Please tell me the best areas to live in the west country.

[tortoise]

I am looking into doing a HA house swap at some point but i don't know what areas to look at.
I would love somewhere fairly close to a beach.
Has to be near good primary and secondry schools.
Close to doctors.
Train station would be good too!

I don't really have a specific idea of where but Devon, somerset, Dorset etc would be fine.
Currently in a small town in Somerset.
Have 3 bedrooms need 4+!
Large garden essential!
TIA

[luvaduck]

bumping for you as we are also moving to west country (somerset)...

[tortoise]

Thanks for the Bump.

[saggyhairyarse]

I live in a village on the outskirts but Portishead is a good place to live with kids. Very good schools, near to Bristol/M5/M4, nice beaches fairly close.

[tortoise]

Thanks, will have a look.

There must be more areas to look at.

[OrmIrian]

The beaches are what are causing me trouble TBH. I'm in Somerset and there are some interesting beaches but no nice sandy ones. Sidmouth/Seaton area has some lovely coast. N Devon is lovely but remote.

[tortoise]

Weymouth is a nice beach. Wouldn't mind being closer to there.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

North Devon is beautiful, with gorgeous sandy beaches such as Croyde, Saunton and Woolacombe (lived there most of my life) but as Ormirian says is remote, and almost no industry/jobs which is why I have moved away.

Plus there are pockets of real poverty in some areas, and the 'nice' places are horrendously expensive.

But, most gorgeous place in the world really.

[saggyhairyarse]

There is a small stretch of nice beach in North Somerset, from Weston to Minehead with:

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-breandown/

From Portishead/Clevedon etc, nice beaches in Somerset/Devon/South Wales/Dorset are all on the doorstep (from 30 mins to 2 hours max).

My brother has a house in Weymouth and it is a nice beach but it gets stacked out and parking is a nightmare even with a permit.