Moving from London to Cardiff, would ya?

So mrs c wants to move to Cardiff, shes Welsh and doesnt want to spend the rest of her life in London, especially now we have a kid.

We have quite a few friends there and Ive always liked the place to visit but Im wondering what its actually like to live there, will I go a bit bonkers? The main pro from my point of view is we could be mortgage free, which would be nice and the promise of plenty of good riding hopefully from my door. If we do move Id prefer to be on the eastern side of town as it would be better for getting over the bridge for work.

Any good tips on places to live, thoughts, advice, anything really.

Head west on the M4 (she'll think you're headed to Cardiff), then just before the M5, take the M32 south to Bristol…easy access to Wales, the right side of the bridge for work (from what you say) and I'd have thought, a nicer place to live in than Cardiff.

All that said, Cardiff is not bad at all…cheaper house prices and a lively town. Access to trail centres is a doddle of course.

Its a no-brainer. Do it. Did a similar thing when we had our first kid: London to Yorkshire, wife's a yorkshire lass. No regrets.

East Cardiff isn't exactly the nicest area of Cardiff imo, unless its on the edges. I'd suggest North Rhiwbina/Thornhill area if you can afford it good links to M4 and trails on your door step a safe family area…

Or if your after city style living the Bay area is pritty cool! And right next to rail links.

Having lived on and off in Cardiff for seven years, it's as good as most UK non-London cities (I have a soft spot for Edinburgh). It has all the amenities you need, but importantly it has a good local train network (up to Cwmcarn for example). London is only two hours on the Paddington line, so you can be in and out of London as required. When in Cardiff, I'm based in Adamsdown which is far from the swankiest of neighbourhoods (we have a Lidl's nearby!), but we've never had any problems and it certainly isn't violent although there are a fair few scrotes around. It is also cheap and allows for more of the fun things in life, although on re-reading your first post I see you have a kid so this may not be ideal for you.

If you want East you get stuck between Newport and Cardiff, Basseleg up to Caerphilly is quite nice, St Mellons is a hell hole. Could go up into the valleys a little bit if you want some bargains then the riding is right out the door. Depends if your missus is a towny or a tumpy 😉

I would definately move there no brainer! I lived in Cardiff until 18 then went to uni and afterwards ended up in London. Hated every minute of the crazy city and no mountains or sea nearby.
Definately a better place to bring up a kid!
I could go on for ages but I think you need to look at areas, especially with a kid and figure out what schools you may want etc.

Hey you don't need the train to Cwmcarn you MTB over there took me about 2 3/4 hours the other week and taht was with getting lost having not done it in about 13 years!!!

Cardiff on the whole is an OK place to live but as with all cities there are some dodgy areas. When you say commute over the bridge, where are you commuting to (I'm assuming not London :p )? Bridge isn't cheap either doing it daily (guy I work with in Bristol lives in Cardiff).

Never been to Cardiff, but seen as it can't be any worse than London, yup, like a shot.

Do it.

I think it all depends on how good MintJim's sister is….

I commute into Bristol from S Wales (chepstow) – I used to get the Chepstow/Bristol train from Severn Tunnel Junction but it was a nightmare – late, short on carriages, packed in like sardines, and often stuck at Templemeads until well into Friday evenings when the train driver just didn't turn up.

I've been driving in for a couple years and with the tag it isn't any more expensive and you get to go across for 'free' at weekends! You need to drive into Bristol early though, to avoid loads of traffic on the M4/M32 junction and to get a free car parking space. If you're leaving from Cardiff you'd have to leave early…

Have you looked at the villages round Newport (like carleon, Chepstow etc)? Would be a great place to bring a family up and closer to Bristol. Or just move to Bristol of course!

Yes

I've lived in Cardiff since moving here to go to university when I was 18. Obviously, you're going to be better off here than in London for mountain biking (and the beach or surfing if that floats your boat), but then Cardiff can't complete with things to do.

I live in to the north of the city centre in once of the nicer parts of town. I takes me 5 minutes to get into the green belt, 5 minutes to the A48/A48(M), 15 minutes to get into the centre, and 25 minutes to Cwmcarn. 🙂

I have a young daughter, and I think Cardiff will be a great place for her to grow up.

On commuting, I worked in Bristol for 5 years and travelled in most days by train, and I wouldn't repeat that particular journey in a hurry. However, a lot of people where I work come in from Bristol and lift share, which would be a much better way to commute since you split a lot of the bridge costs which make driving by yourself so expensive.

Me, the wife and sprog are moving from London to Chester next week. can't bloomin wait, it feels like starting our life over again.

If you want East you get stuck between Newport and Cardiff, Basseleg up to Caerphilly is quite nice…

Agreed. A colleague has a house for sale in Machen which is right on the route of one of our regular rides – a lovely spot. I live in Rogerstone, and to my mind it offers the best of all worlds: 2 minutes to the M'way, 20 minutes to Cwmcarn by bike (and we rarely ride there, 'cause the local bridleways are so much better), and 20 minutes by car or train into Cardiff if the big city is your kind of thing…

Thanks for the replies folks much appreciated.

Machen which is right on the route of one of our regular rides

Shhhhhhh don't shout 😀

this will give you an accurate insight into Newport which is on Cardiff's door step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfbX6uvA6s

Having made the move from London but to Bristol, it certainly worked for us – Bristol's a brilliant place to live. From what you say though, I wouldn't live in Cardiff if you plan to work in England (I guess you mean Bristol/Swindon areas?) – my wife did a contract in Cardiff for a few months and was commuting each day – awful traffic taking 1+ hrs and from talking to people around there, it seems similar the other way around.

I live in Cardiff.

I think the best parts of Cardiff are close to the centre but on the northern side of it. So Roath, Pontcanna, Canton. Roath has a lovely massive park and some truly beautiful houses, the other places even more so, also every local shop you'll need within walking distance. You can also walk to town and the station from any of those locations.

I live in the East in Pontprennau which is apparently a desirable place but I don't like it – just an anonymous housing estate, and you have to drive everywhere. Handy for the riding though 🙂 There are also some bargain houses in our street, the last of the optimistic landlords' reposessions 🙂

I'm a country boy at heart but I would not live in any of the outlying places, even Machen. They're mostly just slightly scruffy strips with nothing to them, and bugger all ameneties.

Re things to do – Cardiff has far more stuff going on than any town of its size would normally have – because its the focus for the rest of Wales to some extent or other. So most of the Welsh National thises or thats are here 🙂

I'd do it like a shot if I found decent work down there and could convince my gf to move away from London (even out of zone 2 is proving hard work).

Lived there for 3 years as a student, loved the place. Have been back a few times since and the new stuff in the bay, Milennium Centre and the like are great.

I live in north Cardiff and I still love the fact I live in a capital city with loads of things to do yet I can ride for a minute and be in the woods and not see anyone on my route for ages. Great riding here and loads of places near here for little day trips out. I wouldn't change it for the world. Plus u get to laugh at the English.

Second bintangman's suggestion of Caerleon (or the Caerleon side of Newport which is a bit cheaper housing-wise). Caerleon has very good schools (all my boys went there as did I) and both Wentwood forest and Cwmcarn are within easy riding distance (take the Henllys mountain route if you're feeling energetic or if not there's always the canal path which'll take you all the way from Newport centre.

I was at uni in Cardiff and loved it. OK the city has changed a lot since I was there but it's a fantastic place, loads to do, easy access right from the city centre to mountain biking (just head up the Taff Trail in and <30 mins you're at Castell Coch).

I was there only a couple of weeks ago actually for a weekend, had a great time. Visiting again in early September. I grew up in London but don't really 'do' cities as a rule but if the opportunity arose I'd move back to Cardiff like a shot.

OP my missus wanted to move from London back up north closer to her folks.

We've lived in Manchester for 5yrs. God its like a backward large village compared… Everyone smokes and all the women seem to be 5 sizes bigger, stout/sturdy builds with thick brows and the majority seem to have a job working for a council or public authority

God I hate the place sometimes. Reminds me why I left Huddersfield in the early 90's.

…..miss London. For all its massive faults. No where compares.

Cardiff- you'll hate it I bet. Compromise- move somewhere within an hour that can suit both of you without too much loss to you?…

Bristol? Or move somewhere like Bath etc? Compromise.

You wont hate Cardiff, you'll love it!

You've even found some local boys to play with

I'm Cardiff born and bred but moved out of the UK 6 years ago.
If I went back it's the only place I'd go (certainly wouldn't go any further North :|)!

I was going to add something along the same lines as hora but forgot 🙂

Cardiff is quite provincial at times, if you don't mix with the young uni-related folk. If you end up working there you'll see that side of it. If you appreciate what London has to offer you might well miss it, but that goes for most towns and cities, does it not?

However I would definitely avoid any of the outlying towns. They are all totally MEH imo – bunches of houses with nothings, and they make Cardiff look like the hippest place in the known universe. Can't imagine living in Caerleon to be honest. Nothing there (apart from roman relics), and you've got the disadvantage of being not much more than a suburb of Newport, surrounded by some grotty fields by the river and the M4.

Nothing there (apart from roman relics),

. . . and some good pubs . . . oh, and these woods 😀

..also depends on where you two are at? One of you may have gone along with the pace of London-life but never really delved into it whereas the other saw all ends of the city and went out weekly, enjoyed, met friends etc etc.

Towards the end of peoples time in London- one might say 'wiery of the commute/costs etc', time for children soon/dont want to bring a kid up there etc – doesnt mean you should swing wildly the other way..

I do think if your not from a city so far away it could be 'lonely' at times- too far removed.

Compromise.

I live in Bristol and worked in cardiff until recently.
Either would be good TBH. Bristol's a "cooler" place, loads of gigs, arty stuff and a great feel BUT theres LOADS of great riding around cardiff and not just trail centres. Penarth is a nice area and so is peterson super ely.
I used to commute by train (but not from TM) and when they were on time were still pretty sh1tty. I had to stop commuting on my bike as often they wouldn't let more than 2 on at a time.
Both nice places with lots to offer.

Yes, definitely move. I'd encourage anyone who is thinking about it, to move out of London. It's too congested and accommodation is stupidly expensive. The more people move out, the more space for those who want to live there. I'd be happy to see London's population halved actually. Maybe enforced repatriation for all those born outside who've moved there in the last 10 years.

Mind you I live in Wolverhampton so it doesn't matter what I think….

+1 for hora. Ime, London is like a wave that you either surf on, loving every bit, or slip under and drown..

Sorry for that naff simile.. it's late at night and I'm on my own 🙂

Bristol btw is bigger, more middle class I think and hipper, but it's bloody busy and the town centre's crap. Cardiff centre is fab, shopping is ace, The other main street is now being pedestrianised and the Castle's there, Bute Park, the stadium and the station are all right there. Oh, and two cinemas and a comedy club. And a gallery and museum – all right in town. And university.

Sorry London for me anyday If your not doing alright and things are tight then I can understand otherwise no where compares. London for me has everything you can ever want and job security is pretty nice as well.

Dont do it especially if it is just for better riding!

I would probably have said that 15 years ago, speaking a proper Londoner (eg actually born/grew up there) but things change. Moving to Bristol was the best thing. For me, all the good things about a big city without the crap that goes with it (tube, prices, distance to mtbing for a start).

Depending on what you like though obviously that will vary.

Sorry London for me anyday If your not doing alright and things are tight then I can understand otherwise no where compares. London for me has everything you can ever want and job security is pretty nice as well.

Dont do it especially if it is just for better riding

+1,000.

How many times a week do you ride off-road? If you must ride 3+ then London isnt for you. If its twice – Surrey Hills are only a whisper away..

They're not really though are they – it's 45 mins at least if your living anywhere zone 3 and in which adds at least 1.5hrs to every ride making it difficult for many with other demands (be it family, work, whatever) to actually fit it in. In reality, for most people when you add in faffing, etc it's 2+ hrs.

Some friends of mine left here and went down to Frome they are now mortgage free, living in a beautiful house and seem very, very happy indeed.

London for me has everything you can ever want

London has everything YOU could ever want. For me, it's significantly lacking 🙂

Do it. I am counting down the weeks/months till I move back to Bristol.

this will give you an accurate insight into Newport

Smashing vid – I think I'm in love with her. 😀

Smashing vid – I think I'm in love with her.

You can't have her. She's mine. And I will fight you for her!

I would die happy, if I could hear her say, at the moment of climax….

…Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Oooh….