For most of my life, home was just outside Warrington. It was a quiet little town where a lot of people knew each other, and because I was an only child living with my parents, I had a lot of independence. Honestly, for an introvert, the setup was almost suspiciously perfect. I had my own space, my own routine, and I could quite happily disappear into my room without anybody filing a missing person report.
Oswestry Wasn’t Completely New to Me
Moving around 60 miles away to Oswestry was always going to be a big change, but strangely, the town itself wasn’t completely new to me. I used to come here on holidays as a kid, and some of my happiest memories are from those trips. I remember going into town, visiting the game shop, buying the latest PS2 game and then heading back to the caravan to play it. As far as childhood priorities went, that was basically peak luxury.
When I came back to Oswestry as an adult, I instantly recognised some of the places I remembered from those holidays. It was strangely nostalgic, seeing roads and areas that had been sitting somewhere in the back of my brain for years. At one point I even went camping at one of the caravan parks I stayed at as a child. The funniest part is that it was only around 15 minutes away from where I now live, so I essentially paid money to temporarily move slightly further down the road. Worth every penny.
Why I Made the Move
The main reason I eventually moved here was my partner. Moving in with my fiancée felt like the right time to start a new chapter, but Oswestry itself was a big part of the appeal too. I wanted somewhere that felt more peaceful, somewhere with less day-to-day stress and more excuses to actually go outside, exercise, walk the dog and generally spend a bit less time behaving like the outdoors had personally offended me.
And thankfully, that is pretty much what happened.
Trading Traffic Stress for Sheep
Life here feels noticeably quieter. I hear far more sheep and poultry than I ever used to, which I genuinely love. There is something oddly comforting about waking up and hearing farm animals in the distance. My biggest concern some days is now basically, “are there sheep in the field?”, which is quite an upgrade from some of the things I used to worry about.
One of the biggest stresses where I lived previously was parking. I lived on a terraced street, and finding a parking space sometimes felt like you had won something. Leaving the house came with the slightly ridiculous thought of, “yes, but if I leave, will my parking space still exist when I come back?” Having somewhere to park felt more like a luxury than something you could take for granted. It sounds small, but those little background stresses add up.
Slowly Finding My Feet
Since moving, I’ve found myself becoming more confident about simply getting out and doing things. I’m still learning the local driving routes, finding the quicker ways around town and gradually building that familiarity you only really get from living somewhere for a while. Being able to jump in the car, drive into town and do what I need to do without overthinking it has been genuinely nice.
I’ve also become far more outdoorsy and social than I expected. Oswestry has a strong sense of community, with local events happening throughout the year, and the town often feels busy and active without feeling overwhelming. There is something really nice about walking through town and feeling like many of the places you visit are genuinely local businesses rather than another identical row of national chains.
Supporting Local Businesses
Stans is probably one of my favourite examples. It feels like one of those shops that is simply part of Oswestry. You can tell it is locally run, everyone I’ve spoken to there has been lovely, and it has that sort of personality you just don’t get from walking into a massive supermarket.
I have also apparently become someone who enjoys visiting farm shops, which I feel is another important stage in my transformation into a Shropshire resident.
Adjusting to a Busier Home
Living here has changed home life for me too. Growing up as an only child meant home was generally very quiet and independent. Moving into a busier household was definitely an adjustment, but it has turned out to be a really positive one.
I’ve gotten to know people much better, the people I live with are genuinely lovely, and being around others more regularly has helped me build my social confidence and reduce some of the anxieties I used to have.
After more than six months here, it genuinely feels like home.
Missing Home Without Regretting the Move
I still miss my family, of course. They are one of the main things I miss about living closer to Merseyside, but thankfully I haven’t moved to the other side of the planet. I still make the effort to visit them, and being around 60 miles away means those relationships don’t suddenly disappear just because my postcode changed.
What I’ve realised, though, is that my overall quality of life feels better here.
A Chance to Work on Myself
Moving has given me the opportunity to reflect on myself a lot more. I’ve had more space to think about my health, my self-image, my confidence and what I actually want my future to look like.
It has also made things like saving for a future with my partner feel much more real. Rather than life feeling like something I’ll eventually start planning, it feels like that chapter has already begun.
Will I Stay in Oswestry Forever?
That doesn’t necessarily mean Oswestry will be where I stay forever. One difficulty I have noticed is the job market. For the kind of work I do, there are naturally far more opportunities around places like Liverpool and Manchester, and longer term I could see myself living somewhere around the halfway point.
Somewhere that keeps the quieter lifestyle I’ve grown to love, while also making commuting into larger cities relatively painless.
But regardless of where I eventually end up, moving to Oswestry has taught me a lot about what I actually value in where I live.
I value peace. I value community. I value being able to get outside easily, having local businesses nearby, feeling comfortable enough to explore and having a home where I can genuinely imagine building a future.
The Jump Was Worth It
If I could go back and speak to myself before moving, I think I’d keep the advice pretty simple.
The jump is worth it.
Moving your life 60 miles away from everything familiar is going to feel difficult at first. You’ll have new roads to learn, new routines to build, different people around you and plenty of moments where you wonder whether you’ve made the right decision.
But you might also end up ten times happier.
And, apparently, considerably more invested in the whereabouts of the local sheep.