near the ocean can
afford, e.g. enrol in a yacht master’s and/or diving course (however,
quite a few nuclear submarines have probed the waters here, so you might
grow a third eye in the process!), buy a canoe and get paddling, etc.,
otherwise you’ll be bored out of your brains! It’s best to have a car
rather than using unreliable, local transport to visit such great cities
as Seville, Granada, Cordoba, etc.
Weather is generally mild in comparison to the UK, but don’t come
expecting radiant sunshine and hot weather year round. Gibraltar is
often cloudy, rainy, and only warm/hot for about five months of the year
(May-October).
Gibraltar is as safe as houses, unlike La Línea (Gibraltar’s immediate
neighbour Spanish side). Even as a woman, you can roam the streets at
four in the morning, and nothing will happen to you, unless you’re
extremely unlucky.
Gibraltar is bilingual. However, bear in mind that whilst Gibraltarians
are schooled in English, they prefer to converse in Spanish.
Therefore, you’re more likely to hear ‘patatas fritas’ on the street
than ‘chips’, even though signs are in English.
The disadvantages:
Employment in Gibraltar, and along the entire Costa del Sol, is limited
for the natives, let alone foreigners who don’t speak Spanish. As a
general rule, and due to my own personal experience and the experiences
of those I’ve met in Gibraltar, the recruitment agencies here are a
waste of space. A common practice amongst these agencies is to
advertise jobs that don’t even exist, just to make the purpose of their
existence seem purposeful or to market the region as prosperous and
especially industrious. It isn’t. Apply to companies directly. Bear
in mind that if you want varied and meaningful employment, Gibraltar,
and this region in general, should not be considered. Most jobs are
occupied, naturally, by Gibraltarians, which is how it should be.
However, this means that it is often hard, albeit impossible, to get
those more coveted roles due to Gibraltar’s insular, exclusive nature.
Your best bet as a foreigner, and especially if you don’t speak Spanish,
is to apply directly at the many online gaming companies, such as
Ladbrokes, Party Gaming, etc. The pay will not be particularly good,
and the employment monotonous and dull; think of customer service and
shift work, which really screws with any kind of social life of which
you might have dreamt.
This region, with few exceptions (I’m not, of course, referring to
Seville, Granada and the like), is bereft of culture. Basically, one
can ‘do’ Gibraltar in a day. There are theatres, but no decent amateur
dramatics societies, and no theatrical troupes of any repute visit this
region. There is one museum. Enough said. Locals put on the
occasional art displays, but for a culture vulture, these are small and
largely disappointing. After you’ve been to the cinema, the bowling
alley, played table tennis at the local community centre, you’d better
hope you have your yacht master’s to save you from despair! Bear in
mind, it’s not really feasible to water ski for seven months of the
year, and you need to make friends with people who have boats in order
to gain access to them.
The cost of living in Gibraltar can sometimes be much more exorbitant
than even the UK. As salaries are not great, most people will have to
resort to living in the incredibly unattractive commuter town of La
Línea de la Concepción. Speaking as someone who, for the most part,
loves Spain and is bilingual, La Línea is an unfriendly, poor, unsafe
(for foreigners and Gibraltarians) and backward backwater. There will
be some expats for whom La Línea is safe and nice enough, but for the
rest of the discerning populace, people live there because they have
little choice. Living further up the coast makes having your own
transport indispensable. The Costa del Sol (with few exceptions, such
as Malaga) is made up of soulless, high rise apartment blocks wherein
live plenty of expats of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps fame;
the sort who should never have been let out of the UK in the first
place. If you’re in your twenties and thirties, quite well educated,
and more quirky than the average, you’ll be bored beyond reason. Go to
Seville, Barcelona, Granada or Cordoba to live. Expats here (a minority
are of a pleasant mixed bunch), are, in the main, older than the
average expat residing in Spanish cities; married with kids; less well
educated than your average expat, love the Spanish weather and sadly
little else, and to whom ‘the Prado’ means some sort of Spanish Morris
dance. Okay, maybe this is a tad snotty, but you get my drift.
Essentially, these expats are not here to learn Spanish and/or anything
about the Hispanic culture, look with disdain upon the immigrants back
home, whilst forming their own sullen and insular little Brit ghettos
over here. Hence, anyone who thinks assimilation is a little more than
creating exactly the same kind of lifestyle as you did or didn’t enjoy
back home, should look to emigrate elsewhere. If living along the
coast, commuting to Gibraltar for work, although hundreds do it, is time
consuming and tiring. If you’re doing shift work, magnify this
scenario several times. The sweet guards at the Gibraltar/Spain border
regularly stage little politically/racially-motivated, throwing toys
out the pram tantrums, which mean several hour long delays at the
border. If working a 10 hour shift in Gibraltar and residing in Spain,
you might be wondering why you didn’t take that high paying job in
London.
In essence, you have to ask yourself whether the Spanish home in the sun
is what it’s cracked up to be. The miniscule difference in monetary
exchange means that Spain is currently no longer the bargain for expats.
Salaries in Gibraltar, given the exchange rate, have in effect fallen
approximately 30 percent in two years. Spain’s Costa del Sol is often
not that sunny in winter and cold as hell. People get bored here as in
most places. If you want year-round heat and sun, a fun and
multi-cultured atmosphere, a variety of job opportunities, exoticism, go
to the United Arab Emirates!
courtesy of http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=580390
maybe not then! Isle of Wight
Much prettier ............................
What's going for it? Has a nice ring to it,
Ventnor. Vent-nor. Sounds exactly like what it is, a prim, middle-class,
Victorian resort with steep gable ends and a dash of Agatha Christie in
the form of copious retired colonels and amateur botanists drawn by its
balmy microclimate. Just my cup of tea. Lately, though, the 20th - even
the 21st - century has been creeping in, in the form of foodies,
middle-class evacuees from the mainland, thirtysomethings who took a
wrong turn out of Bestival and inevitably, in their wake, developers.
You can't blame them. The place is a delight: the beaches are clean and
sandy, the shops independent and thriving, the countryside steep and
downy - ripe for blustery walks - the cafes, pubs and restaurants good,
and there's a self-contained community spirit. The place feels apart
from the Isle of Wight, let alone the UK. I tell you, if I had any
inheritance, this is where I'd buy my little hideaway. The case against Not much. It is away from it all, and there are fears the town's burgeoning trendiness might turn it all Whitstable-y. Well connected?
Touch of Planes, Trains And Automobiles. Or rather trains and
automobiles to Portsmouth, Southampton or Lymington, car ferries or
catamarans to Ryde, Cowes or Yarmouth, automobiles or trains from Ryde
to Shanklin, five miles away. Then a taxi or bus. If you time it
precisely, you can get to or from London in two and a half hours. Though
inevitably you won't. Schools Very good. Wroxall
primary is "good", St Wilfred's Catholic "good" with "pockets of
excellence", Chale CofE "very good", Godshill "excellent". The nearest
secondary is next door: Sandown High is "good". Hang out at...
Many hanker after The Pond Cafe at pretty Bonchurch village; others the
decent food and live music in the Spyglass Inn, perched over the sea.
But Matthew Chatfield, who runs Matt & Cat's Isle Of Wight Eating
Out Guide (mattandcat.co.uk) rates El Toro Contento. Where to buy
You can't go wrong anywhere. The town is full of pretty Victorian
villas and semis (especially in St Lawrence), and more cottagey terraces
lacing the steep hills. Bonchurch, just to the east, is much in demand,
too. Plenty of cafes and chippies for sale if you (like me) fancy the
teashop of your dreams. Market values Quite a bit
of silly speculation right now. Posh five-bed villas, plus the odd
10-bed hotel, £400,000-£1m. Four-bed modern detacheds, three-bed period
town houses, Victorian semis or cottages, £150,000-£400,000. Lots of
flats, many overpriced: one-bed from £75,000; two-, £130,000-£240,000. Bargain of the week
Two-bed semi high above the town, with fabulous views and a great patio
garden, £146,950, with Watson Bull & Porter (01983 852021). From the streets of Ventnor Graham Benson
"Don't miss the Volunteer pub for real ales, Tinto's wine bar, the Met
Bar on the front, El Toro Contento for authentic tapas, the Ventnor
Brewery and, for a bit of style, the Royal Hotel." Dave Trevan
"Ventnor Rare Books is a real old-fashioned secondhand bookshop; the
Undercliff for walks, rare plants and red squirrels; Blakes for the
freshest fish you'll find." James Bradley "Gorgeous green wall lizards, even in January." Name withheld
"The pubs on the Esplanade cater efficiently for the masses but I've
never had a good meal in them. Watch out for steep roads and difficulty
parking. The developers have grandiose plans, but I'm not sure the town
will survive their input. Might be more Benidorm than Southwold in a few
years
MMMM promising
Now JERSEY very much my cup of tea :)
Unless you are very , very, rich your chances of residing on Jersey are
remote. Apart from people born and bred there, the island select who
they want living there and people with lots of cash are what they prefer
and who can blame them. I believe the policy is to tax the rich less
than the mainland and in doing so they have many rich people who are
happy to be paying less tax, but in turn that generates much more income
for the island than if they were screwed. Property is very expensive. I
believe seasonal workers that come to work on the island during the
summer have to leave the island when their work finishes. (found this on a forum, probably rules us out then lol)
Summer is in full swing, and there is no better place to enjoy
the weather’s fairest season than at the coast. With such a big year
for events and happenings in the UK, there seems little reason to leave
our fair shores. So this month, we’ve decided to count down the Top 10
Coastal Towns in the UK.
10. Weymouth
Weymouth has been earmarked as the coastal destination in
2012, thanks to the Olympic Sailing taking place there and all the
attention it's bringing. But if you take a step back from the hype,
Weymouth is still a world-class costal town worth visiting when the show
is over. The main beach has Blue Flag status, so you can be assured
that it’s clean and safe, which is always great for families wanting to
spend some time in the sun. You’ve got a great selection of pubs,
restaurants and iconic sites to explore in town – the Portland Bill
Lighthouse, the Pavilion Theatre and Portland Castle. On top of that,
Weymouth is sitting on the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
that needs to be seen. The Jurassic Safaris of the area take visitors
through the more rugged parts of the coastline, across wildlife, ancient
architecture and viewpoints that will blow your mind. More info: www.visitweymouth.co.uk
Weymouth Harbour
9. Mablethorpe
Mablethorpe is a good ‘ol fashion seaside holiday town, with a
serious edge for families with young kids. The Seal Sanctuary is a
fantastic place for little ones to learn about marine and bird life in
the UK. Its Seal and Wildlife hospital has been taking in injured
animals since 1974, and maintains a high release rate once the seals are
well enough to make it on their own. As for the rest of the town,
Mablethorpe boasts a long, sandy beach for days spent building castles
and going for dips, plus a choice selection of amenities – the Spanish
City Complex, theme park, a lovely promenade and some fantastic
eateries. More info: www.mablethorpeholidays.com/
Mablethorpe Beach Huts
8. Barry
The Vale of Glamorgan in Wales has been a seaside favourite to
holidaying Brits for generations, and the town of Barry (the largest of
those making up the Vale) just seems to get better with age. It has all
the charm of a small seaside village, backed up by world-class
facilities and a packed social calendar. Classic attractions like Barry
Island’s Whitmore and Jackson Bay (ideal for lazy days on the beach),
Pleasure Island and the familiar locations from ‘Gavin & Stacey’ are
appealing to all ages – especially older visitors who’ve been coming
back since they were young bucks. The town itself is a mixture of quaint
Welsh architecture and gorgeous parks – perfect for post shopping
snacks and walks. Just a short drive down the coast you have the rest of
the Vale to see, with its Neolithic ruins, incredible cliffs and
strangely beautiful beaches. It’s unlike any other coastal town in the
world. One reviewer aptly named it, “the Welsh Riviera”. More info: www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/
Jackson Bay Barry Island
7. Walberswick
Only a short walk away from the iconic sea-side village of Southwold,
you’ll find Walberswick, and it’s a cute little neighbour. This tiny
crabbing community boasts a number of excellent beaches and stunning
countryside pubs to keep families busy when they’re not taking walks
along the harbour trail. The Suffolk countryside is an attraction on its
own, as open expanses of rapeseed fields stretch out between the
forests that overlook its beaches. Bring bicycles and tour the area in
all directions, stopping at the old churches and ruins that will still
be there in 200 years time. More info: www.explorewalberswick.co.uk/
Walberswick Beach, courtesy of Roger Miller
6. Stonehaven
Stonehaven is full of the raw, dramatic landscapes and castles that
people have come to associate with Scotland’s countryside. The coastal
trail that runs past Aberdeen goes for 150 miles, allowing walkers to
get as much distance as they like. For something a bit lighter, there is
a whisky distillery tour that’ll still get your legs shaky. Although
the harbour has needed to be rebuilt several times since the 1600’s,
what stands today is one of the finest and liveliest recreational
harbours in the UK, adding a nice touch to one of the most picturesque
coastal towns in the world. More info: www.stonehavenguide.net/
Stonehaven
5. Penzance
The most westerly town in Cornwall may be a very long trek for people
living further away than London, but it’s worth every hour of the
journey (and more). The milder climate makes it ideal for people wanting
to maximise their time on the beach and develop something of a natural
tan before going home. But it’s also fast becoming known as one of the
cultural hubs of the Cornish coast; you’ve got iron-age villages on the
periphery of town, Georgian architecture and art galleries on the High
Street, plus stunning beaches all around you. These elements work
together in a way that bewitches visitors and makes them never want to
leave. June is a particularly cheerful time to visit Penzance, as Galowan and Mazey Day Festivals go back to back starting on June 23.
Another reason to head for the Cornwall coast is to experience Newquay, one of Britain's Top 10 Beaches.
Penzance
4. Southend On Sea
Home of the world’s longest pleasure pier, Southend on Sea is a town
built around family fun at the beach. The pier comes in at 1.33 miles
long and even has a railway service - that goes to the head - for those
not up to walking. The nearby Sealife Adventure Centre is always a hit
with kids; they’ll have a ball trying to spot and name the tropical
sharks, pufferfish, clown fish and other interesting specimens. From the
seafront, you can take the newly restored Cliff Lift (a 100 year old
structure that only costs 50p per person) to the High Street, where the
features in town are equally impressive. There are several art
galleries, museums, a planetarium and finally The Rendezvous Casino
Centre – for when the little ones have gone to bed. More info: www.visitsouthend.co.uk/
Southend On Sea
3. Rock
Rock is a posh little town North East of Newquay, opposite the Camel
Estuary, frequented by certain members of the Royal family and a number
of celebs. The sheltered waters of the estuary are ideal for regulars to
take their yachts, canoes or rowboats for a spin, or to simply drop a
line and see if any fish are biting. There’s also a large bird
population, which people can spot from the deck of their homes tucked
into the hillsides, preferably with binoculars in one hand and a glass
of Pimms in the other. It’s a terribly expensive coastal destination,
but the scenery is magnificent and nearby Daymer Bay is perfect for
family days on the beach; it’s safe and warm. If you can afford a local
holiday that costs as much as a trip across the world, you’ll find that
the juice is certainly worth the squeeze. More info: http://www.rockincornwall.co.uk/
Camel Estuary, Rock
2. Cromer
Cromer is one of Norfolk’s best assets. Its Blue Flag beach is one of
the main draws for people wanting a holiday at the seaside, but there’s
plenty more to back this up. The town is elegantly stylised by
Victorian architecture, giving it a surreal, time-warped feeling -
especially to visitors from outside the UK. The Parish Church takes poll
position of the town, dominating the skyline with a tower that extends
160 metres. If you’ve got the mustard to take all 172 steps to the top, a
mind blowing view of the town awaits you. Like the church, the pier’s
Pavilion Theatre has been a Cromer institution for more than 100 years,
and still puts on shows throughout the year. More info: www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/
Cromer Pier
1. Margate
Margate is the original British coastal resort, with a
tourism history that goes back hundreds of years. There is a great
awareness of the past in Margate, which bridges the gap between
generations for holidaymakers; the classic ‘Margate sites’ are
constantly being revamped to preserve its original charm. The seafront
and harbour have undergone numerous alterations, while the Blue Flag
beach in front is still the perfect place for swimming, surf lessons and
a day of tanning. Another great example of its timelessness is the
unexplainable ‘Shell Grotto’ (an underground lair of tunnels and rooms
that are lined with shells), which is as enthralling today as it was
during the 1800’s. For outdoor lovers, the Viking Coastal Trail takes
you through a nature reserve, past abbeys and other historical sites,
all while tottering along the magnificent Kent countryside, right to the
spot where the first Vikings landed on our shores. More info:www.visitthanet.co.uk/
Recuperating after a nervous
breakdown in 1921, the poet T. S. Eliot made a visit to the seaside town
of Margate on the Kent coast. While
he was there, he sat for a time in a municipal shelter on the front and
stared out at the concrete-grey sea beneath a wide but darkening sky.
The sheer bleakness of the scene was to serve as a form of literary
inspiration. ‘On Margate
sands, I can connect nothing with nothing,’ he wrote in The Waste Land,
one the finest 20th-century poems in the English language.
Bleak: T.S. Eliot wrote 'On Margate sands, I can connect nothing with nothing' in his poem The Waste Land
Exactly 90 years after Eliot’s
epic first appeared, the term ‘The Waste Land’ seems more appropriate
than ever for Margate, for the resort is even grimmer than when Eliot
visited the place in the early Twenties, though it does have a rich
history and retains some of its Victorian architectural charm. Certainly, it is those positive aspects that one travel guide has been seduced by. In
an extraordinary move, the compilers of the Rough Guide, the respected
international travel annual, have declared the resort to be one of the
top ten places in the world to visit. Most
people in Kent might think of Margate as a nightmare place, but
according to the Rough Guide, it is actually a dream destination, fit to
be put in the same category as Earthly Edens such as Puerto Rico and
North-East Iceland. With
its ‘golden sands’ and ‘dilapidated seaside charm’, Margate is ranked
seventh in the Rough Guide’s ‘must see’ destinations for 2013. So
there we have it. Honolulu, Portofino and the Maldives can be ignored.
Margate is where it’s really at. But, much as we might admire the
unorthodox enthusiasms of Rough Guide writers, their determination to
put Margate near the top of the global tourist summit is laughable.
'An upcoming area': Most people in Kent might
think of Margate as a nightmare place, but according to the Rough Guide,
it is actually a dream destination
The town is not even the seventh best place to visit on the Isle of Thanet, never mind the world. Other
nearby resorts like Broadstairs, Ramsgate, and Sandwich are far more
attractive. The artist Tracey Emin, a Margate native who somehow
embodies the more negative side of the town in the empty mediocrity of
her output, once said that Margate is ‘romantic, sexy and weird’. She
should have left out the first three words and she would have been
closer to the truth. Anyone
inspired by the Rough Guide to visit Margate may be in for
disappointment. I should know because for the past six years my wife and
I have lived on the outskirts of the resort. In a fit of inexplicable
folly, for which I must entirely carry the blame, we decided to buy a
house there in late 2006. Part
of my perverted rationale was that I had always liked the idea of
living by the sea. Moreover, as someone who loves to wallow in
nostalgia, I have long been drawn to the relics of England’s past. ‘Bleak
enough for you?’ said my wife when we first saw the street where we
bought our home. ‘Just about,’ I replied, relishing the mood of
autumnal Victoriana.
Positive: Artist Tracey Emin once described Margate as 'romantic, sexy and weird'
Besides, I told myself, where else
could you buy a period house with five bedrooms in the South-East of
England for less than £250,000? Well,
there was a reason why the property was cheap — and that was the
location. Ever since our purchase, we have been told that the town is
‘an upcoming area’. But it seems pretty paralysed to me. The
reality is that, for all the Rough Guide’s excitement, too much of
Margate could be an East German resort before the Berlin Wall came down.
The feeling of degeneration is almost palpable. In
dramatic contrast to Margate’s centre which, proportionately, has more
boarded up shops than any place in the South of England, the old town by
the harbour has fared much better, its narrow, winding streets now full
of boutique shops and cafes. The
catalyst for this change has been the arrival of Turner Contemporary
Art Gallery, named in honour of Britain’s greatest painter J. M. W.
Turner, the 19th-century genius who produced more than 100 pictures
inspired by the Kent coast, including some of his greatest seascapes. ‘The
skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe,’ he once said. But
for all its economic success, the modern Turner gallery is infused with
none of that artistic spirit. The
building itself looks like a warehouse on an East Midlands industrial
estate, while its exhibits are mostly the worst kind of pretentious tat
that today passes for modern art. Nor
would Turner be too pleased by the view from the harbour, with large
swathes of the estuary now given over to Europe’s biggest off- shore
windfarm. Economic decline
is also reflected in the demographics. Margate was hit hard from the
Sixties onwards by competition with cheap overseas travel, especially
Mediterranean package holidays, so the local authority took the reckless
decision to fill up the increasingly empty hotels and boarding houses
with social security claimants.
Cromer, Norfolk: Cheaper than Southwold and Aldeburgh, with added seafood. Photograph: Fabio De Paola
What's going for it? Enduring mystery of life no 17,978: just what is it that separates Cromer from loftier spots such as Holt and Burnham Market one way and Southwold and Aldeburgh the other? A matter of yards, I tell you! Outside Cromer's city limits, property prices soar: beyond Blakeney,
you can barely get a coal scuttle for a quarter of a million. Yet
Cromer's bone structure is Southwold in all but property price and
plum-mouthed inhabitants fresh from Hampstead. Gorgeous beach, cliffs
high enough to be picturesque, splendiferous pier, a chain-lite centre,
lighthouse, independent cinema, a faded hotel called the Hotel de Paris. What more do you want? Delicious, locally produced foodstuff to feed the foodie in you? One word: crabs. The case against Yes, yes, it's shabbier and more faded than Miss Havisham's stockings. Yes, yes, it's duller than a Rotary Club meeting in Nuneaton. But that's where you lot come in – pot of Fired Earth paint, a bit of gumption, you've got yourself a bargain. It's a long, long way away. Well connected?
It's in Norfolk. On the coast. What do you want, a motorway? Trains:
hanging on to its rail link to Norwich (45 minutes or so, every hour).
By road Norwich is 40 minutes away; the A1 or M11 up to 90 minutes away.
The excellent Coasthopper bus service serves the coast east and west. SchoolsCromer Junior's "good", says Ofsted. But Cromer High, alas, is "inadequate" and requires "significant improvement". Hang out at... Could do with a decent restaurant or even a caff. Head west along the coast for posh. The Red Lion and Wellington are decent enough for a pint. Where to buy There's a small old town around the church with pre-Victorian homes
and cottages; a good grid of hefty Victorian terraces and town houses
to the west and south, on and off Norwich Road. Suburban nirvana east
towards the golf course, off Overstrand Road. Market values Very
large sprawling detacheds, £400,000-£550,000. Normal-sized
detacheds, £150,000-£400,000. Town houses, £180,000-£350,000. Semis,
£130,000-£350,000. Terraces, £120,000-£180,000. Flats, £50,000-£250,000. Bargain of the week Two-bed Victorian terrace with a wee back garden, needs refurbishment, £114,000, with William H Brown (01263 513764). Live in Cromer? Join the debate at guardian.co.uk/letsmoveto
The word from the streets
Tracey & Chris Jennings "La Griglia serves delicious Italian fare or for a more traditional Cromer crab sandwich try the Rocket House or Lifeboat cafes, both with sea views." Stephen Stone "Buttercups Tea Room: excellent cakes; the Cromer Social Club: good for a cheap pint." Brian MacArthur "You can sometimes share the cinema with only three or four other people." Ian McKenzie "Suffers during term-time, with drunk UEA students."
ROCK - (have been there and it truly is stunning)
How you can afford a home in Rock, Cornwall
A low-cost self-build scheme that allows people to afford a home in Rock,
Cornwall, impresses Graham Norwood.
Living the dream: the Bosleys outside their Cornwall home
Photo: CHRISTOPHER JONES
Could there really be a family home for under £100,000 in one of Britain’s
loveliest and most expensive areas?
There is for Dan and Liz Bosley and their children, who are one of the first
families in the country to have built their own low-cost property under a
scheme which brings affordable homes to expensive locations.
The couple and their four children aged 18 months to 13 years live in Rock,
Cornwall, identified as the fourth “least affordable” place to live in
England and Wales in a survey by Halifax. Some 40 per cent of the properties
in the village are second homes and the average price is more than £500,000.
A four-bedroom house is currently on sale for £975,000.
“There’s no way we could afford to pay anything like those prices, but we were
one of 12 local families selected to build our own homes,” says Liz. “Scores
applied but the lucky dozen were chosen by having their names drawn from a
hat. If it wasn’t for this scheme, we’d be renting or having to move away
from our own area.”
The secret behind the low-cost housing is a non-profit-making Community Land
Trust created by locals fed up of being priced out of the housing market – a
sort of bricks-and-mortar version of David Cameron’s Big Society.
In 2008, the CLT received a gift of land donated by a local farmer and then
selected the families who were willing to self-build. Each family put down a
small deposit – just £2,500 in the Bosleys’ case – and took out conventional
mortgages to complete the construction work, which cost £80,000 to £100,000
for each property. To keep costs down, they tried to avoid buying in any
craftsmen.
“I wired every one of the 12 houses, while others did the bricklaying or
woodwork. Lots of people had skills already and a few undertook training. We
had to get all the homes finished before anyone moved in to make sure no one
lived in a building site,” says Dan, whose father – a gardener – helped with
the landscaping.
If the Bosleys ever sell, they are obliged by a covenant to set an asking
price no more than one third of the market value of the property, so while
it may appreciate in the long term, their home will remain much cheaper than
others in Rock.
Community Land Trusts exist around Britain, in cities as well as rural areas,
and have a strong local focus. Some use local professional building firms,
while others rely on self-builders, but all strictly control what happens to
properties after completion to ensure they stay in community hands and do
not become second homes or private buy-to-lets.
Most rely on land given to them by local benefactors or councils or purchased
at below-market value. So far about 50 low-cost homes have been built, with
work under way on another 100. The most recent completions were at Bishop’s
Castle in the West Midlands.
Housing minister Grant Shapps is introducing the Community Right To Reclaim
Land Act, allowing local residents to force councils to release unused land
which could be allocated for housing.
The 12 homes now completed at Rock are mostly bungalows sitting in a quiet
cul-de-sac off a road lined by detached private houses fetching up to
£500,000 each. Another eight homes are under construction by local people.
“The fact that we’ve all worked on all of the homes and are tied to passing
them on only to local people when we sell means there’s a great sense of
community here,” says Dan.
“It’s allowed us to live where we were bought up – and that’s something
special.”
Southend-On-Sea: You won't find a more grounded seaside resort than this. Photograph: Sophia Evans for the Guardian
What's going for it? I once saw a bronzed,
elderly lady in a thong karaoking at 6pm on the prom at Southend. On a
Tuesday! Here, I thought, was a town that knows how to have a good time.
Brighton, despite its seediness, always had airs and graces. Still
does. You won't, though, find a more grounded seaside resort than
Southend. It has its posh side, and these days it's made the inevitable
attempt to gentrify itself with arts festivals and the like. But only
Leigh-on-Sea has really fallen to the Cath Kidstons. Southend is red in
tooth and claw. Turn the corner into Shoeburyness and Essex's
vast skies meld with mudflats and wetlands to make the most ethereal,
peaceful landscape imaginable. While faded, like most resorts, Southend
has never lost the fight, unlike most resorts. It's still alive. That
thong lady had it figured. The case against If
you're averse to bronzed, elderly ladies karaoking, this probably isn't
the place for you. Avoid all that by sticking to the Thorpe
Bay/Shoeburyness end of things. The beach can be more sludge than sand
when the tide's out, though it's as clean as a whistle. Well connected?
Very. You have your pick of dual carriageways to zip you through Essex.
And the train service is good: around an hour to London from Southend
East or Victoria, five to seven trains an hour. Schools Among primaries, St Mary's Prittlewell CofE and Sacred Heart Catholic are "good" with some "outstanding" features, with Bournes Green Junior, Temple Sutton Primary and Milton Hall "outstanding". Secondaries: Shoeburyness High and The Eastwood are "good", St Bernard's High "outstanding". Hang out at…Rossi's ice-cream parlour. Knickerbocker for me, please. Where to buy
Mostly very affordable for the south-east. Huge Edwardian semis for
£250,000. Unattainable only in the poshest end of Thorpe Bay. Look at
nearby Southchurch "village" for big Edwardian town houses, Kilworth
estate, Clifftown conservation area, Westcliff-on-sea, Milford estate,
and the Southend conservation area for nice Victorian semis and
terraces. Market values Huge detacheds,
£500,000-£800,000 and up to £1m. Detacheds, £170,000-£500,000. Semis and
town houses, £160,000-£415,000. Terraces £140,000-£300,000. Flats from
£60,000 for a studio, up to £215,000. Bargain of the week Five-bed end of terrace, currently two flats, in the Clifftown Conservation Area. £340,000, with Sorrell.
From the streets
Holly Edwards
"Rossi's ice-cream is a local institution. My nan wouldn't eat any
other. True blue Tory stronghold, so it can be hard to find a
Guardian..." Nathan Coyne "People joke about
Shoeburyness on the train from Fenchurch Street, but they have clearly
never been farther than the station. It's got beaches and coastal walks
with views over the estuary. Properties in Shoebury Garrison would cost
millions closer to London." John Cheek "East Beach is lovely, where the Thames Estuary meets the North Sea."
PENZANCE (been there)
Let's move to Penzance, Cornwall
It has a 30s lido, palm trees and isn't stupid-bonkers posh
Penzance's amazing 1930s Jubilee pool. Photograph: Getty
What's going for it? I want to move to
Penzance. Right now. I'm trying to persuade Mrs D. In the meantime,
Penzance is the latest entry in my occasional "Let's move to…"
mini-series Ordinary Yet Extraordinary-Cornwall Without The Hooray
Henrys. (I am attempting a one-man revival of the phrase "Hooray
Henrys".) Anyhow, you're all wondering, why? Because it's cheering to
see palm trees common as muck in a British town. Because it has the most incredible sunrises across the bay to St Michael's Mount, and sunrises are sexier than sunsets. Because neighbouring Newlyn's
fishing port is too unpicturesque to attract posh money, and this
means, a) you're not fighting hedge funders over the lobsters, and
b) the town, with its exquisite streets of stone Georgian and Regency
stucco, isn't stupid-bonkers expensive. Because it has Victorian
shopping arcades and the amazing 1930s Jubilee pool on the rocks. Because Jean Shrimpton owns the Abbey hotel. I mean, come on! Because it's the end of the line, but feels like the beginning. The case against It's
suffering, like much of Cornwall, from long-term economic decline as
fishing follows mining into the mire. It's also miles from anywhere
except the Isles of Scilly. Not stupid-bonkers expensive, but pricey for locals. The temperature in the Jubilee pool: turn it up, mate. Well connected?
As much as an end of the line can be. Rail-wise, even Exeter is three
hours away, Plymouth two (one or two an hour); Truro 40 minutes (twice
hourly), St Austell 50-ish and Bodmin 75 (both one or two an hour).
Driving, Truro's 45 minutes, Exeter two and a half hours. Schools All very good. Primaries: Pensans and St Mary's RC "outstanding". Secondaries: Humphry Davy "good", Mounts Bay Academy "outstanding". Hang out at… It's bursting with great places. There's smashing beer at the Turk's Head or Admiral Benbow. Where to buy The delightful old town for first dibs, mostly rebuilt after a sacking by the Spanish in 1595:
Chapel Street to Parade Street for Georgian and Regency town houses.
Posher suburbs include Chyandour, with sublime views of the bay, or
Tredarvah. Affordable small terraces around Taroveor Road. Market values Large
detacheds, £350,000-£800,000. Town houses, £300,000-£500,000.
Detacheds, £175,000-£350,000. Semis, £140,000-£320,000. Terraces,
£125,000-£300,000 (big). Bargain of the week Two-bed stone bungalow in pretty Gulval, just outside, needs updating, £115,000, with Miller & Son.
From the streets
Colin Reynolds
"It's the quirkiness of the shops that stands out, from Steckfensters
in Chapel Street selling all kinds of goodies, to the side roads off
Market Jew Street with little shops selling great individual gift and
home items." Peter Harris "The Star Inn on the
A30 just outside PZ sells the finest beer I've ever tasted." The
landlord has his own microbrewery and regularly gets drinkers arriving
with 4 pint jugs with rubber stoppers in order to cart them home on the
bus. Roger Lowry "Discerning locals go to Little India for an Indian meal, Sea Palace for Chinese or Suko Thai." Tim Dwelly "The main problem here is opposition from some people to new harbour terminals and new homes. Luckily, plenty of local people don't feel this way."
STONEHAVEN - SCOTLAND (not been there)
Let's move to: Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Home of the deep-fried Mars bar, and the only place to be come Hogmanay
The town where the deep-fried Mars bar was invented … Stonehaven Aberdeenshire. Photograph: Stan Green/Alamy
What's going for it? Of all the shenanigans at
Hogmanay, none, I suspect, is more riotous than Stonehaven's. This is a
town that lives for 31 December, when, as midnight approaches, its
citizens take to the streets swirling chains with giant fireballs at the
end. As you do. Something to do with purifying the soul, or tempting
out the sun, an infrequent visitor to northern Scotland in midwinter.
Now, I know what you're thinking: fireballs, alcohol and the traditional
Hogmanay gift of coal… An interesting combination. It has not been
unknown for the odd spark-induced hole to appear on manmade fibres. But
Stonehaven chaps have sharp minds. The fireballs are triumphantly doused
in the harbour at the end of the night before the real jamboree begins.
In any case, they know what they're doing with the application of fire.
This is the town, after all, where the deep-fried Mars bar was
invented, and for that we salute them. They make the most of everything
round here. The case against Cold, of course, and dark at this time of year, but this is northern Scotland. What do you expect? Well connected?
Trains: 20 minutes, twice an hour, to Aberdeen; an hour, twice an hour,
to Dundee. Buses to Aberdeen, too (45 minutes, hourly). Driving: 25
minutes to Aberdeen, 70 to Dundee. Schools Primaries: Mill O'Forest and Arduthie are "good", HMIE says; Dunnottar mostly "very good". Secondaries: Mackie Academy is mostly "good". Hang out at… The Haven Chip Bar, birthplace of the DFMB is long gone, but its replacement, the Carron, is offering seasonal deep-fried shortbread and clootie dumplings. For dieters, try cullen skink at the Boat House, watching the seals. Where to buy
Much of this handsome town was laid out in the late 18th century on a
grid between its two rivers: expect elegant stone town houses, semis and
terraces in the centre, especially up towards Baird Park; plenty of
post-oil-boom suburbs, too. But the period property is the real boon here. Also, the remnants of the original fishing village and pretty harbour. Market values Detacheds, £250,000‑£430,000. Semis, £180,000-£230,000. Terraces, £140,000-£220,000. Bargain of the week
Charming, three-bed, stone Victorian terrace with a garden, in need of
modernisation (though I'd keep the amazing decor); offers over £145,000,
with Raeburn, Christie, Clark & Wallace.
From the streets
Mandy Tulloch "Friendly community with proper independent shops. Dunnottar Wines
is a great wine store that can get you anything. The harbour and bay is
perfect for sea air – if you're lucky, you'll see dolphins. And Dunnottar Woods is great for kids. Downside: it could be a couple of degrees warmer."
WALBERSWICK (not been here)
The ideal home? It's here in Walberswick on the Suffolk coast
Supermarket, seaside, friendly pub, nice neighbours.... one property that
ticks all the boxes
Sweet home: Jan Etherington's neighbours include comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and his wife, Emma FreudPhoto: Alamy
It’s not often that I come out top in a survey but a recent report on what
makes the ideal home showed me that, on some subjects, I do tick all the
boxes.
According to research by housebuilders Banner Homes, the perfect property is
two miles from a supermarket, 10 miles from the coast and within walking
distance of a pub where everyone knows your name. It must have good
neighbours on both sides, be close to the countryside and a newsagent and
have at least two TV sets. Tick, tick, tick... (though the sea is, in fact,
just at the end of my road).
Admittedly, I’ve only been living in Walberswick in Suffolk for four weeks,
but I couldn’t be happier with my new set-up.
For the past 20 years, I’ve lived on the banks of the River Thames, near
Hampton Court. But as comedy writers, my husband and I can work anywhere,
and with family and grandchildren in Suffolk and a longing to be beside the
seaside, we started thinking about a move to the East Anglian coast.
One day, we drove into Walberswick. Flashy it is not. The beach huts are a
universal, sombre black; no pastels and plastic lobsters here.
Low-key, laid back, slightly in the shadow of its grander, big sister
Southwold – a ferry ride across the River Blyth – Walberswick has always
attracted artists and writers, including Charles Rennie Mackintosh and
Philip Wilson Steer.
We found ourselves a lovely 1910 Arts & Crafts house, which happens to tick
yet more boxes in the survey – it has a garage, a couple of spare rooms and
a nice lawn. It will shortly also acquire the remaining essentials for an
“ideal home” – a comfortable sofa, an en suite bathroom and a fire (the
logburning stove man came yesterday).
“Community spirit is something we still view as integral to being happy where
we live,” says Banner Homes spokesman Piers Banfield.
Well, there’s buckets (and spades) of that in Walberswick.
When we arrived, neighbours came out to greet us, and smiles broadened as we
explained that we plan to live here permanently (half of the properties are
second homes, some owned by famous families including screenwriter Richard
Curtis and his wife, Emma Freud, who are terribly supportive of the
community).
There are two fantastic pubs within walking distance of our house. The
nearest, The Anchor, is run by splendid Sophie, who quickly made sure that
everybody knew our names. Far from being met by silence and swivelled heads
when we walked in as “newcomers”, we were introduced all around, quizzed on
our plans for the house and brought up to date on local events.
The saddest of these was that one of the legendary Walberswick characters,
builder Wally Webb, who’d even done some work on our house, had died. Wally
knew everyone in the village – and the inside of most of their houses. One
villager has put up a number of blue plaques, inscribed: “Wally Webb,
builder, worked here” and someone has renamed the sign at the entrance to
the village “Wallyberswick”.
In the month since we arrived, we’ve been to a village lunch, a play reading
and star gazing on the beach – and that is in midwinter, which locals claim
is a quiet time here. I’ve been invited to join the early morning swimmers –
yes, it’s the North Sea and, yes, it’s seven degrees – so I am throwing
myself into village life.
When I attended my first parish council meeting, I learnt that a travelling
post office visits twice a week and that there were “no reported crimes” in
Walberswick in December, which gave me a great idea for a comedy... Oh, just
a minute, I think Richard Curtis has beaten me to it with the Vicar of
Dibley.
As the road ends in Walberswick, it really is a silent night here, and a very
dark one. There are no street lights and a torch is an essential accessory.
But I can see the stars and hear the sea, and even if I had never read that
survey, I’d know that I’ve found my ideal home.
BARRY (my aunt, uncle & cousins live here)
Follow Gavin and Stacey: reasons to move to south Wales
The young couple start a new life in Barry in the third series of the BBC comedy. Here are the reasons why you should too
The cast of Gavin and Stacey on the beach at Barry. Photograph: Baby Cow
Three years ago I, like Gavin, relocated from south-east England to south Wales. There are big differences – I'm not a character in a comedy series, and don't live in Barry but up the road in Cardiff – but in honour of the imminent move in the final series of Gavin and Stacey, I thought I'd share my favourite things about living here.
The food
In Cardiff, there are some likeably quirky additions to dining options. The Cardiff Arts Institute is the hot new city centre haunt from the team behind hip and lovely Milgi
working in partnership with 580 LTD (Start the Bus, Bristol, and Lock
Tavern, Camden). The CAI is impeccably cool: it has a Lego wall, good
canteen food served all day, a manifesto to roll your eyes at (rule
number three: Forever Evolve) and an effortless, modernist aesthetic
that's partnered by charming service. It describes itself as "like
getting pissed in a Saatchi exhibition" but don't let that put you off. Other promising recent openings include The New Conway, a gastropub in leafy Pontcanna from the team behind Wood's Brasserie in the Bay, and Ffresh in the Wales Millennium Centre, where Shaun Hill of the Walnut Tree in Abergavenny is involved with menu design. That's
the other fab thing about foodie haunts here in south Wales: the
gourmet hotspot of Monmouthshire is just up the road with The Walnut Tree, The Hardwick, The Bell at Skenfrith, The Felin Fach and The Foxhunter all reliably delightful and close by. For fancier dining, there's also The Crown at Whitebrook, currently the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Wales. Back in Cardiff, the excellent Mint and Mustard
– one of only two Indian restaurants in Restaurant magazine's Top 100
Restaurants – opens its new venture, Chai Street, next month, promising a
cheaper menu of dishes inspired by Keralan street-food. And Canteen on Clifton Street, the veggie-friendly restaurant that reverses roles to include just one meat dish on its menu, remains terrific value.
The arts
Like everything in south Wales, it's pretty laid back. But these are exciting times: Chapter Arts Centre
has just reopened after a major redevelopment and it's now a stunning
space for art, film and theatre, and hanging out in the café-bar with
Cardiff's finest bohemian types. Also, the new National Theatre Wales, based in Cardiff but performing all over Wales, will open its first show in March next year. Hopes are high.
The rugby
Even
if you're not into the game, it's fascinating to observe just how
deeply it grips the place. I also like going shopping when Wales are
playing. The shops are deserted.
The countryside
South
Wales never feels crowded. It's easy to get yourself to gloriously
empty landscapes – outside of high summer, the Gower peninsula and its
stunning beaches are brilliantly quiet – and even Cardiff has calm nooks
and crannies aplenty. "Where are all the people?" my friend asked when
he came to visit for the first time. That was on a Saturday afternoon,
walking into town. The fab things is, there just aren't that many of
them.
The Taff trail
This riverside traffic-free walking and cycling path,
snaking right through the city centre, is one of the best things about
living here. Try cycling from Cardiff Bay to the extraordinary Castel Coch
– built for the 3rd Marquess of Bute in the 1870s as his country pile a
few miles from his city centre pad (Cardiff Castle) - on a Sunday,
stopping off at the award-winning Riverside Farmers' Market
(10am-2pm on Sundays) en route, and then recovering from the ride at
castle's Bakestone tearoom, with their delicious home-made cakes.
The pace of life
Boy
it's slow. Wonderfully, impossibly slow. I worried for a while that I'd
never adjust and then found that I had, very slowly indeed. Traffic
lights stay on red for whole epochs; nothing's worth hurrying for. The
first day I moved here, the BT chap who came to connect the phone spent
two hours telling me about the delights of the area. He was sitting on
my one unpacked chair, rocking back and forth as he spoke. Dawdling and
pottering are the norm. I go back to London now and think, golly, there
are so many people, and they're all in a grumpy rush.
The shops
The
new St David's 2 shopping centre has brought John Lewis and lots more
high street names to Cardiff, but there are many independent gems too. Fabulous,
in the Bay, is a shrine to the Welsh cake – how brilliant a business
concept is that? – and stocks a good range of tasteful Welsh design. The
Victorian arcades in Cardiff are home to some of the best small shops:
the legendary Wally's deli in Royal Arcade now has a sleek new look and
twice the retail space. Penarth and Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan,
both have a good range of chic boutiques, as does swish little Mumbles, a few miles beyond Swansea.
The glamour
Since
I moved here – and I'm not suggesting a causal connection – south Wales
has stealthily increased its profile on telly and, in most cases, with
quite respectable results. Doctor Who, of course, is filmed here; Torchwood is set here; Gavin and Stacey
spends half its time here. There's always a selection of Welsh talent
on singing shows (Only Men Aloud; Lloyd and Lucie on the X Factor).
Cardiff's a small city, so you see the filming quite a bit. I am now
fantastically blasé about seeing John Barrowman. And Daleks.
The weather
It
rains. It really rains. But that means two good, life-affirming things:
you really appreciate it when it's sunny – even crazy golf at Barry Island
in the sun, with views out over the Bristol Channel, takes on a
tropical sheen after months of drizzle - and it keeps those rural
rolling hills lush and green. When I'm out for a walk in glorious Welsh
isolation on a dry day, and carrying a picnic that includes local
cheeses and a bottle of Wheat's Occurin' ale from the Vale of Glamorgan micro-brewery, I feel very lucky indeed to have made the move.
MABLETHORPE (been there)
Let's move to Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
Fools might call it bleak, predictable east coast seasidery
'Mablethorpe has upped the beach hut ante, turning it into the art form it rightly is.' Photograph: Fabio de Paola
What's going for it? Only in Britain – well,
perhaps only in Lincolnshire – would beach huts prompt the year's
cultural highlight. But what fun September's Bathing Beauties Festival is:
days celebrating the act of sitting in a brightly coloured construction
staring out to a dun-coloured sea with a cup of milky tea and a slice
of flapjack. But Mablethorpe's upped the beach hut ante year-round, too,
in recent years, turning it into the art form it rightly is. On a
stretch of coast towards Sutton on Sea is a series of what my
long-departed granny would have called "far out" huts.
One – Jabba The Hut (groan) – is a bright-striped splodge; another,
Come Up And See Me, has a lookout. You get the picture. I like this
about Mablethorpe: that sense of the utterly unexpected. With its blank,
big skies, flat-as-a-pancake geography, putting greens and caravan
parks, some fools might call it bleak, predictable east coast seasidery.
I think it's thrilling. The town's like the back of the sofa – a rarely
visited spot that accumulates all sorts of eccentricities, flotsam and
jetsam, such as a seal sanctuary, the marvellous Loewen cinema, and Ye
Olde Curiosity Museum: Sue's Museum of Collectibles (I've yet to meet
Sue). The case against North-east is not the best
direction for a seaside resort in the northern hemisphere to face.
Miles from anywhere (except Louth). Verrrrrr-y quiet. Well connected?
It's like they don't want any visitors. Not only is it at the farthest
corner of one of the less-visited counties. Not only did Mr Beeching do
for its railways. But it's home to one of the twistiest roads in
Britain, the A157 to lovely Louth. Schools Primary: Mablethorpe Community, the splendidly named Theddlethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea Community are all "satisfactory", says Ofsted. Secondary: Mablethorpe Tennyson High also "satisfactory". Hang out at... The Mermaid caff for a cuppa. Poplar Farm, Sandilands is a good food supplier. Where to buy
You want bungalows? Mablethorpe's got 'em. The town's plan looks like a
Mondrian painting, a rigid grid. Some lovely late Victorian or
Edwardian town houses, close to the beach. Market values
Coo, it's cheap. Large detacheds, £200,000-£400,000. Detacheds and
town houses, £140,000-£200,000. Semis, £120,000-£170,000. Bungalows,
£80,000-£170,000. Terraces, £90,000-£150,000. Bargain of the week Big family? A seven-bed Victorian semi close to the centre, needing a good old renovate, £141,950, with Choice Properties.
From the streets
Tony Howard "The Boatshed is a hub for all manner of meetings and social activities, from computer courses to AA meetings." Mark Dillerstone "The beach is long and sandy – a pity you have to travel through some sort of pseudo 1950s time warp to get to it." Linda Sproston "Great for families – bargain house prices, a happy, busy town, superb beaches and easy access to undiscovered and lovely Lincolnshire."
•
WEYMOUTH (been there)
Let's move to… Weymouth, Dorset
The old place looks like it's changed beyond recognition, but it hasn't really
Weymouth: There is a
seafood festival, a whiff of Fearnley-Whittingstallness, and talk of
boutique hotels. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
What's going for it? It's not just the Lea Valley and that tower block in Bow with surface-to-air missiles on the roof
that are feeling the Official Touch of the Olympics. Oh no – 2012's
largesse spreads far and wide. Weymouth has been hosting the sailing
events and, for a few precious moments, images of the town have been
beamed around the universe. It has spruced itself accordingly, in
preparation for being turned into The Next St Tropez. It could happen!
Or at least The Next Sandbanks. There is already an Olympia Heights apartment block
and a business academy hoping to snare Google and Microsoft. There is a
revolving, doughnut-shaped viewing splodge on a 52m tower (why? why
not?). The statue of Mad King George III (who favoured Weymouth) looks
freshly gilded. There is a seafood festival, a whiff of
Fearnley-Whittingstallness, talk of boutique hotels. And yet nothing has
changed at all. You can still buy fresh crabs from the harbour; the
waves still crash; the terraced backstreets still contain more than
enough tat; and Punch still bashes Judy on a sandy beach so pretty it
takes your breath away. The case against Can you
remember the sailing venue in Beijing? Locog is a dirty word for some
round here. A lot of Olympics price speculation, so wait a bit till
Weymouth is back to being Weymouth. Well connected? Twice-hourly trains to Dorchester (11 minutes) and Bournemouth (50-60); to London Waterloo at least hourly (160-190). Schools Among many primaries, Beechcroft St Paul's and Southill are "outstanding". Secondaries: All Saints CofE and Budmouth Technology College both "outstanding". Hang out at "Dorset pizzas" and 57 varieties of scrumpy and perry at The Stable. The, ahem, "pop-up" seafood bar, Salt. Or, across town on the Fleet, the Crab House Café, with its own oyster farm by Chesil Beach. Where to buy Peachy
spots include delightful Regency and Victorian villas and town houses
on and off the Esplanade; Melcombe Regis and its avenues of Victorian
villas and town houses; the old town south of the Wey and around the
harbourside; and the more sedate Wyke Regis. Market values
Large detacheds and town houses, £400,000-£700,000. Semis,
£140,000-£470,000. Detacheds and town houses, £250,000-£400,000.
Cottages and terraces, £125,000-£300,000. Flats, from £80,000 up and up. Bargain of the week Lovely four-bed Victorian terrace in the old town, close to the beach, with a courtyard. £140,000, with Mann Countrywide.
From the streets
Mark Packer "Bournemouth has a beach, Poole has a harbour, Weymouth has both. Helen's Wholefoods is a local treasure. For more traditional seaside fare, head to Fish'n'Fritz in town, then stroll along the prom for ice-cream at Rossi's, opposite the Jubilee Clock. For history, visit the Nothe Fort, at the entrance of the harbour." Andy McLaughlin
"Best thing? Proximity to Portland, a fantastic isthmus with views to
die for. Pet hate is the inability of the locals to accept change, even
if it is of benefit (eg, new intelligent traffic system)."
I would always say to anyone reading these blogs, please read the linked comments attached to these articles they are almost always from people living in those areas. Special thanks to the Guardian and the Telegraph for the help making this blog so informative normally I have to search for articles for ages :)
I have started to selling some of my clothes on eBay in order to buy bigger clothes which is fine but .................... I don't want to.
but after hating and I mean HATING porridge after the last time I had to find one that wasn't going to make me have porridge for 28 days (although I did lose weight).
May need to go onto another diet forum to weigh myself and track my weight cor blimey........................
now.
I believe that is a great start to what needs to be a wonderfully chilled blog ...........................
Torpoint, Cornwall just £595,000
Bracklesham Bay, Susses just £1,100,000
Weatherly, North Wales £625,000
I think in the picture that is their children, hmmm maybe they'll have a few extra grandchildren than us then :)
hmmmmmmmmmmmm not too sure that was the type of area I wasn't hoping to retire to?
Isle of Wight
very much my cup of tea :)
Summer is in full swing, and there is no better place to enjoy
the weather’s fairest season than at the coast. With such a big year
for events and happenings in the UK, there seems little reason to leave
our fair shores. So this month, we’ve decided to count down the Top 10
Coastal Towns in the UK.
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TTFN!!!!!