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North Wales Live
26-04-2025
- North Wales Live
Mum quit English city life for rural Wales – what happened within 30 minutes shocked her
A mother exchanged her "predictable" English city existence for an entirely different life, only to face disaster within half-an-hour. Enfys Maloney, 40, originally from Wales, left the country for the University of Manchester at 18, where she met Rick, now her husband. Since 2018, they had made their home in Bedford, raising two daughters, now aged seven and nine. However, last year they decided to leave their modest semi-detached townhouse for a sprawling farm and historic smallholding in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), Wales. Situated near the beach and the mountains, they've embraced a slower pace of life, with their children attending a small school with just 15 pupils, a stark contrast to the 400-strong cohort they were once part of. The family's new chapter includes 20 sheep and a river at the end of their garden, but their transition to this idyllic setting began with a bumpy start. "We were really happy," stated Enfys. "I don't want to paint a negative picture of Bedford because it was lovely. "But we decided it was very predictable and a very conventional setup and we decided to trade that predictability for the unknown wild rural life in Wales where actually there would be a lot of question marks as to how life would look as opposed to doing that town living thing indefinitely without much change." The downturn caused by COVID-19 spelled the end for Enfys's travel business before she embarked on a fresh endeavour, crafting sales training programmes for business proprietors. Rick, an engineer by trade, reached a crossroads when his request to cut his working week down for better work-life balance wasn't granted. Enfys recalled the pivotal moment: "They said no to the reduction and we swore then. We thought, 'Sod it, we are quitting and we are going to move to Wales' - and that was a very instant decision. "That night we went on RightMove and the house we wanted to buy was back on the market at a reduced price - let's do it. And honestly, it was completely terrifying. Are we mad? It would be stretching us financially. Would my business be able to support two full-time salaries because it was still a junior business?" Reflecting on such a life-altering choice, Enfys shared her apprehension: "That decision, you are giving up the known for the unknown and that is always going to be a scary thing." The leap of faith paid off for her venture, Sales Training With Enfys, which has flourished significantly, reaching milti-six-figure earnings last year, with Rick now being part of the team. Despite the eventual professional success, their initial experience in the new home presented unexpected challenges, as detailed by the mother-of-two. She laughed "You think you are going to skip into your new life like those idyllic postcards and that is going to be all roses - and it was that for the first few seconds." However, the reality soon hit as they found their new property had suffered in their absence with even the windows boarded up after a lengthy sales process. Just 30 minutes into their new life, after turning on the taps for the first time in months, Enfys recounted a dramatic moment. She explained: "I was stood in the kitchen and there was a massive flooding noise all of a sudden. Underneath the aga something had rusted and the whole cylinder floor flooded the kitchen and the water was going everywhere and there were no towels, no mops. "We had a massive lorry arriving any minute with all of our stuff and Rick's parents and the kids arrived and the whole place was flooding. It was like, 'Oh my God, idyllic life?'" The beautiful 400-year-old stone house, a traditional Welsh longhouse that has been extended, didn't come with instructions but they eventually managed to fix the issue. Despite the initial turmoil, Enfys has fallen in love with the property's charm, and she's unfazed by the ongoing work it requires, viewing it as a continuous project. Celebrating her 40th birthday this month, Enfys received chickens as gifts and shared a glimpse of her daily experience. "We have 10 acres here," she explained. "I can step outside and see the sun rise over the mountain. We are not overlooked, there are no neighbours. We have 20 sheep; I am looking at them now and they are lovely. "At the end of the day we can see the sunset, it is just beautiful, it is greenery, hills, and then at the bottom of our field we have a river we can go and swim in. "We can go down there and throw rocks into the stream with the kids and there is just a lot of space, it feels really expansive, and it is just awe-inspiring here the natural beauty, it is just wonderful. "There are a lot of birdsongs and the stars at night are just unbelievable. People always think of daytime views but if you step outside in the night and there are no clouds - it is insanely beautiful." She continued: "It feels extremely safe and I think that is another part of it – it doesn't feel isolating. "We are not lonely at all and that can be a big scary thing about moving to the country but I was brought up here and I went to see my oldest friend and her mum yesterday and I see my family." As for missing old parts of her life, Enfys said they are still in contact with pieces of her past existence, and still sometimes travels to London for work where she runs events. However, as for what it is returning to urban areas, she said: "I visited Bedford and I was like, 'Oh my God the traffic is relentless' and the feeling of when I got to London now, like I hold my handbag and you don't even realise that you are behaving cautiously until you realise you live freely I think. "You hold your kids a bit tighter, like in the park I am always watching them, whereas here it is like, well the kids will turn up." Enfys and Rick are delighted with their decision to relocate, a sentiment likely bolstered by the revelation last year of grants being awarded to Welsh-speaking and young families who choose to move back to some areas. The incentives included up to £5,000 for expenses related to resettling, such as transport, accommodation, childcare, or even Welsh language classes. Although Enfys didn't benefit from the scheme for her own move, she is supportive of others seizing the opportunity. She encouraged: "You only live once and you need to pursue a life you want to live and you can always move back as well. For people considering the grant, go for it. What have you got to lose? North Wales has so much to offer. It is beautiful, it is friendly, the towns are nice, the landscapes are beautiful, and you can just integrate with community." Sharing pearls of wisdom, Enfys added: "I think there has to be a lot of self trust. You make a big decision and you figure out the rest when you get there. You don't have to know everything before you arrive.
Wales Online
26-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Wales Online
'I gave up English city life to move to stunning rural Wales – then disaster struck'
'I gave up English city life to move to stunning rural Wales – then disaster struck' EXCLUSIVE: Enfys Malone left the Welsh countryside behind after turning 18 but she recently returned with a husband and two kids after bravely leaving her life near the city behind Enfys Maloney has no regrets after returning to Wales (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) A mum swapped her 'predictable' life in the city for something completely different - but within 30 minutes disaster struck.. Enfys Maloney, 40, is originally from Wales but left at 18 to go to the University of Manchester where she met Rick who is now her husband. The pair had been living in Bedford since 2018 where they had two daughters together who are now seven and nine. But braving change last year, they ditched their semi-detached modest townhouse for a sprawling farm and historic smallholding in Eryri National Park (aka Snowdonia) in Wales. They are located by the beach and the mountains. Their slower pace of life involves their kids being in a tiny school with just 15 children in total where they learn Welsh – having previously been surrounded by 400 other pupils. Article continues below The family also have 20 sheep and a river at the bottom of their garden – but their life-changing move had a rocky start. The mum stood outside her new home (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) 'We were really happy,' Enfys told us. 'I don't want to paint a negative picture of Bedford because it was lovely. 'But we decided it was very predictable and a very conventional setup and we decided to trade that predictability for the unknown wild rural life in Wales where actually there would be a lot of question marks as to how life would look as opposed to doing that town living thing indefinitely without much change.' Enfys lost her travel company during the pandemic before launching a new venture offering sales training to business owners. Rick meanwhile was an engineer and the trigger point for the move was when he asked his employers to reduce his hours so he could work four days a week for a better family balance. She is thriving being closer to nature (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) However, Enfys said: 'They said no to the reduction and we swore then. We thought, 'Sod it, we are quitting and we are going to move to Wales' - and that was a very instant decision. 'That night we went on RightMove and the house we wanted to buy was back on the market at a reduced price - let's do it. And honestly, it was completely terrifying. Are we mad? It would be stretching us financially. Would my business be able to support two full-time salaries because it was still a junior business? 'That decision, you are giving up the known for the unknown and that is always going to be a scary thing.' Thankfully, her business - Sales Training With Enfys - has triumphed, hitting six figures last year, and Rick has become part of it. Despite this, the first few days at their new home did not go as expected, as the mum-of-two reveals below. Things did not go as planned initially, as she explains below (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) 'You think you are going to skip into your new life like those idyllic postcards and that is going to be all roses - and it was that for the first few seconds,' she laughed. The sale took a long time and by the time they got the keys the house had naturally deteriorated and the windows were boarded up. And just 30 minutes into their new world, after turning on the taps for the first time in months, Enfys said: 'I was stood in the kitchen and there was a massive flooding noise all of a sudden. Underneath the aga something had rusted and the whole cylinder floor flooded the kitchen and the water was going everywhere and there were no towels, no mops. 'We had a massive lorry arriving any minute with all of our stuff and Rick's parents and the kids arrived and the whole place was flooding. It was like, 'Oh my God, idyllic life?'" Being 400 years old, the stunning stone house, one of Wales' traditional longhouses that has been extended, did not come with a manual. But despite the chaotic beginning, Enfys is now entranced by the beauty, and although work still needs to be done, hiccups no longer panic her, because she knows it is an ongoing project. The business owner recently acquired chickens (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) This month she enjoyed her 40th birthday where she was gifted chickens and she gave an insight into what she now wakes up to. 'We have 10 acres here,' she said. 'I can step outside and see the sun rise over the mountain. We are not overlooked, there are no neighbours. We have 20 sheep; I am looking at them now and they are lovely. 'At the end of the day we can see the sunset, it is just beautiful, it is greenery, hills, and then at the bottom of our field we have a river we can go and swim in. 'We can go down there and throw rocks into the stream with the kids and there is just a lot of space, it feels really expansive, and it is just awe-inspiring here the natural beauty, it is just wonderful. 'There are a lot of birdsongs and the stars at night are just unbelievable. People always think of daytime views but if you step outside in the night and there are no clouds - it is insanely beautiful.' She continued: 'It feels extremely safe and I think that is another part of it - it doesn't feel isolating. Life is more than good for Enfys and her loved ones (Image: Enfys Maloney/Brand You Photography ) 'We are not lonely at all and that can be a big scary thing about moving to the country but I was brought up here and I went to see my oldest friend and her mum yesterday and I see my family.' As for missing old parts of her life, Enfys said they are still in contact with pieces of her past existence, and still sometimes travels to London for work where she runs events. However, as for what it is returning to urban areas, she said: 'I visited Bedford and I was like, 'Oh my God the traffic is relentless' and the feeling of when I got to London now, like I hold my handbag and you don't even realise that you are behaving cautiously until you realise you live freely I think. 'You hold your kids a bit tighter, like in the park I am always watching them, whereas here it is like, well the kids will turn up.' Enfys and Rick have absolutely no regrets about the move and last year it was revealed grants were being awarded to Welsh speaking and young families to return to some areas of the country. Up to £5,000 was being offered for help with 'pay for transport costs, rent or mortgage costs, childcare costs, or even Welsh lessons'. The scheme was not something Enfys was involved in for her move but she encouraged anyone considering it to take the leap. She said: 'You only live once and you need to pursue a life you want to live and you can always move back as well. For people considering the grant, go for it. What have you got to lose? North Wales has so much to offer. It is beautiful, it is friendly, the towns are nice, the landscapes are beautiful, and you can just integrate with community.' Article continues below And offering advice, she concluded: 'I think there has to be a lot of self trust. You make a big decision and you figure out the rest when you get there. You don't have to know everything before you arrive. 'There is a lot that is going to be unforeseeable but you have to trust that things tend to work out if you pursue it. Why stay with the predictable when you can have the unpredictable?'
Scottish Sun
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I escaped the miserable UK rental market to spend just £650-a-month living in a converted Ford Transit van with my dog
Having not felt able to afford a social life, she is now freer than ever and can even afford a gym membership YES YOU VAN I escaped the miserable UK rental market to spend just £650-a-month living in a converted Ford Transit van with my dog Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FED up with sky-high rents and an endless game of house hopscotch, a young Brit has embraced van life, living off just £650 a month with her dog. Fashion photographer Nicole Keefe, 27, had lived in 18 homes by 2023, leaving her feeling 'trapped' and 'miserable', and losing hope that she would ever get on the property ladder. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The fashion photographer perched a top of her signature leopard print blanket Credit: Collect/PA Real Life 7 Nicole and her pooch, Linda McCartney, are both happier loving van life Credit: Collect/PA Real Life Having been frequently moved as a child, this trend continued into her adulthood due to 'things not going right' with partners. But she has now hit the road with her beagle-petit griffon Vendeen Mix, Linda McCartney, named in honour of her idol the designer, in a converted Ford Transit. Having joined a growing number of young people embracing van life, she feels she has become her "favourite version of herself." Newcastle-born Nicole now lives off less than £650 a month- less than she has ever spent on rent, and can even afford a gym membership, having before felt she couldn't even 'afford a social life.' According to Right Move, the majority of properties sold in Washington, Durham, last year were terraced properties going for an average of £126,930- far out of her price range. Following the writing off of her old car and following others on social media who had embraced the nomadic van life, she moved into the vehicle in September 2023. She snapped up the van for just £8.5k on Facebook Marketplace, she has kitted it out with her signature leopard print flair and even added an air fryer to the bed, kitchen, sink and solar panels. She told PA Real Life: 'It was all very minimalist …. I kept the base the same. There's a kitchen area, sink, bed, solar panels, and I added in a fridge, gas camping hob and air fryer and got a new mattress. 'I made it a bit more me, adding in some leopard print and just decorating it over time.' For the first nine months, she continued her 9-5 fashion photography job, parking near the office in a car park and whizzing off around the country on the weekends with her pooch at her side. 7 One of the beautiful views from Nicole's van Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 7 Wandering through a picturesque British town Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 7 Nicole used the cleaning job to explore the South Coast Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 7 Perched in her mobile home Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 7 Nicole perched atop her signature leopard print decor Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved The turning point came when she landed a cleaning gig at a Dorset campsite via a nomad Facebook Group, and from there, she built her freelance social media career, snapping pics and managing social media for businesses, gaining thousands of followers. She was offered the cleaning gig, an hour after a virtual interview and immediately quit her 9-5 job and sped off to Dorset. Nicole spent three months working there with her pooch, exploring the South Coast on her days off. While she found the freedom 'really lovely', at first she struggled with limited human interaction, as she 'hated her own company.' But gradually she got used to going to coffee shops on her own, and 'enjoying being alone.' The companionship of her furry friend, Linda, is key, and she makes a point of FaceTiming her family, friends and long-distance partner. She said: 'When I was moving home, I used to all the time, and it would always take McCartney a month or two to get settled. 'He would cry and bark if he were left alone in the house, but he got used to the van in two days, and I think he loves his routine.' Having swapped the cleaning job for a barista job in Winchester, she has now managed to become a full-time content creator for businesses. Her social media presence is ballooning with her TikTok account @thevanclub hitting 4.5k and her Instagram followers reaching 1.8k. This has allowed her complete nomadic freedom and so far, she has travelled up and down the country, ping ponging from Snowdonia to Cornwall, popping by Warwickshire, exploring Scotland and travelling throughout the North East. She said: 'Since then I've gone wherever I want to go – it's quite a weird thing to adjust to because I don't have anywhere I need to be unless I've got a photography job.'Long-term, she plans to continue her motoring adventure for four years, and even if she eventually buys a house, will continue to whizz around the country on the weekends.
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I escaped the miserable UK rental market to spend just £650-a-month living in a converted Ford Transit van with my dog
FED up with sky-high rents and an endless game of house hopscotch, a young Brit has embraced van life, living off just £650 a month with her dog. Fashion photographer Nicole Keefe, 27, had lived in 18 homes by 2023, leaving her feeling 'trapped' and 'miserable', and losing hope that she would ever get on the property ladder. 7 7 Having been frequently moved as a child, this trend continued into her adulthood due to 'things not going right' with partners. But she has now hit the road with her beagle-petit griffon Vendeen Mix, Linda McCartney, named in honour of her idol the designer, in a converted Ford Transit. Having joined a growing number of young people embracing van life, she feels she has become her "favourite version of herself." Newcastle-born Nicole now lives off less than £650 a month- less than she has ever spent on rent, and can even afford a gym membership, having before felt she couldn't even 'afford a social life.' According to Right Move, the majority of properties sold in Washington, Durham, last year were terraced properties going for an average of £126,930- far out of her price range. Following the writing off of her old car and following others on social media who had embraced the nomadic van life, she moved into the vehicle in September 2023. She snapped up the van for just £8.5k on Facebook Marketplace, she has kitted it out with her signature leopard print flair and even added an air fryer to the bed, kitchen, sink and solar panels. She told PA Real Life: 'It was all very minimalist …. I kept the base the same. There's a kitchen area, sink, bed, solar panels, and I added in a fridge, gas camping hob and air fryer and got a new mattress. 'I made it a bit more me, adding in some leopard print and just decorating it over time.' For the first nine months, she continued her 9-5 fashion photography job, parking near the office in a car park and whizzing off around the country on the weekends with her pooch at her side. 7 7 7 7 7 The turning point came when she landed a cleaning gig at a Dorset campsite via a nomad Facebook Group, and from there, she built her freelance social media career, snapping pics and managing social media for businesses, gaining thousands of followers. She was offered the cleaning gig, an hour after a virtual interview and immediately quit her 9-5 job and sped off to Dorset. Nicole spent three months working there with her pooch, exploring the South Coast on her days off. While she found the freedom 'really lovely', at first she struggled with limited human interaction, as she 'hated her own company.' But gradually she got used to going to coffee shops on her own, and 'enjoying being alone.' The companionship of her furry friend, Linda, is key, and she makes a point of FaceTiming her family, friends and long-distance partner. She said: 'When I was moving home, I used to all the time, and it would always take McCartney a month or two to get settled. 'He would cry and bark if he were left alone in the house, but he got used to the van in two days, and I think he loves his routine.' Having swapped the cleaning job for a barista job in Winchester, she has now managed to become a full-time content creator for businesses. Her social media presence is ballooning with her TikTok account @thevanclub hitting 4.5k and her Instagram followers reaching 1.8k. This has allowed her complete nomadic freedom and so far, she has travelled up and down the country, ping ponging from Snowdonia to Cornwall, popping by Warwickshire, exploring Scotland and travelling throughout the North East. She said: 'Since then I've gone wherever I want to go – it's quite a weird thing to adjust to because I don't have anywhere I need to be unless I've got a photography job.'Long-term, she plans to continue her motoring adventure for four years, and even if she eventually buys a house, will continue to whizz around the country on the weekends.
Wales Online
22-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
'I live in a van with my dog and bills are just £650 a month'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A photographer who lived in 18 different houses and thought she would never escape the UK rental market now spends just £650 a month living in a van with her dog. Nicole Keefe, 27, constantly moved around as a child 'due to situations out of (her) control' and later because of 'things not going right' with partners. By 2023, she felt 'trapped', 'miserable', and convinced she would never be able to afford a home while working her 9-5 job as a fashion photographer. So when her car was written off in September that year, she bought an £8,500 converted Ford Transit van and moved in with her dog, McCartney, a beagle-petit griffon Vendeen cross named after photographer and activist Linda McCartney. She parked near her work and travelled the UK on weekends until landing a job as a cleaner at a Dorset campsite, which kick-started her full-time van life. Since then, she has gone freelance as a photographer, content creator for businesses and social media manager, exploring the country with McCartney by her side, from Scotland to North Wales. Nicole said: 'I spend about £650 a month – that's less than I ever spent on rent and now I have more choice on what I spend my money on. 'I used to live month to month, I couldn't have a social life and I couldn't just buy myself anything. McCartney is so happy living in the van with me, he loves it, and I've become the best version of myself. 'I'm more confident and feel so free but settled… I can't see myself ever really going back to a 9-5 job.' Over the years, Nicole has lived in 18 different houses, moving frequently as a child, and later because of 'things not going right' with partners in adulthood. As a result, she is used to being on the move, and van life has 'always been on (her) radar' thanks to social media. However, she ended up 'following a typical path' – earning a degree at Coventry University from 2016 to 2020 and later working full-time as a photographer in a fashion studio in Washington, Tyne and Wear. After three years in the role, Nicole felt 'unfulfilled and just miserable'. Despite having 'worked hard and worked (her) way up', she was still struggling to afford rent and felt she would 'almost never' be able to own a home. According to Right Move, the majority of properties sold in Washington during the last year were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £126,930. Around the same time, her car was written off, prompting her to buy a van to live in. In September 2023, she bought a converted Ford Transit on Facebook Marketplace for around £8,500. She said: 'It was all very minimalist …. I kept the base the same. There's a kitchen area, sink, bed, solar panels and I added in a fridge, gas camping hob and air fryer and got a new mattress. 'I made it a bit more me adding in some leopard print and just decorating it over time.' While looking for a remote job, she stayed in her 9-5, living in the van and parking in a nearby car park, travelling the country at weekends. She did this for nine months with her dog, McCartney, while most of her family thought she was 'a bit nuts' and others were 'confused but supportive'. In June 2024, she found a campsite cleaning job in a Facebook group for nomads. After a virtual interview, she was offered the role an hour later so she quit her job and moved to Dorset two weeks later. She worked there for three months and used her weekends to explore the south coast. 'It was just really lovely, because I went from feeling like I couldn't escape, and I felt really trapped,' Nicole added. At first, she struggled with limited human interaction, as she 'hated (her) own company', but gradually got used to going to coffee shops alone and ended up 'enjoying being alone'. She stays in touch with friends and family, regularly FaceTiming her long-distance partner, and is especially grateful for her dog's companionship. 'When I was moving house all the time it would always take McCartney a month or two to get settled,' she explained. 'He would cry and bark if he was left alone in the house but he got used to the van in two days and I think he loves his routine.' When she does leave him alone in the van, she regularly checks on him, and uses a steering wheel lock. After three months in Dorset, Nicole felt she had got her 'energy back' and was 'more motivated'. She took a coffee shop job in Winchester while building her freelance work, becoming a full-time content creator for businesses, a photographer and social media manager in December 2024. Her following under the handle @thevanclub_ has since grown, with more than 4,500 followers on TikTok and some 1,800 on Instagram. 'Since then I've gone wherever I want to go – it's quite a weird thing to adjust to because I don't have anywhere I need to be unless I've got a photography job,' she said. So far, Nicole has travelled to places including Snowdonia, Cornwall, Warwickshire, Scotland and throughout the North East. While travelling, she parks in 24-hour car parks or on the roadside, saying her Transit van is 'quite discreet' and that she always makes sure to 'respect the space, not leaving a trace'. Nicole spends around £650 a month on fuel, gas, wi-fi, gym membership and van repayments. Since embracing van life, Nicole feels more confident and says this is her 'favourite version' of herself. Nicole plans to continue living in her van for the next four years and even if she eventually buys a house, she intends to keep the van for weekend trips. Once it is no longer driveable, she hopes to turn it into a home office.
