# Living in Kent?



## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi everyone. Anyone want to share with me anything they know about cities in Kent? My job offers are in Kent county (as a social worker) and London. I love cities and would never live in the country in the U.S., but London's too expensive. I'm looking for somewhere I can walk A LOT (for fun), ride my bike (for fun), walk my dogs (back to the walking). Safe, decent schools for the kids. Beautiful scenery is nice. Kids like to play outside, can't really do that here (no playgrounds + no sidewalks + crime = you're staying inside). I'm attracted to Canterbury, but that is the tourist in me lol. Can't find much on Ashford. Found this pic of the city I'm in now: Euless, TX Skyline | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Not sure if we can put links in our post, but that's right outside our apartment complex. This is what I want to avoid!!! This is what makes me homesick for Germany lol.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Kent is the garden of England, expensive because of its close proximity to London. It is a beautiful County, just go you will love it!!

Hepa


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## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

Hepa said:


> Kent is the garden of England, expensive because of its close proximity to London. It is a beautiful County, just go you will love it!!
> 
> Hepa


Thanks, that's exactly what I want to hear


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## Jen_21 (Apr 30, 2009)

Hello! 
Canterbury is lovely! Traffic and parking can be a nightmare but you're not to far fro
Whitstable for the beach and trains to London.

Ashford has had some funding for regeneration and has a new shopping centre added to the town centre. It has a good train service to both Victoria and charing cross/ London bridge as well as trips on the eurostar. There is a gym at the stour centre which is reasonably priced. Good access to the motorway for shopping trips to bluewater or Maidstone. There are pubs and clubs for nights out. You are just under 30 mins drive from Canterbury for shopping or lunch by the cathedral and same distance the other way from Dymchurch with sandy beaches! You can walk the dogs at the warren or around the woods at challock. Lots of new housing developments popping up between ashford and charing as well as older sites around the town. There is a good golf course at great chart as well as horse riding. Cricket at kingsnorth. Lovely country pubs. A zoo just down the road at lympne. 

I grew up in south Kent and know ashford well. I would avoid new town, Stanhope and singleton, these are older areas and you might find them a bit cramped. They used to has bad reputations but have improved. In south ashford you get lively Victorian terraced houses with long thin gardens. I'd recommend Christchurch Road, ashford TN23, as nice sized houses in a quiet street. You are 10 min walk to station or town centre, 10 min walk to supermarket, a park at the top of the road with a fountain which each summer will have a race or a fete or band playing to get the community together. 

Kent is the garden of Kent, I'd live to live in Canterbury (too expensive) or whistable (too far from my work) or Hythe (fingers crossed)
There is lots to do and see and lots of hidden gems to find. I recommend Dover castle, bodiam castle, museum or Kent life, port lympne zoo, the rare breeds centre and much more!! Join the Womens Institute or local sports teams and get involved and you'll love every minute!! Don't forget to go ghost hunting in pluckley, the most haunted place in England! Or every other September in Dymchurch is Dr Syn day and the whole village gets involved in dressing up and parades and plays about smugglers and soldiers in the 16th century! 

 let me know if you need anything else!


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## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

Jen_21 said:


> Hello!
> Canterbury is lovely! Traffic and parking can be a nightmare but you're not to far fro
> Whitstable for the beach and trains to London.
> 
> ...


I can't thank you enough for taking the time to do this! This is so wonderful, I have so much more to google and be excited about I looked up the haunted Pluckley, saw an episode of House Hunters International. Not sure if I'm interested in going to the Black Horse lol. I love animals, and horseback riding, shopping and exploring new cities/villages. The houses on Christchurch street seem to be exactly what we are looking for! Thank you so much again, I will look into everything you suggested in the next few days (my days off). Thanks again!! :clap2::clap2::clap2:


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## raceman (Apr 3, 2011)

Well, i live in Kent. London is certainly where the work is, but is very expensive. Kent is a great place, and canterbury is very nice, although Thanet (Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Deal etc) is really nice aswell. 

Only real places to strenuously avoid would be Sheereness, Medway, Dover and Folkestone, Ashford is ok, but growing VERY quickly. Kent countryside is pretty much beautiful anywhere and can be similar to parts of Germany. Hope that helps? 

Can i ask how you ended up in Texas from Germany?


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## Jen_21 (Apr 30, 2009)

I agree about avoiding Medway Dover and Folkestone. 
The reason I recommend ashford is I have worked there and lived there for several years. I commuted to London and Maidstone from there and as a country girl it suited me just fine. I still can't afford that pretty little Kent cottage I keep dreaming of!! But at least with most towns in Kent you can escape at weekends for drives to the country or walks on the downs.
I'm not a fan or Herne Bay or Margate, I think the only problem you may find with Thanet is the distance you are from everywhere. Depending in where you work such as London, you might find the commute too long. 
Xx


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## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

Jen_21 said:


> I agree about avoiding Medway Dover and Folkestone.
> The reason I recommend ashford is I have worked there and lived there for several years. I commuted to London and Maidstone from there and as a country girl it suited me just fine. I still can't afford that pretty little Kent cottage I keep dreaming of!! But at least with most towns in Kent you can escape at weekends for drives to the country or walks on the downs.
> I'm not a fan or Herne Bay or Margate, I think the only problem you may find with Thanet is the distance you are from everywhere. Depending in where you work such as London, you might find the commute too long.
> Xx


I'll be working in Kent, either for the Kent city council or another child services agency in Kent Ashford was my second choice over Canterbury (which I knew would be too expensive and touristy lol), so everything you told me about there is perfect. Of course, my husband may have to work in London... but I will be moving there, settling there before him and the kids so it really will be up to me haha.


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## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

raceman said:


> Well, i live in Kent. London is certainly where the work is, but is very expensive. Kent is a great place, and canterbury is very nice, although Thanet (Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Deal etc) is really nice aswell.
> 
> Only real places to strenuously avoid would be Sheereness, Medway, Dover and Folkestone, Ashford is ok, but growing VERY quickly. Kent countryside is pretty much beautiful anywhere and can be similar to parts of Germany. Hope that helps?
> 
> Can i ask how you ended up in Texas from Germany?


One word: military. My mom married a U.S. Air Force soldier when I was 2. Got my permanent resident card from him. Grew up in Germany, but only went to American schools. When I was 18, I met my current husband while we worked on base (he was also a military brat). Moved to the States a few years later. Moved to Texas to be closer to my mom while stepdad was in Iraq. Moved to Dallas because that's where my husband's family is. Have never like it here, so I'm headed for England, permanently lol.

Thank you for telling me where to avoid. I do love the sound of Ashford, but when I hear of places growing, it means strips malls, starbucks, and hotels are popping up. I will check it out and if it's growing too quickly for my taste, I'll probably live on the outskirts. I'm definitely not into country living in the U.S., but it's very different to be in the country in the UK lol. 

Why is Dover a place to avoid? 

I was looking up different counties around London and when I looked at Kent, it did remind me a lot of the places I grew up in Germany

I will check out Thanet, and I've heard of Ramsgate... probably saw houses I liked there lol. Schools are also very important to me, so that does factor into things. 

Thanks!


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## raceman (Apr 3, 2011)

Kent is a lovely place (mostly) lol. Dover is a bit of a dive, and there are WAY better places to live in Kent.

Thanet really is VERY nice, apart from Margate, and is well worth a look, and often over looked. 

There are some really great schools in kent, some of the best in the country are in Canterbury and Rochester. 

I am looking to go to the US, shame we can't simply swap lol.


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## nicoledanny (Mar 9, 2011)

raceman said:


> Kent is a lovely place (mostly) lol. Dover is a bit of a dive, and there are WAY better places to live in Kent.
> 
> Thanet really is VERY nice, apart from Margate, and is well worth a look, and often over looked.
> 
> ...


Yes, it is a shame! If I could live in another part of the US, I would like it a lot better. However, if we're going to live in the States, my husband insists we live near his parents. Dallas-Fort Worth is just not my thing. 

I don't know anything about Dover, other than the cliffs of Dover lol. I am checking out Thanet right now.


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## Jen_21 (Apr 30, 2009)

Birchington is nice! Still on the main train line but quite villagey!


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