Relocating from Surbiton, Surrey to Devon - HELP!

[JenSFP]

Hi
My husband and I are considering a relocation from Surbiton to Devon. We are tired of the sky high mortgage and childcare costs here, the busy rat-race pace of life, and desperate for more greenery, the seaside and a slower pace of life.
We are both solicitors so would need to be within easy reach of Exeter and Plymouth. We are therefore considering the Totnes / South Hams area. I would love to hear your thoughts / tips / recommendations on areas that aren't TOO rural, have enough going on to keep young children occupied even on a rainy day, and are within catchment for good schools.
I would also love to hear of your experiences if you have relocated already - one minute I'm really excited by the prospect but the next I'm terrified nervous and unsure why we are doing it!
We would be leaving behind our families (they're in Sussex and Bucks, neither of which are really affordable alternatives for us, or places we can see ourselves settling) and support network so really need to be sure it is the right thing for us as a little family unit and am unsure how to get to the stage where I'm ready to take the plunge. Unbiased views most welcome please!
Thanks so much
Jen

Well, it is very different. You have to get used to life not being 24/7 and far less in the way of conveniences. There are still cultural opportunities but they are not likely to be of the same quality as London. There is less of a range of activities available for children, or they are not available at such a high level. I will probably get flamed for this, but there is also a less intellectual atmosphere.

On the flip side, I find life is far healthier and more humane. My levels of happiness are incomparable to when we lived in the South East. There is space here to just be.

We've just relocated to south hams from up north, it's absolutely beautiful here. There's plenty for kids to do if they love the outdoors, camping, etc, we're out in all weathers. Totnes is lovely but we couldn't afford to live there but it's got a bit more going on culturally than most places (great food market, the masala dosas are the best!). I've heard Ashburton and Buckfastleigh are supposed to be quite nice too. We'll probably be looking to move from our current location to somewhere like that in a few months so would like to hear other people's opinions.

It's a bit overwhelming to be honest to take the plunge! I'm miles away from friends and family and having to start all over again. But this is the lifestyle we want for our dc so we've just gone for it.

Can't think of a more beautiful place to live in England if you can find work in South Hams and live there. We've had family holidays there for the past 25 years. Kingsbridge has lots of lovely places to live around it. Your children will love beach life.