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[earthmam1]

Hi

 

We are possibly relocating to Devon and have looked at a couple of towns - Totnes and Ashburton. Does anyone live out that way and can tell me what they are like. Thanks

[Couperwife]

how exciting

 

I dont know anything about Devon - could be something to do with living at the opposite end of the country

 

but why dont you go down and have a mooch about - see what "feels right" if you rent for a bit you can always move

 

good luck with what ever you decide to do

 

cathy

x

[jess1merlin]

My neighbours are moving to Devon in a couple of weeks as they love it down there. They are going to a village called Berrynarbor which is near Coombe Martin on the north coast.

 

Devon is a lovely county, I do envy you

 

I would go and have a look around and try to get a feel for the place. Good luck

[Redwing]

I can only echo the go look-see recommendation

 

I was relocated from Bristol to Luton by work a couple of years ago, I spent literally hours researching on line (Up my Street is a good website) and driving miles criss crossing several counties looking at villages notice boards etc..(gives good idea of the community)

 

I looked at over a hundred houses from the outside but discounted many due to area, we only viewed five houses on the inside!

 

The efforts paid off and we settled on a lovely Northamptonshire village

 

Its a scary time but also a hige opportunity - good luck with it!

[earthmam1]

Thanks everyone.

 

We have looked at quite a few places around - north Devon is loverly but can be cut off a bit I feel.

Totnes felt quite good but I was wondering if anyone lived that way and could give me an idea of community etc.

 

I think we will do a few more trips around that area before next year

[WarrensWorld]

My neighbours are moving to Devon in a couple of weeks as they love it down there. They are going to a village called Berrynarbor which is near Coombe Martin on the north coast.

 

We used to have a caravan in Berry Down Cross, and our friend Estelle, lives in Coombe Martin small world.

North Devon, Exmoor what a lovely place it is....

[Seagazer]

My neighbours are moving to Devon in a couple of weeks as they love it down there. They are going to a village called Berrynarbor which is near Coombe Martin on the north coast.

 

Devon is a lovely county, I do envy you

 

I would go and have a look around and try to get a feel for the place. Good luck

 

Berrynarbour is lovely, my mum and dad had a caravan there when we were kids. My aunt and uncle lived in Combe Martin as did my nan for a while. I absolutely love North Devon and would move there in a flash if I could. I normally go every year down there to visit uncle & aunt and just to get a bit beautiful scenery. It makes me feel very calm being down there. Not going this year though

 

I hope your move (wherever you end up) goes well.

[earthmam1]

Maybe I should look around Coombe Martin We did Ilfracombe (which I did not like) Woolacombe (which I did). I feel another look around North Devon coming on

 

sue

[C&T]

This is something we are also considering - but not for a year or so. In the meantime we plan to do lots of trips to try and get a feel for different areas, so when we make the move we hope to move to the right place and not regret it all!

 

The other thought (as someone else I think said) is that we will sell up here, and then rent down there for a time - again to get a feel for the area and the community.

 

It's a big step - and moving costs too much to buy a house and then regret it!

[miffy]

Hi, my sister lives in Paignton and her children go to school in Totnes. We seriously considered moving there some years ago, in preference to other towns in the area. There is a real community feel to the town and the school seems to be very good (kids love the no uniform policy!!) its a rather alternative type of town rather than conservative. WE LOVED IT. I do echo the need to susss the area out. the closing of the Dartington College is having a marked impact on the area in general, so thats worth keeping an eye on.

 

Hope this helps

[nicki9]

Totnes is lovely, quite hippyish and alternative, but a friendly feel, however it can get mobbed with tourists in the summer. Ashburton is smaller and a bit more cut off, but the local secondary school is brilliant and would be my first choice if I moved back down that way. Both are lovely, but also also miles from Coombe Martin and North Devon - it is a small county, but connected via the moor roads which can be a nightmare in summer and poor weather.

 

Good luck with your move.

[Seagazer]

Maybe I should look around Coombe Martin We did Ilfracombe (which I did not like) Woolacombe (which I did). I feel another look around North Devon coming on

 

sue

 

I totally agree with you about Ilfracombe although they are trying to regenerate it. There is a lovely restaurant on the harbour that Damian Hirst owns. We had a meal in the upstairs restaurant and it was gorgeous. Ilfracombe went down for years and years.

 

My mum and dad were going to buy a post office/shop in Lee which is an absolutely miniscule but beautiful village just outside of Ilfracombe. Its almost the village that time forgot. Sadly they didn't buy it in the end.

 

Woolacombe is great and is where we stay when we go now.

 

It is a long way from Totnes etc though.

[Space Chick]

I used to work a lot in Devon, and found the roads very difficult for commuting (everything used to seem really slow moving), so I would say once you choose a potential location, try and drive to your work during rush hour to give you an indication, as it may take longer than you think and will impact your home life.

[Daphne]

 

My mum and dad were going to buy a post office/shop in Lee which is an absolutely miniscule but beautiful village just outside of Ilfracombe. Its almost the village that time forgot. Sadly they didn't buy it in the end.

 

 

Well it is a small world About 7 years ago we looked at a house in Lee called Grey Cottage/House up on a hill with that lovely walk down a lane to the tiny bay/beach. We decided it was just too far away from everything (and we didn't like Ilfracombe either, but agree Woolacombe was lovely).

[Seagazer]

 

My mum and dad were going to buy a post office/shop in Lee which is an absolutely miniscule but beautiful village just outside of Ilfracombe. Its almost the village that time forgot. Sadly they didn't buy it in the end.

 

 

Well it is a small world About 7 years ago we looked at a house in Lee called Grey Cottage/House up on a hill with that lovely walk down a lane to the tiny bay/beach. We decided it was just too far away from everything (and we didn't like Ilfracombe either, but agree Woolacombe was lovely).

 

Well I never! It is really cut off from the world isn't it? We went back there last year for the first time in absolutely years and had an organised hike with all the families (brother & his family). It was lovely. I found a really nice house on the hill that had lots of chickens loose in a barn I would think it would easily be cut off in bad weather.

[freddie]

loads for sale in our village, in N Devon, 5 miles from Bideford........

[earthmam1]

We did look around Bideford - Great Torrington was very nice and seemed to be very active

 

We dont really have to get jobs immediately as we have income that will allow us to sort ourselves out first.

 

What we do have are boys although at Uni, doing Masters etc we dont really want to cut ourselves off completely and I felt North Devon might do this.

 

Both OH and I were very much hippies in the 60's and we still have a lifestyle a bit like that (joints dont always agree and tai chi is better that yoga now Totnes seems to suit our lifestyle. I think the idea of renting down there is a good one and maybe in the spring we shall do this.

 

Thank you all for your comments

 

sue