[maryv]

I've been told there are lots of smallholdings in the low-lying strip of Lincolnshire between the Wolds and the coast. Is that true? If so, what's it like there? Property prices seem to be lower than in many other places. This can only be explained by supply and demand, but how exactly? Is it because people are sensibly more averse than in other places to taking on large amounts of debt? Or because few people put their properties onto the market? Or are insurance premiums high? Or people fear that floods could wipe the area out, or what?

[jaykay]

It's very flat, rather 'remote', ie takes you ages to get anywhere else, folk are born and stay there (how do you think the phrase 'normal for Norfolk' originates, similar sort of thing  ), you need to enjoy landscapes with big skies and high winds at times, can be cold, can have excellent soil......

[maryv]

It's very flat, rather 'remote', ie takes you ages to get anywhere else, folk are born and stay there (how do you think the phrase 'normal for Norfolk' originates, similar sort of thing  ), you need to enjoy landscapes with big skies and high winds at times, can be cold, can have excellent soil......

Sounds all right. I lived for a while on the Isle of Lewis several years ago and love the wind. Big skies are great. Remoteness no problem. Are there any worries about floods or maybe trouble from relatively nearby Mablethorpe etc.? I've never been able to find out how much of the low-lying ground in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and East Yorkshire would get flooded if it weren't for electrically-powered pumping. Just looking ahead a few years as the economy goes further down the pan!

[jaykay]

I moved away 30 years ago now so I don't know how 'rough' or otherwise places like Mablethorpe are. I suppose like many places with not much going on, there could be drugs and the trouble that goes with that.

When I lived there, 'the marsh people' were close knit, a bit suspicious of incomers but once they'd taken to you, you couldn't have had nicer, more friendly people. Like many country places really 

[Lesley Silvester]

   Hi maryv and welcome from Shropshire.

[maryv]

It's very flat, rather 'remote', ie takes you ages to get anywhere else, folk are born and stay there (how do you think the phrase 'normal for Norfolk' originates, similar sort of thing  ), you need to enjoy landscapes with big skies and high winds at times, can be cold, can have excellent soil......

I've been looking into the flood issue, and found this document by Andy Baxendale of the Environment Agency: Flooding and the Future of Lincolnshire, presented to the Lincolnshire Assembly. It's in Powerpoint (argh!), but Page 15 shows a map with flood-risk areas coloured in according to their "Property Insurance Flood Likelihood Categories". The whole of the low-lying coastal strip (flood plain) to the northeast of the Wolds is coloured in, as well as a mostly wider area around the Wash. Scary stuff.

So can people offer any advice about the Lincolnshire Wolds area? Prices are higher than in the low-lying coastal strip, but not hugely higher. Is anyone reading this who's a smallholder there?

Hi, Mad Goatwoman!  What's it like smallholding in Shropshire? Sadly my main memory of that county is a short time in Whitchurch during which some lads drove in to the centre with a Welsh flag spread out in their car, and I got the impression they were looking for a fight. Unfortunately we didn't have time to explore the remoter areas around Wem.

Mary

[chrismahon]

Problem with these low lying areas that a strong onshore wind for several days coupled with spring tides stops the water retreating. Next one stacks up and so on. This is what happened in Felixstowe at night killing 50 peple I think. Nearly happened again when I lived there in mid '80's. Water flooded the few houses at the end of the road and got to within 3" of ours -half way up the back step. Really scary. Police evacuated all except a view who stayed. Then the wind died down a bit and changed direction. The waves hitting and coming over the sea wall were twice the height of the house! Just the spray threw caravans all over the place. I wouldn't live there.

[Lesley Silvester]

Hi, Mad Goatwoman!  What's it like smallholding in Shropshire? Sadly my main memory of that county is a short time in Whitchurch during which some lads drove in to the centre with a Welsh flag spread out in their car, and I got the impression they were looking for a fight. Unfortunately we didn't have time to explore the remoter areas around Wem.

Mary
[/quote]

MIne is more of a micro-holding aka a large garden but I have fruit trees and bushes, veggie beds and my three goats.  Love it.  Whitchurch has always been a nice place when I've been there but, like anywhere, it no doubt has its troubles.  Lovely walks along the canalside there.