Lived Experiences & Perceptions of Rural Places (Edexcel A Level Geography)

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Perception of Rural Places

  • Rural places, like urban places, are viewed differently by different groups because of their lived experience and perceptions of these areas

  • The perception will depend on:

    • A person’s gender, ethnicity, age and life cycle stage

    • How the person intends to use the rural space e.g. recreation and work

    • The characteristics of the rural area based on their position on the rural-urban continuum e.g. commuter villages or isolated farms and hamlets

The rural idyll

  • Rural places are often perceived as the ideal places to live by people living in urban areas due to:

    • The scenic, natural landscapes of green fields, gently rolling hills and woodlands

    • Old, traditional thatched cottages with white picket fences and flower gardens

    • A relaxed, tranquil pace of life away from the hustle and bustle of urban living

    • A strong sense of community, fostered through village activities e.g. cricket, socialising in the village pub and village fetes

    • Rural places have low crime rates, which consist of minor and non-violent offences

    • Some rural places have strong historical and cultural associations, such as Hardy’s Wessex and the Bronte country - made famous for being home to these popular British authors

  • Hardy’s Wessex - the author Thomas Hardy wrote detailed descriptions of country life in the fictitious country of Wessex

    • Idyllic depictions of thatched cottages set in peaceful surroundings, close to nature, were based on his home county of Dorset

    • Hardy also portrayed the undesirable elements of rural life e.g. remoteness and limited opportunities

  • Media representation can reinforce the rural idyll attitude

    • TV programmes, like Midsomer Murders and Emmerdale, are set in attractive countryside locations

    • Art and literature connections (e.g. Beatrix Potter and The Lake District) encourage tourists to visit and improve the economy of the area

Examiner Tips and Tricks

You can use YouTube and other video sites to watch past episodes of television series and get a sense of how rural and urban areas are depicted e.g. Bread for Liverpool and Shetland for Lerwick

Perception of Rural Places as Undesirable

  • The reality of living in a rural area can differ from the rural idyll

  • Some people can view rural regions unfavourably because of the:

    • Remoteness - very few people want to move to rural places that are isolated and difficult to access 

    • Limited social opportunities - ageing populations mean limited social opportunities for children and young people, causing a feeling of isolation

      • TV programmes, like This Country (a BBC comedy), highlight these limited opportunities

      • Young people feel they don’t have a space where they can meet with friends

      • Limited range of services - post offices, shops, petrol stations and banks are often limited or have closed down due to lack of profitability, isolating the elderly

      • One in five households in rural areas live more than 4 km from a doctor’s surgery

    • High transport costs - infrequent, expensive buses and long distances increase transport costs

      • Households in rural hamlets spend an average of £139 per week on transport, compared to £79 in urban areas

    • Population characteristics - an ageing population, with fewer young workers as some migrate to urban areas in search of work

    • Poor mobile and broadband infrastructure - isolated places are more expensive to deliver broadband to as installation costs are higher, reducing the commercial return for providers

    • High housing costs - the average sale price of residential properties in rural areas is higher than in urban areas, making housing harder to purchase for the bottom 25% of earners in these areas

  • Shetland (located about 200 km north of the Scottish mainland) is an isolated area, with undesirable characteristics for its residents:

    • There is a sparse population density (16 people/km2), therefore inhabitants might not have a close connection with neighbours as they live so far apart

    • The only banks in Shetland are in Lerwick

    • Only 31 per cent of young people felt that the speed of their broadband connection was good enough

    • The average household income in Shetland is £33,934, lower than the Scottish (£34,619) and the UK average (£36,400)

    • The average property price in Shetland is £207,954, which is approximately 6 times the average income

      • In the UK, a person cannot borrow more than 4.5 times their salary

    • The number of second homes/long-term empty properties has nearly doubled in Shetland over the last 16 years to 723 homes 

      • This has made it harder for residents to secure affordable housing

    • More than 2,000 households in Shetland live in extreme poverty, defined as having an annual income of just £13,573 

    • The cost of living in Shetland is up to 40 per cent higher than on the UK mainland, meaning the living wage of £7,85 per hour is not enough

    • Work is not a guaranteed route out of poverty - working a 37-hour week on the minimum wage gives people an annual income of just over £12,000

Worked Example

With reference to a named example, explain why people have different opinions about rural living spaces

[6 marks]

  • Identify a suitable rural area and use specific ideas relevant to that place within your answer

  • Avoid using ‘some people’

    • Be precise about which group you are discussing

  • Zero marks would be awarded for an urban area

Answer:

Named rural place: Lerwick in Shetland

Rural living spaces are viewed differently by contrasting demographic and ethnic groups (e.g. young people, retired people, families and migrants). Lerwick in Shetland (an island) is classed as a remote rural living space due to its location, which is 200 km north of the Scottish mainland. 

Young residents perceive Lerwick as lacking in places to meet their friends. They use the Bressay ferry waiting room instead, which has WiFi, but ferry users regularly complain about them. 69% of young people also feel like the broadband speed in the area isn’t good enough. These things have led to young people feeling lonely and bored in Lerwick.

Young families in Lerwick will feel frustrated by the housing crisis on the island, alongside lower incomes compared to the national average. The average property price is 6 times the yearly income for a resident of Lerwick, making it hard for young families to secure affordable housing. This situation has become worse due to the number of properties registered as long-term empty properties or second homes. 

Lastly, Shetland’s population is classed as 97% White, which could lead to ethnic minority groups feeling isolated and detached, especially if they experience a lack of tolerance. 

These lived experiences lead to different groups of people having their own opinions about life living space in Lerwick and Shetland.

View of Rural Areas

  • Rural places can be categorised according to their relative accessibility from urban areas:

    • Very remote areas

    • Retirement villages (accessible rural)

    • Commuter villages

  • These types of rural areas are viewed differently by different groups due to their lived experience and perceptions of these places

different-types-of-rural-space
Different types of rural space

Different Perceptions of Rural Space

Rural area

Positive perceptions

Negative perceptions

Commuter village

People can escape from the downside of urban areas e.g. crime and pollution (middle-aged adults)

A pleasant location in which to live and bring up family (middle-aged adults)

Good access to social services (elderly)

The rising costs of housing due to increased demand (middle-aged adults)

Fast rates of population growth - migration and fertility rates (elderly)

Retirement village (accessible rural)

A slower pace of life with less noise (elderly)

Some accessible rural areas are classed as honeypots, attracting tourists and creating jobs and income (younger people, middle-aged adults)

It can get too busy if it is a tourist hotspot (elderly)

Limited employment opportunities (middle-aged adults)

Limited range of entertainment opportunities (younger people)

Remote rural

Good outdoor recreation (young people)

Quiet and peaceful (elderly)

Poor accessibility and transport infrastructure (middle-aged adults)

Incomes are lower, especially in a tourist hotspot where jobs are seasonal (younger people)

Limited range of services, especially healthcare (elderly)

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Do not assume that everyone sees the rural idyll in exactly the same way. One person’s dream can be another person’s nightmare!

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