**Mum Swaps City Life for Rural Wales, Only to Face Immediate Setback**
A wish for adventure and a deeper connection to nature inspired Enfys Maloney, 40, and her family to trade the orderly rhythms of English city living for the wild beauty of rural North Wales. Yet their bold escape into the unknown brought drama almost as soon as they stepped through the door of their new home.
Enfys, who grew up in Wales, left at eighteen to study at the University of Manchester, where she met her future husband Rick. The city of Bedford, where the couple eventually settled, provided a comfortable and conventional environment for their two young daughters. But after several years, Enfys and Rick craved something more – a different pace and a genuine adventure.
Determined to break free from predictability, the family relocated to a historic smallholding nestled within Eryri National Park (Snowdonia). Their new home offers an enviable blend of mountain views and beach proximity. Enfys describes rural life here as transformative for her children’s education as well, with the girls now attending a tiny school of only fifteen pupils, learning Welsh and embracing a more intimate community.
“We were really happy in Bedford,” Enfys recalls, emphasising there were no ill feelings toward their previous life. “But it just felt very predictable. We wanted to swap that for the adventure and uncertainty that comes with rural Wales.” The Maloney family’s extraordinary decision came after Rick’s employer refused his request to cut back his working hours for greater family flexibility. “We just said, ‘Sod it, we are moving,’” Enfys says. The very same evening, they spotted their dream farmhouse listed at a reduced price – and instantly leapt at the opportunity.
Despite the excitement, leaving certainty behind for the unknown proved daunting. Enfys’ small sales training business had only recently launched after her previous travel company was lost to the pandemic. Financial and logistical worries loomed, but she trusted in her vision. Happily, her new business took off, posting six-figure earnings last year. Rick, formerly an engineer, has since joined her venture.
Yet their great escape very nearly met disaster from the start. Enfys had pictured a postcard-perfect arrival, but within half an hour of opening the door, reality struck. Months of the property sitting idle had taken their toll. “There was this loud flooding noise,” Enfys recalls. Rusted pipes burst, flooding the kitchen just as the removal lorry and her in-laws arrived. Lacking even a mop, the family scrambled to control the chaos. “You imagine moving in will be roses – but it was anything but!” she laughs now.
Despite the house’s 400-year-old quirks – it is a traditional Welsh longhouse – Enfys and Rick have embraced these challenges. It is, she says, an ongoing project, but one filled with joy. A recent 40th birthday brought chickens as a gift, and the farmland’s 20 sheep, rolling hills, and a river at the field’s edge provide a daily dose of Welsh splendour. “We wake to birdsong and watch the sunset in the evening. We swim in the river and spend hours outdoors. It’s just awe-inspiring,” Enfys says.
Managing the move from a city full of modern conveniences to remote rural living is not without adjustment. Yet, far from feeling isolated, Enfys finds comfort in being close to nature and reconnecting with friends and family nearby. She comments on the striking contrast in energy when she revisits the city: “You realise how differently you live. In the city, you’re more guarded. Here, you just feel free.”
The family has no regrets about their decision and encourages others to consider similar changes. Enfys is aware that grants are available for Welsh-speaking and young families hoping to move back to Wales, offering support for relocation costs and language learning. She didn’t use the scheme herself but urges others, “If you’re thinking about it, just take the leap. You only live once.”
Reflecting on her journey, Enfys believes courage and self-trust are vital. “Big decisions always come with uncertainty. You’ll never know everything before you arrive, but you figure it out and life tends to work out if you pursue it. Why stick with predictability when the unpredictable can be even better?”
Her story offers heartening proof that embracing risk and the lure of natural beauty can redefine a family’s life – even if disaster sometimes comes before delight.