I’ve lived in my house in Rugby for a year and a half now, and it’s slightly embarrassing to admit that in all that time I hadn’t properly explored the area on foot.
The estate itself has grown in phases over the last twenty years, and my house is one of the “OG” properties, built right back in phase one. That comes with a few advantages. I’m in a great spot within the development, and because I’m already surrounded by houses, I never have to worry about fresh waves of new builds suddenly appearing and destroying the view. It’s very much a “devil you know” arrangement, and one I’ve become quite fond of.
So, during this record-breaking May heatwave in the UK, I finally decided to head out for a wander once the evening had cooled down a little. What I discovered genuinely surprised me.
One unexpected benefit of a large estate built in stages is that developers have had to include plenty of green space, footpaths, and connecting walkways as part of the planning process. The result is that you can set off from your front door and end up on something that feels remarkably like a countryside walk, despite technically being in the middle of a housing estate.
It completely changed the way I see where I live.
What I’d thought of mainly as a practical home (in the London commuter belt) suddenly revealed a hidden luxury: space, greenery, and quiet walking routes right on my doorstep. In a strange way, the house feels more valuable to me now than it did before – not financially, but personally. That sense of easy access to fresh air and light exercise is becoming something I appreciate more and more now time allows.
Assuming life behaves itself, I can genuinely imagine staying here until retirement. Knowing that these walks are sitting just outside the front door makes the idea even more appealing.
And the best part is that I’ve only just started exploring. The actual countryside begins at the edge of the estate, which I’m looking forward to discovering over summer.
In truth, my first eighteen months here were a blur. If I wasn’t working, I was travelling, renovating, fixing things, or dealing with the endless jobs that come with settling into a house. Only now does life feel as though it might finally be slowing down enough for me to enjoy what was here all along.
Dr Martin James 