Why Fresh Air & Birdsong Work For Me

City versus country living? It never ceases to amaze me how the debate is carried on through the lifestyle pages of the media. And it generally seems to written by the disaffected urbanite who craves a return to the bright lights of the City rather than the reverse. The latest double page spread appeared in this week’s London Evening Standard by Lucy Cavendish, a journalist raised in the country but who yearns for a return to London. And who just so happens to live one village up from where I have lived for the past 13 years. 

For the sake of early disclosure, I confess to being a country boy. I work during the week in London and crave the reverse of Lucy. I love leaving the city behind and returning to our cottage, the fresh air and the peace. I was therefore very interested in Lucy’s argument and reasons for leaving the rural idyll we are both so lucky to live in. For me, country and in particular village life is all about the community. It’s about feeling safe, about friendships, about a sense of belonging. I accept that this can be found in the city but then so are crowds, noise, traffic, gangs, pollution all of which are largely absent from my area (with the exception of traffic maybe!)

Lucy explains in her article that her children are not outdoor types; that they don’t want to climb trees or get muddy. That’s fair enough. She says her boys don’t need a big garden and they could do do their ‘outside’ play in a park or sports center. I read this with a sense of sadness given the space and natural beauty we have on our doorstep. I would urge any parent with a garden to realise how incredibly important it is for children to have the space to get outside and play in safety. Today’s child is presented with so much electronic gadgetry and online distraction that we are losing a generation to the PS3. Regardless of city or country, this is a huge concern so I am saddened whenever I read that kids don’t want to get outside. 

But it’s not just about providing a great environment for children to grow up in, it’s about retaining the fabric of country life. And it’s here that I perhaps start to see why disaffected individuals should move back to London. I’m sure Lucy has supported her local community but generally what villages need are people who are passionate about getting involved; about supporting local life; and about giving something back. All too often we see houses being bought up by city types in pursuit of a dream but who then shut the door, close the curtains and retreat into their previous exclusive existence albeit in a country cottage. 

If Lucy or anyone else for that matter finds the rural life to unexciting, then my suggestion is to up sticks and return to the bright lights. But don’t look back in envy. Don’t write about poor schooling or the cost of going private. Don’t whine about the cost of living in the city or whinge when the children are under your feet all of the time because there is nowhere for them to play other than in the house. And don’t undermine or belittle the wonderful community spirit that exists in many villages around the country. We rural residents who have embraced the life we live find it just as rewarding, just as exciting and just as stimulating as the life Lucy seeks back in the metropolis. We embrace all that is good and we appreciate how fortunate we are. And when we get the need for a culture fix, London is only 35 miles up the road.