To just say F it and move to Cornwall and homeschool my Dc

Parts of Plymouth are also very nice now, down by the Hoe, I've eaten in some charming cafes and restaurants and the coast is great. It has its deprived bits but it's idyllic in the sunshine.

People just like to be negative IMO. There's nowhere perfect to live in the UK unfortunately, there are pot-holes in the road, itt's all a bit tatty and services are stretched everywhere.

I think moving near family and towards a different life for your family is a good idea if you properly investigate it and cost it out.

If it’s your dream and your family live there OP I think you should hold onto that and do masses of research then get yourself in a position to make it happen especially jobswise.

We did the same when our children were young and moved toa lovely Devon village by the river and sea. They had a wonderful childhood.

Now DD and fam in Cornwall (health and education) living near fantastic Falmouth beaches. Loads to do, gorgeous independent shops, great cafes and vibe, very friendly everywhere we went. Instead of homeschooling why don't you try to get a public sector job there?

If members of NT loads of beautiful safe places to take children for free days out, softplay nearby and stunning coastpath walks. Hope you can make it happen. if you like outdoors and nature you don’t need loads of extra money to have an amazing life but propertyis expensive.

My parents retired there, in mid 50's. Wasn't quite what they'd envisioned, wasn't friendly in the village they moved to and boy, you need to be able to drive, and actually like driving. An hours drive each way (longer in summer with grockles) to the hospital for mums chemo when she got sick and a very long way for family to visit.

And it rains. It's nicknamed the 'wet county' and it's so lush and green because it has so much rain. However, on a summers day, it is possibly one of the nicest places to be in the UK, especially the forests and the sandy beaches, with rock pools as warm as bathwater. Lush!

See this is why I like Newquay. It's by far the most cosmopolitan part of Cornwall so people are generally very welcoming as most are not Cornish but have moved here by choice (usually because their parents moved them down after they got the bug for it on holiday) which I think is nice.

I wouldn't let this put you off Cornwall, your original OP was a bit vague and 'I want to run away to the seaside' but if you have family there and have a career then it all looks more realistic and doable. If you home school though, could you not work?

I think it's a lovely childhood, I loved mine living in a seaside town, moved away eventually for work but have been back since. No regrets.

@Bulbsbulbsbulbs are you sure we have a Phase Eight and a Lakeland? I'm sure those have closed down ages ago!

I grew up rurally on the Norfolk coast. I hated it and left as soon as I turned 18.

I now live in a buzzing city. I wanted culture, museums, people, diversity.

Also bear in mind you’d be an outsider and lots of Cornwall locals (and other locals of “desirable” rural areas) are not enormously welcoming to people who move to their area, pricing out local people and taking jobs that are then not available to people who live there.

Hmm, sounds idyllic when the DC are little but probably pretty boring for teens and bored teens get up to mischief. Those with gumption will leave to work elsewhere and those that stay will probably struggle to find work.
I am obviously making generalisations but there is some truth to it.

I don't recognise a lot of this negativity. Yes, there's poverty in Cornwall, but where I lived before in Surrey there was poverty too. Yes it rains, but it rains in Surrey too. Jobs of course there are not so many, unless you are rich already you're unlikely to get rich here.

As for no shops in Truro, there are loads. M and S, White Company, Waterstones, Lakeland. Even a Phase 8. There are lots of independent shops in touristy areas and at least if you shop there the profits are going to individual shopkeepers.

Kids do PE on Fistral Beach in Newquay. PE is surfing.

Plymouth is admittedly shit.

See, living down here, I disagree entirely. If you're going to live down here then you want to live within walking distance of the coast so that you can easily visit it in the summer and actually benefit from living so close to the natural beauty and being able to enjoy it easily. The worst thing about living in Cornwall is trying to travel to the beach on the roads in the summer and then get parked. But because I live within walking distance of seven beaches, it doesn't affect me very much really. Plus you get to know where the less busy areas and free parking are.

There's no worse mistake you can make in this regard in my opinion than moving to Cornwall but just far enough away from the coast that you have all of the disadvantages of living here (lower paid work, fewer job opportunities, crowded roads and congestion in the summer and apparently lack of chain shops and restaurants) and none of the benefits that drew you here in the first place (easy access to an easy going, safe, outdoorsy, beachy lifestyle). i think it's what makes a lot of people hate it and move back. The deprivation is also worse in the inland areas generally.

If you find a place with a small village school it will probably be a real trek to the only senior school and even further to 6th form.

Absolutely! You realise that Surfers Against Sewage is head quartered in St Agnes and was founded because of the pollution in that stretch of water?

I keep seeing posts like this. Where on earth did you get from my post anything about the east coast? Why have you assumed I’ve never lived in Cornwall?
I live up north now. I’ve lived all over the south west. Northern winters are tougher. I wouldn’t say anywhere in the British isles is fun in winter.

I've lived all over the south west, know it pretty well.

Go inland, away from the tourists and the tat. If you want the coast try somewhere that is near enough for a day trip but not on your doorstep.

There are so many beautiful places to live in the countryside. It sounds like you might like a small town with easy access to countryside and reasonable transport links for when your child is older.

LOL, tell me you don’t live in Cornwall without telling me you don’t live in Cornwall.

Winter here is considerably different (wetter, warmer and endlessly grey) than much of the rest of the country. There’s a huge difference between west coast winters and east coast winters in the UK.

We moved from England to Northern Ireland but right on the border with Donegal and Leitrim. Lakes, mountains, forests and beaches within a few minutes of home. Tiny village and tiny school. Kids are kids and safe to roam. Property is so cheap we have our dream home, acres of land and private woods. So glad we did it. Kids have thrived. Lovely relaxed pace of life.

My comment was about the winter. I am northern and wouldn’t think anywhere is a walk in the park come winter in the British isles.

Which shops are exciting?