If you live in south devon please help me plan our move

[Devondreaming]

We are a family of 6 living in London. We plan to move to devon which is where my husband is from but he has not lived there in over 25 years. The kids are aged 6-12 and have only ever lived in London.

We have fallen in love with two houses. One in Totnes, one in Ivybridge. We need to choose.

I’d go for Totnes as I like the town and it’s location between moor and coast. But I’m worried about KEVICC as the secondary school. Our eldest is in year 8 at a selective private secondary in London and is doing well there, KEVICC didn’t seem that academically or sportingly inspiring. I’d love to hear I’m wrong. Any views on KEVICC or Totnes in general?

The house in ivybridge is a total dream. But I’m less sold on the town. I liked the secondary school more though. What is living in Ivybridge like?

My husband and I want a community that will welcome us and the kids and have lots of interesting stuff going on.

Any tips or views?

I live in a seaside town in East Devon and love it here. South Devon is also lovely, especially the South Hams. We love day trips to Salcombe and Kingsbridge. Brixham is also lovely. I wouldn't choose Totnes unless you're really into the alternative vibe. It's a beautiful place to visit but I would like to live there. I would also recommend East Devon but of cause of bias and you did state South Devon.

I meant wouldn't like to live there

Thanks @Devonshiredarling I don’t know east Devon at all. Where would you suggest?

Totnes is the only place I have ever seen a noticeboard which advertised both courses in-
painting with your menstrual blood
and
drumming your feelings about new fatherhood (weekly course)

East Devon stretches from Exmouth to Beer then it leads to Lyme Regis/Dorset. We mainly visit the coastal towns. So spoilt for beautiful beaches in this area. I live in Exmouth which is quite a big town with a long sandy beach. Then there's Budleigh Salterton and East budleigh Which are quiet towns/villages budleigh has a lovely community spirit and pebble beach. Otterton is a quaint little village which leads to a gorgeous pebble beach and coast path which is home to a holiday park (ladram bay) A bit further on is Sidmouth and Seaton, both nice little towns but not a lot going on there, more for retired people although Sidmouth can be quite alternative. It had a folk festival in the summer which is always very popular and takes over the whole beach/town. Branscombe and Beer are absolutely stunning little villages. Branscombe is mainly National Trust. We love day trips to both with a small high street of shops in Beer and both beaches are relaxing to sit and watch the fishing boats, the water is also so clear, probably too quiet to live there though. Inland is Newton Pop and Axminster. As well as Woodbury, all nice towns/villages but my heart is by the sea. If I could live anywhere in East Devon I would choose Lympstone. It's a busy but small village with a fab community spirit everyone is so welcoming, great transport links as it had a train that stops in the center that leads to Exeter, it's also right next to the main road towards Exeter and motorways (A376) it's still a busy fishing town, lovely little public footpaths everywhere and cycle trails leading to Exmouth and towards Exeter (which you can also do by foot and it lies alongside the estuary so has beautiful views) there's the annual furry dance where the village comes alive, as well as lots of community events. I walk the dog from Exmouth to Lympstone a lot along the cycle trail and before get bored of it. I do blog about Devon on my photography site DiscoveringDevon.com (don't want to sound like I'm advertising it's only a hobby!) have a look and on my linked instagram on the site it shows quite A lot of areas of Devon, especially East Devon. Sorry to go on! I just love this area of the UK. You have good taste

Born and bred in Totnes, went to Kevics and worked in the town as well not lived there for a few years now but visit very frequently, I have many happy memories, it is a beautiful town, it’s plus points are it’s very attractive Elizabethan town, is on the river dart and is so central to many other places, Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay etc.so if you need to commute it’s perfect, ( main line train station) lots of nice places to eat etc, what I am not impressed by is the actual shops in the high street it’s just too alternative for me, too much the dye an dream catchers! I have also noticed that in areas it looks a bit down at heal despite property being relatively expensive, and the alternative lifestyle is a big deal in Totnes, it really is it’s USP, however I am pretty conventional and had a very happy life there, I would certainly pick Totnes over Ivybridge without a second thought, if you invest in a property in Totnes it would be a safe investment, it’s always been expensive compared to surrounding areas and property is in high demand.

Is Exeter out of the question for you? As that's a nice sized town, although a lot smaller than London; with pretty good transport links for the West Country, a good university, an excellent hospital, and good shopping and leisure facilities (though if you're used to London it'll take a bit of getting used to at first). When I lived there it was a friendly town and I still have friends down there several years later.

There are also some very good schools in Exeter, private and state, and the college is pretty good too. And you can get to coast or country very easily by train and, for some places, bus, if you don't want to drive.

Someone mentioned Topsham up thread and that is just on the edge of Exeter and very nice; of course it depends on what your husband or you do for a living, but I also think that Totnes might be a bit of a shock unless you're into things often referred to on here as "woo". Put it this way, I now live quite close to Glastonbury, and until I visited Totnes I thought Glastonbury was out there. Totnes is, in my opinion, one step further still (and I like woo).

There is a state grammar school in Plymouth. One boys, two for girls.

No idea if he would have access to those if he is bright, now he is already at secondary.

Ivybridge hands down and I love in Plymstock I'm close.

I wouldn't touch keviccs - sw whobworked jn south Devon for years. Not the school or the area.

Ivybridge school is very sought after and highly regarded down here. Keviccs isn't

@RobinHumphries is right keviccs has a huge drug problem.

We call them tq9ers and that's derogatory.

I wouldn't live in Totnes (trust fund hippies) or Ivybridge (rain). Both a bit of a generalisation. But still.

If you are looking at South Devon. Proper town. Beautiful but where people live. Plus a great state secondary. I would choose kingsbridge. Ticks lots of boxes

Have you really thought this through OP?
Moving from London to either is major. Plus neither is particularly .... the high life/varied philosophies etc.

I grew up in a village, middle of Dartmoor, 1/2 an hour to Plymouth, and it affects, majorly!!

Kings bridge is bloody gorgeous and has an excellent school. Which is c

I don't know Ivybridge but I know Totnes which I think is a lovely town. It has a market which is very enjoyable to potter around, a couple of nice restaurants and pubs. I think it would be boring for your kids when they get to teenage stage and of course, Totnes does not have the sea so it loses a ton of points on my scorecard for that reason.

I live in Torquay, which of course like any mid sized town has its druggies/drunks - but also has a lovey community vibe, lots going on club/pub/restaurant wise and activitys - some gorgeous coastline to explore and 7+ beaches ... and house prices are a hell of lot cheaper here than Totnes! Also, we have a fair choice schooling wise. My kids go to Torquay Academy which I'm really happy with... and the Grammar schools are very good... it's honestly worth a look, it's a great place to live, feel free to PM me if you want any info.

Well I’ve lived in Devon all my life and I utterly love it. Dh loves it too. We would move there in a heartbeat. And we have friends who live there too who have recently moved from London and they love it too. I would choose it over Tavistock every single time.

I grew up in/around ivybridge.
It’s a pretty characterless town, but to be honest once you’ve lived anywhere for a couple of years you soon get bored of the tourist attractions etc!!!
School was good although I went to boarding school age 15 so didn’t do my exams there but they had good extra curriculums programmes and good facilities.
Dartmoor is on the doorstep, beaches are 30-60 min drove depending on which ones you go for. Plymouth is up the motorway and has buses for the teenagers. Exeter isn’t too far away for fancier shops etc.
Happy to answer any more specific questions about ivybridge area.

To be honest though and ta probably different in the Internet age but Devon was always the areas end of nowhere! We never got any decent concerts etc, were always the last to get new shops etc.
We now live in Monmouthshire and so have bristol and Cardiff within spitting distance as well as the wye valley and the Brecon Beacons.
A small part of me always hankers after ivybridge though!

Kingsbridge is a very pretty town, though I don't know about schools.

Ermm, wow London to rural Devon wth pre-teens. You're brave. I grew up near there, have family there and visit frequently plus have lived in London (until recently). The difference will be so huge you could pick anywhere, schooling, culture, attitude, things to do..... Everything will be so so different. Pick a nice house and cross your fingers

We know it’s a big move but the kids are up for it. We currently live in a nice but average sized house in a London and both work frantic jobs. The kids have fun but hugely busy lives and have to go private at secondary due to terrible local school choices. The entrance exams are stressful and the schools extortionate to the point we can’t afford to send all of them so will end up with the eldest getting opportunities the youngest won’t. We rely on a nanny for childcare and do t see much of the kids in the week. Our jobs are about to be made rocky by Brexit.

By selling out normal home here we can buy a truly huge and amazing home in devon and still have enough cash left over that we both go part time and need no childcare. We can spend more time together as a family and the kids can also get out of the pressurised school system. Of course it’s a huge move but all six of us think it’s worth the risk.

@DevonshireDarling see it's funny because I bloody hate Lympstone. Cliquiest snobbiest place I've ever been. I lived in Exmouth for a while after moving there from the Midlands and it felt like I was living in the 1950s, I met so many people with awful backwards attitudes and casual racism. I couldn't wait to leave. I wouldn't want to bring up my DS there.

@devonshiredarling - I have just had a look at your Instagram account. Lovely shots. And you are followed by three dear friends of mine! I have also looked at rightmove for Lympstone and there are some decent properties for sale around there but the local primary requires improvement which is a shame. I might still view one of the houses though. Is Budleigh full of OAPs because there is a decent house on the market there too?

How about Newton Abbot? However I agree with others saying about moving to Devon with kids. It’s great for primary aged kids but horrid for secondary aged kids. Devon is also abit backwards ! Life stops at Bristol, Exeter if you are lucky. Be prepared to be a taxi driver. Public transport isn’t quite like London !
Good luck .

How about Shaldon? Lots of community events, near enough to go to Torquay schools for secondary..... I know your say you've all bought into this but teens will really struggle unless they get massively into an outdoor hobby (sailing, horse riding, mountain biking) and you and your husband will be permanently taxiing....

@Devondreaming thank you! budleigh used to be known as 'god's waiting room' as a lot of older people live there in retirement, this is still true but more families I know live there now too. It's got a lovely little high street but you would need to drive to Exmouth to do your shopping etc (Exmouth is only a 5 minute drive away) they do have small co op. They don't have a train station anymore but good bus links along East Devon and school buses too. There are lovely walks around Budleigh, they have the beautiful coastal path that leads to Exmouth one way and ladram bay and Sidmouth the other. The river otter also leads out towards budleigh where the famous pine trees are. If you walk along the River it leads to Otterton and the popular Otterton Mill. Budleigh is becoming quite 'modern' in that there's lots of nice little shops and cafes popping up. I work there, and the attitude used to be very 'we hate change' in Budleigh but it seems to have gotten better, the community are very supportive of their town too. We were at risk of losing our workplace and the Budleigh community stepped in supported us with so much help and advice it made me realize what a lovely community it can be. I think you're best off taking some holidays in South Devon and East Devon, visit as many places as you can to get a feel for them. Try and watch 'escape to the country' Devon episodes too and they tend to look at East and South Devon so you can get an insight into the areas. I just love living so close to the beach. I've woken up, looked out the window and can see the sea. We love our water sports too and have our own kayaks which could be something your family might get into? Exmouth is about to start building a water sports area on the beach front soon. We also have the estuary where it's calmer waters to learn in. Exmouth festival is a free family music event that happens every May which gets very popular. I just think you can't beat BBQs on the beach a pp said about the area being backward, it may have been years ago I remember people hating change, but I honestly don't come across racism or any negative things like that on a daily basis. It could be the older generation but I like to think we've got a nice diverse community of other different nationalities, it's not as diverse as a big city but we're talking about a small town in the countryside, but I certainly don't feel it's unfriendly or unwelcoming. It may have been in the past or maybe I've got my blinkers on, you're best off visiting some areas of Devon to see for yourself

There is a good private co-ed school in Newton Abbot. But I can’t imagine moving from London to Newton Abbot.

Although it’s got good road links and train links. Can nip to the coast in 10 mins.

I think it may be a case of the grass being greener in Devon.

If you are moving so radically, why not move to Somerset, then you can be near two big cities. Exeter and Bristol.

I’ve looked on rightmove and there is a lovely house for sale in
Totnes. If it’s the one the OP is thinking of I can see why she wants to move. But appearances can be deceptive.