Thanks for all the replies and especially the welcomes. We love it here and I can't see that that will wear off. We know it will rain (heavily and for long periods) - but we will sit in our inglenook fireplace and wait for our spring to replenish itself. Oh sod, I've developed terminal smugness. The first week here we didn't see the sun and were lighting the fires at 4pm each day, drinking hot chocolate whilst wrapped in blankets - wondering whether we would ever be warm again.
This wasn't meant to be an anti-London thing, although I would say for sure that we were ready to get out of the city. Having lived in London for nearly 20 years I think that the character of the place has changed and, without wanting to sound like a reactionary, I would say not for the better. I don't know whether it was just that my resilience had ebbed, but I was finding that it was generally a much more aggressive place and that people seemed to be on shorter fuses than in former days. I'm making no political point but there are a million more people living in London than there were ten years ago and the gap between the haves and the havenots has increased. The miracle of the place is that it all works so well so much of the time. It is a wonderful city but I will be very happy to enjoy it as a visitor from now on.
We have a builder coming round tonight to quote for building me a new workshop behind the house, so hopefully I can get on with my wood-bothering soon.
As to nasty locals, I've had a few lock-ins at the Goat in Bala and found people very hospitable. Frankly, having contended with some of South London's most frightening sorts I'm not too worried. The only nasty person we met recently here was a grumpy English local who likes to lock the gates on the bridleways that cross his land.
I'll keep you posted on progress. If anyone is in the area and fancies a ride then please drop me a PM.
Rich
where the only hazzard is the bloody mums in massive white 4X4s lol
