To move from our idyllic life just to be by the coast?

We did in very similar circumstances with primary aged children and no regrets. We go to the beach a few times a week with Ddog. DC loved growing up by sea - beach after school with friends, both strong swimmers and learned to sail. Moved for jobs now … but both love coming back. Now I couldn’t live away from the coast as quality of life is amazing. Go for it and if you need to you can make another change but it might be brilliant for you all and sounds like you love outdoor life.

I know a lot of people who have moved to Cornwall and they all love it, have settled well, socialise, enjoy the sea and coastal walks. It's my idea of hell but if you love it and have history there, it can be very welcoming.

So long as you're aware of what it is like down here, then do it. If you know what it is like to live here in summer vs the rest of the year & you're prepared for that then do it. The schools are struggling, there are NO DENTISTS (literally), no useful public transport away from Truro so you have to be confident driving. The NHS here is among the worst in the country as is trying to get care out of hours or by ambulance - especially in holiday season. The council are abysmal regardless of which colour it is & everything is expensive. Everything.

Can’t say you haven’t been warned, OP!

Aside from this, it seems to make sense for your family. Better to do it now rather than wait for retirement as your needs may be different then.

Is there an option to rent out your home this summer and you rent a home in DH’s old home town, to get a feel for the place?

So long as you're aware of what it is like down here, then do it. If you know what it is like to live here in summer vs the rest of the year & you're prepared for that then do it. The schools are struggling, there are NO DENTISTS (literally), no useful public transport away from Truro so you have to be confident driving. The NHS here is among the worst in the country as is trying to get care out of hours or by ambulance - especially in holiday season. The council are abysmal regardless of which colour it is & everything is expensive. Everything.

Provision for kids (& adults) with additional needs is dire - I cannot stress that enough.

BUT, wellbeing is high. Air quality is fantastic & the weather is more stable & warmer than most places in the UK - we don't have the extreme highs & lows & maintain a good level of damp year round ;)

If you think this feeling won't go away, then come down. There's just no point in dwelling on what you didn't do. For me, the downsides of rural coastal cornwall are outweighed by the wellbeing aspects

So where are your ride or die friends located now?

I have relocated completely three times in my life for work, once knowing not a soul and then with DH. I’m late fifties now. I have many really nice friends, ride or die ones that can be rung in the middle of the night sort are not the majority of them.

I grew up in a coastal rural community and outsiders were not very welcome, not Cornwall but similar.

If it’s the actual, coast you want fine but the friend thing is tricky wherever you live.

I look at friendship like dating with the kissing frogs analogy, most people are at least ok but you may not want to hang out with them. I belong to a women’s hiking group, great women. Been in it 18 months and I have made a ride or die friend, we just clicked and we have both remarked it feels like we have known each other forever. I met another woman on what was a bit of a challenging hike last week. We clicked but unfortunately this was women from three counties meeting up and her and I live as far apart as possible.

You need to look at the autism provision in secondaries and specialist schools in your potential area and current area. Don’t move somewhere where there are rubbish prospects and services.

We did it when our kids were about to start year R, year 4 and year 6 and never looked back. Definitely the right move for us. The sea is now a huge part of our daily life and I never stop feeling grateful for it.

We're in a similar position (lovely village community, beautiful area, great nursery, good schools, no family nearby, no 'ride or die' friends nearby...) and have decided to move to the coast next year, only we're going a little further and moving to the Algarve. Some deciding factors for us... we don't want to regret never trying it, we have enough in savings both for the move, and the move back should we decide its not for us, and our daughter is still young enough for it to have little impact.

I don't think the weather warrants it in this country. Better just to visit. Most places in the U.K. aren't that far from the coast to necessitate moving there to access the beach.

I grew up in a city. I have lived on the coast for the past 30 years. Every single time I leave the house I feel like I'm on holiday. I deliberately walk the long way to the shops so I can see the sea. I cycle along the beach path regularly. I feel as though I live in Paradise even though I have never once even dipped my toe in the water in all that time!!!

I don't mind it being cooler up here. I am used to it and am pale skinned, freckly, blonde and any sign of heat is unbearable for me. If it gets to 22 degrees here I think it's semi-tropical.
I don't mind rain but the last two days it hasn't stopped really. Went out in the garden before and I have plants in deep watering containers ready to plant. There is 3-4 inches of water in them and I emptied them on Thursday after the last heavy rain.

Sen provision in Cornwall is desperately stretched. The waiting lists for anything are terrible. No nhs dentists. Long gp lead times.

If you can afford private support and medical cover, you'd be needing to rely on this.

Voice of experience

Oh the rain the last few days!

In your case, unless I moved closer to family or 'real' friends, I wouldn't.

Be very careful about the place you choose. There are plenty of larger towns and cities on the coast or with access to beaches and you'll be able to get the support you need for your family. Moving to a tiny village or somewhere really touristy could be expensive and you will struggle to access services, childcare, or a broad choice of subjects for your DC at secondary.

When I lived by the coast (Brighton) I forgot it was there most of the time!

A friend of mine moved to the Kent coast with her autistic daughter and it was fine when she was at school because there were school busses but she moved back to near London when her daughter turned 18 because there was no provision for her after that.

Not sure what it’s like where you are but the chances are that in Cornwall it will be worse.

So we did this. We left a place we loved, a good school and friends but something began to not feel quite right for us as a family. We moved 15 minutes from the coast with dc9 and dc2. A huge change for all. But for us it worked. Dc loved being by the sea, they have both sailed, kayaked, rowed and created a community. Yes it is busy in summer and quiet in winter and yes they have lived a very different life. But they flourished. Ds now 24 dreams of one day coming back to live. There are few jobs and often poorly paid, the nearest shop is 15 minute drive away and the hospital is bit poor.But we have friends and fresh air and as teenagers they were never bored. Ds17 is always out on the sea or walking. It is a huge decision so make it with enough knowledge, do not be lulled by the good life. For you i would ensure that your dc will have access to the education that will meet their needs.

Cornwall- absolutely not for me. The roads are terrible and the health service is truely appalling one hospital in the whole county - Why ?

I wonder how wise it is to move to Cornwall? We often have people who live there saying how difficult it is in the summer. I also think it can be very hard for incomers.

I grew up by the coast - my parents moved there when I was a baby because of the housing crisis in London - 60+ years ago.
Great growing up - probably until I was mid teens, but who knows could have been a bored teenager anywhere.
Agree with PPs that there is a lot of social deprivation in seaside towns - choose carefully.