I'm a nowff London gewl myself. Born and raised in Kentish Town (Camden). I did have the added advantage of living ten minutes walk from Hampstead Heath / Parliament Hill Fields ( which is a huge park to get lost in and great for kids ). So the great outdoors was not an unknown.

I fail to see what the problem is. If you do not like London then DON'T GO THERE! I have visited many places round the country, that , whilst I have found them very nice to visit and may have had excellent times there, I wouln't want to live there for whatever reason. There are places where I would be happy if I never set foot in them again, but I don't start going on and on about why they are soooo terrible. Each to their own I say.

I originally moved to Walthamstow because that's where my Mother found a flat I could afford and she had decided it was time for me to leave home ( well, I was 27........). Parker used to live in South Woodford (Bottom of Epping forest) and Walthamstow was kind of in between there and Camden so we moved in.

We have found that this area provides the perfect (for us) mix of town and country. We have the Walthamstow marshes (Lee Valley) on one side of us and we are but a short bus ride to Epping forest.

On the other hand, we have a lauderette, a chippy and a mini supermarket at the end of the street. We are a ten minute walk from the longest street market in Europe ( where I'm going in a minute) and a large Sainsbury's.

We can get to the west end in 30 minutes and Greenwich and Richmond in an hour. There are plenty of folk clubs and sessions and other kinds of music as well. Great places to eat. We like it so much that we are moving to a house (hopefully, I canna take the strain.....) not even half a mile away.

Not for a minute, though, would I say that this would suit everyone or anyone else!!   Living in any area is always a compromise between what you want and what you can afford, so there will always be good and bad points. I'd like less traffic, but I'm not willing to give everything I've listed above, up.

So yes, London is wonderful, for me!   Anyone who just wants to visit occasionally is more that welcome.

TTFN Lady P.