{"id":3688,"date":"2026-10-13T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/?p=3688"},"modified":"2026-10-11T17:14:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T16:14:00","slug":"they-lock-up-the-house-outside-birdhill-on-the-first-of-november-and-winter-in-cyprus-on-the-same-pension-the-heating-bill-pays-for-the-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/they-lock-up-the-house-outside-birdhill-on-the-first-of-november-and-winter-in-cyprus-on-the-same-pension-the-heating-bill-pays-for-the-flights\/","title":{"rendered":"They lock up the house outside Birdhill on the first of November and winter in Cyprus on the same pension \u2014 \u2018the heating bill pays for the flights\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

They do it with a practiced, almost ritual calm<\/strong>. On the first of November, the windows<\/strong> are latched, the post<\/strong> paused, and the key<\/strong> turned on a cottage just beyond Birdhill<\/strong>. The suitcases are modest<\/strong>, the plan is simple<\/strong>, and the logic still makes them laugh<\/strong>. \u201cBy the time you\u2019d pay to keep the house warm<\/strong>, you could be on a beach,\u201d says Marian, her scarf<\/strong> looped for Irish drizzle and airport<\/strong> air.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

They aren\u2019t rich, or reckless, or even especially adventurous<\/strong>. They\u2019re two retirees with a state pension<\/strong>, a habit of keeping records<\/strong>, and a taste for winter sun<\/strong> that\u2019s become\u2014almost accidentally\u2014a life strategy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The pull of a softer winter<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyprus was a hunch<\/strong>, then a hopeful trial<\/strong>, then a steady rhythm<\/strong>. \u201cWe tried Portugal, then Spain<\/strong>, and finally Cyprus<\/strong>,\u201d says Tom, tipping an invisible cap<\/strong> to serendipity. \u201cThe weather<\/strong> was just that bit warmer, the seas<\/strong> a shade calmer, the off\u2011season crowds<\/strong> thinner.\u201d They liked waking to citrus\u2011bright light<\/strong>, lunches on tiled terraces<\/strong>, and evenings that needed only a light cardigan<\/strong>. They liked the quiet streets<\/strong>, the friendly corner baker<\/strong>, the routine of buying tomatoes that smell like actual tomatoes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Beyond climate, there\u2019s the slow, neighbourly<\/strong> ease. \u201cPeople have time<\/strong>,\u201d Marian says. \u201cA hello becomes a chat<\/strong>, and a chat often becomes a little help<\/strong>.\u201d By Christmas, the barista knows their order<\/strong>, the pharmacist knows their names<\/strong>, and the bus driver waves them through<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How the numbers add up<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Back home, the heating dial<\/strong> rules the mood like a small, stubborn monarch<\/strong>. Oil or gas, it hardly matters<\/strong>\u2014the bill still bites in sharp, wintery teeth<\/strong>. Last year, their November\u2011to\u2011March home heating<\/strong> was nudging the price of two return flights<\/strong>, with room to spare for an airport coffee<\/strong>. Off\u2011season airfares to Paphos<\/strong> can be startlingly sensible<\/strong>, especially mid\u2011week and with a patient search<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Accommodation is the bigger variable<\/strong>, but they aim for a small apartment<\/strong> with a balcony, shoulder\u2011season rates<\/strong>, and a kitchen they\u2019re happy to actually use<\/strong>. \u201cWe don\u2019t chase luxury<\/strong>,\u201d Tom shrugs. \u201cA good mattress<\/strong>, a decent hob<\/strong>, and sun you can sit in<\/strong>.\u201d They\u2019ll rent monthly, sometimes two or three months<\/strong> at once, nudging the price down with cheerful politeness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t skimp on insurance<\/strong>, and they keep a \u201cgo\u2011home\u201d fund<\/strong> in case anything tilts sideways<\/strong>. But the baseline is sturdy<\/strong>: on the same pension<\/strong>, they trade radiators for rays<\/strong>, and the arithmetic still shakes out in their favour<\/strong>. \u201cIn a cold snap, you\u2019re feeding the boiler<\/strong>,\u201d Marian says. \u201cHere, you\u2019re feeding the soul<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What a day looks like in the sun<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Mornings start early<\/strong>, doors open to soft air<\/strong>, kettle murmuring its friendly song<\/strong>. They walk the promenade<\/strong> before the shade shifts<\/strong>, greeting other winter migrants<\/strong> by first names and favourite benches<\/strong>. Afternoons mean small buses<\/strong>, tiny museums with earnest docents<\/strong>, and slow meals<\/strong> where time feels pleasantly elastic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

They shop like locals: lemons for tea<\/strong>, olives for nibbling<\/strong>, a whole roast chicken<\/strong> stretched across several meals<\/strong>. Evenings are a paperback and a glass of wine<\/strong>, or a quiz at the Irish\u2011ish bar<\/strong> where the sound system knows the right chorus<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019re not on holiday<\/strong>,\u201d Tom grins. \u201cWe\u2019re just living in a different light<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Keeping one foot at home<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

The house isn\u2019t abandoned<\/strong>; it\u2019s merely asleep, tucked under timers and a neighbour\u2019s spare key<\/strong>. They forward the post<\/strong>, drain the pipes<\/strong>, and tell the local guard<\/strong> they\u2019ll be away. \u201cWe\u2019re not disappearing,\u201d Marian says. \u201cWe\u2019re pressing pause<\/strong> on the frost and pressing play<\/strong> on our joints<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

They carry home in their pockets<\/strong>\u2014photos pinging through WhatsApp<\/strong>, weekly calls on Sunday evenings<\/strong>, and a running list of small gifts<\/strong> to ferry back in March<\/strong>. By spring, the Irish hedges look newly barbered<\/strong>, and the kitchen windows beg to be opened<\/strong> again.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How they make it work<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

They treat the move like a seasonal commute<\/strong>, not a grand gesture<\/strong>. One checked bag<\/strong> between them, two reliable carry\u2011ons<\/strong>, a spreadsheet that tracks the dull logistics<\/strong> so the bright parts stay bright<\/strong>. They watch for utility offers<\/strong>, sign short leases<\/strong>, and commit to cooking more than they eat<\/strong> out.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re tempted to try a winter migration<\/strong>, a few low\u2011drama habits help:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n
  • \n

    Book mid\u2011week flights with flexible fares<\/strong>, and set price alerts<\/strong> a few months out.<\/p>\n

    \n<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  • \n

    Choose walkable neighbourhoods<\/strong> near buses and basic shops<\/strong>, then test the route on foot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \n<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  • \n

    Pack medications with clear labels<\/strong> and bring digital copies of key documents<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \n<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  • \n

    Ask for a winter\u2011let discount<\/strong> and be ready to pay a little more for better light<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \n<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  • Keep a home\u2011base checklist<\/strong>: drains, post, timers, neighbour contact<\/strong>.<\/li>\n

    \n<\/ul>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The season that suits them<\/h2>\n

    <\/p>\n

    They aren\u2019t rejecting winter<\/strong> so much as reframing it, exchanging damp greys<\/strong> for diluted golds<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019re not escaping,\u201d Tom says, sipping a modest beer<\/strong> as gulls argue over invisible crumbs<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019re just redeploying our euros<\/strong> in a way that buys more days<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    When March leans toward April<\/strong>, they fly west<\/strong> with a little sand in their shoes<\/strong> and citrus in their bags<\/strong>. The first night back, the house smells faintly of clean absence<\/strong>, the radiators click with a polite, retiring warmth<\/strong>. Outside, the hedgerows are inching toward green<\/strong>, and inside, the kettle resumes its rightful place<\/strong>\u2014a small domestic sun<\/strong>, humming them gently home<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3735,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3688\/revisions\/3735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farmersforum.ie\/trends\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}