I moved to London last August aged 42 having lived in Manchester, Sheffield and The Peak since I was born. I'm enjoying it. It's very different to the life I was leading before and I'm getting and learning a lot from the experience via different avenues that weren't available before.If climbing lots is your main thing in life right now however, don't move here. It's not just the climbing on rock but the people and the surroundings. I miss my friends and their friends. People you see regularly out at the crag who you've known for years. I miss the smells (peat, heather, frost, rain, farms), the sounds (grouse, curlew, sheep, farming, streams) and the sights of being outdoors in the Peak district, particularly those parts that I was so intimately familiar with over many years from running over the same ground or climbing the same routes and problems, feeling each season come and go, being intimately in touch with the weather and the locale. Galpinos was here two weeks ago and we were missing each other driving back from the crag after a days bouldering in Winter, listening to 5 Live footy and stopping for a pint in the pubs that are familiar. It'll be weird this Spring and Summer not being down by the Wye after work or at the weekend with Martin and the other boys and girls. All that said, I really don't miss the obligation and the "where should we go today" necessity that a local climber suffers from. Climbing isn't my main priority right now though and I'm happy. I love the age of the City, its history and the opportunities to explore; the libraries; the music; the arts; the food and the people. I'm going to the Westway as much as I can and plan to get down to the South coast and the South West as much as possible, recalibrating my ingrained idea of climbing from a few hours snatched on a Saturday or Sunday to full weekend trips to the South Coast or Cornwall where I've never climbed before. Trips abroad have suddenly opened up too.Anyway, a rambling post, but hopefully of some use.
Possibly not quite such rich pickings for a single chap - unless you're into working class Sikh girls...
There's a palpable sense of ancientness that you get in few other cities.
but not the only part (I am really going to miss driving a car). At least Falling Down has shown me a plus side.
Quote from: seankenny on March 12, 2013, 11:01:50 pmPossibly not quite such rich pickings for a single chap - unless you're into working class Sikh girls...I have absolutely nothing against them! Who knows, maybe the pasty Irish flesh might be considered interesting? Unlikely I admit, but a guy has to have hope....