[country soul]

I  ve  just  begun  semi  retirement  and  feel like  a  move  after being on my  current  small holding   for  20  years..I m  thinking  wales  but  maybe  Scottish  lowlands as   prices  are  more  reasonable  than  where  I  currently  am.l d welcome any  views  from  those  who  may have  made  such  a move  or   have   been  there  for  some  time.My   current  place  while  once  rural  is  now  more  semi  rural  and  I  would  like  to  get  back to  a true  rural  setting.i  be  a  healthy   budget  and  wouldn't  need to  worry too much  about work  so  long as  I  was  reasonably careful.i  currently  have  a  100 sheep and some  poultry.

[Anke]

Dumfries and Galloway if you are after proper rural, the Borders is becoming quite semi-rural and you will have to pay Edinburgh Commuter prices for anything reasonably close to Tweedbank (rail link) or within an hours commute. Different climate on the west coast though compared to East coast, different soil etc.

[SallyintNorth]

Where are you now?

I moved to the far north of Cumbria / Northumberland, 15 miles short of Scotland as the crow flies, but moved back to the south again after 10 years.  Much to commend the North of England / South of Scotland, but I never stopped missing summer!  And living where I did, on uplands just below the moorland line, I learned that the truism we quote in the south, that "there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing", stops applying somewhere north of Manchester. 

[Backinwellies]

I'm going to ask the same question as Sally .... where are you now (as this could influence our answers)   and secondly a ballpark  budget figure  as some of Scot and some of Wales is more expensive than you might think.

By rural do you mean a shop  or a town within 15 miles?

[country soul]

I m  currently   in  the  pennine   hills   so  well used to   the rain and  wind  if  at  times  i dont  like  it !
I guess  my   budget  would   be  400 to  700 k

[Fleecewife]

I agree with Anke that D&G has a lot to recommend it, plus the areas of Ayrshire to the north.  Rainfall is heavy which tends to give acid soils, but not throughout.
I live in the southern tip of South Lanarkshire which has some very rural areas, some brilliant volcanic soils, the Southern Uplands for sheep farming and areas which remain very rural, but others which don't - even where we are at 1000' on an airy hilltop is only semi rural (the most rural thing about here is the desultory quality of the broadband!).  But I do think you are more likely to find your ideal place in Scotland rather than England or Wales just because of the population density.  Of course for true wilderness you need to head north to the Highlands but you have said not there.
I assume there is no real urgency to your move, so when we can travel again, why not spend time in both Wales and Scotland and get to know both places?

[Rosemary]

Of course for true wilderness you need to head north to the Highlands but you have said not there.
I assume there is no real urgency to your move, so when we can travel again, why not spend time in both Wales and Scotland and get to know both places?

OP didn't say NOT the Highlands, just suggested Scottish Lowlands, I think

[Backinwellies]

But I do think you are more likely to find your ideal place in Scotland rather than England or Wales just because of the population density. 

Have you been to ceredigion or  East Carmarthenshire or mid Wales?  no density of population in these areas.

[country soul]

Thanks   everyone   ...I  do fancy  D&G  i  been  there and  also  ayrshire   was  nice  .I  particularly like  carmarthenshire  and  that  has  been  where  I  ve  tended  to  be  looking  on  right move .the  highlands   while  undoubtedly  beautiful  would   be   too remote  I  think

[Fleecewife]

But I do think you are more likely to find your ideal place in Scotland rather than England or Wales just because of the population density. 

Have you been to ceredigion or  East Carmarthenshire or mid Wales?  no density of population in these areas.

Not for more than 50 years, and then not to the deepest mountain fastnesses, so yes I'm way out of date clearly for Wales, but I'm up to date with large swathes of Scotland.  It depends of course on the OP's definition of rural and semi rural, v. wild.

[PipSqueak]

We moved from Worcestershire to Carmarthenshire (roughly equidistant from Carmarthen, Kidwelly and Llanelli) just under two years ago and simply love it here.  We are in a traditional farming, Welsh-speaking area, but have been welcomed with open arms and have made so many friends here.  There is loads to do in the area (not that we have time even when allowed!), beautiful countryside and lots of smallholdings.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

[Dav275]

+ 1 for Dumfries & Galloway. Moved here 10 years ago and loved the quiet, friendly feel of the place, although in recent years it seems this area is being taken over by huge wind farms.

[Backinwellies]

We have been in Carmarthenshire for 8 years .....  north of Llandeilo ....   equidistant to west and south coasts .... live 2 miles from village and nearest house is 1/4 mile away and at night can only see lights from 3 properties in the distance. ... remote enough for me (and to be honest as I get older I realise too remote for older age) .    We have holiday cottage if you wish to stay and look around ... post covid.

[country soul]

Thanks   backinwellies if  we  get  out  of  this   lockdown  unscathed  I  will  come  and  stay  in your  holiday  cottage it  looks delightful

[Steph Hen]

Angus is the best county in my opinion. Much sunnier than wales where I grew up :-) beautiful beaches and hills and glen sand good land and nice people ...