Don't Tell Me I Can't…...Quit The Rat Race

Sarah Heward left her job of 10 years in London for a life in the country

- Mishaal Khan

Driving along the remote, winding roads of the Scottish countryside, in the mid-morning sunshine, I take in the breathtaking views of the mountains ahead. As I pull into the car park of the café I run, I smile to myself. How different my life is now compared to when I had a high-powered career in London. But swapping business suits for an apron is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

After growing up in the rural Midlands, I moved to London in my mid-20s to focus on a career working in the City, as a trainee manager for a wine merchant. By age 30, I was Managing Director, witha six-figure salary and owning two properties in east London. I worked very long hours, but I thrived on the busy lifestyle.

Only, by 2004, approaching my 40s, I was starting to grow tired of the job I once loved. My partner, Steve, had a holiday home in Scotland, and in August 2004, when I spotted an ad for a derelict restaurant for sale in the village of Tyndrum, he came up with a plan for us to quit the daily rat race and move there.