To want to move to Cornwall so badly

[Musicinthe00ssucks]

It's an impossible dream though. DH and I both live and work in London we have DDs 2 and 4 and grandparents around the corner. We have an average income in London (probably good everywhere else) and our own home. I just can't get the idea out of my head and I feel like we would have such a fantastic standard of living down there. Only problem is lack of jobs, too far from family etc.

Someone please tell me I am being totally unreasonable and that Cornwall is actually a crap place to live - please!!

Indrid We are Tamar Valley too. We currently live near Brussels, but I can't wait to come back, as I miss it loads. We were at the house yesterday to see some work that had been done and dh had to drag me out. We are staying in a holiday cottage Devon side near a great pub and no mobile reception. I had forgotten how quiet it is down here, and how friendly it is.

Ah yes, friends who come to stay just can't cope with the total lack of mobile signal, but we do have super fast broadband though [ smile].

We have mobile reception in the village in Cornwall, but not in Milton Combe where we are staying! I had TalkTalk when I was home for 9 months to sort out the house, and it wasn't good, but I only wanted a short contract. I will use someone else when we move back in three years, and I am so looking forward to being back. I hope the Food Hub will still be going, great food.

I have the same dream for moving to Poole or surrounding areas. DD is 2 and both my husband and I are currently contracting in IT and financing and am seriously considering making the move now.

we moved from a small town in lancashire to a small town in west cornwall 2.5 years ago. the similarities between the two are remarkable ie poverty, deprivation...except 3 miles from the beach instead of 40 miles from blackpool!

we are (relatively) young, no children yet, and have been very fortunate to land jobs better paying than we had before. we both absolutely love it here, but it's not the easiest place to live. extortionate taxis (think £50 to go 10 miles)mean nights out or even both of us having a drink is out of the question, you have to drive everywhere. it's a completely different pace of life.

when we first arrived we thought that this would be it, and we would stay for good, but being just SO far away from everything else in the country is a lot more difficult than we imagined. and means that most of our time off is spent on the m5/6 for birthdays, weddings, christenings...

so yes, agree with all the points everyone else has made. If you're willing to completely change everything and fully commit, it's an amazing place to bring up kids and have a proper work-life balance. and if you aren't looking to live right on the coast, some good bargains to be had. in my town you can get a 3 bed house for less than 200k.

Some fantastic local produce, we are very lucky in that.

Tamar Valley Vines link is a new project. I'm looking forward to sampling their output!

Nothing to add that hasn't been said already but Hello to fellow Cornish!

I don't live there now.

Hi fish :)

Hello Fish

House prices are terrible compared to wages (especially on the coast). But the 'locals' beaches are worth it (although no toilets, so you have to pee in the sea).

Ah well I'm self employed and don't mind you peeing in the sea.

Another Cornwall incomer checking in. We moved down 6 years ago for dh's job. I love it and would not want to live anywhere else now.

We live in a large town which keeps making lists of best places to live. It doesn't suffer from the seasonality that many places do but has other 'issues'.

I have not experienced any 'emmet hatred' but that could be the make up of the town - it is not a holiday home hotbed like St Ives or Cawsand.

The downside for me is the distance from my family, my Mum especially, but it's just how it is. We chose to live here so we suck up the 6 hour drives to visit family.

Hi fellow Cornish
Love Cornwall and would move back in a heartbeat but alas I married a town mouse

My best mate is Cornish with a real traditional Cornish surname. He lives in Kent and wouldn't go back for anything. Unless you're very lucky there's no work and the level of depravation very high in places.

Ingrid, we are back in three years, and Tamar Valley vines is literally just down the road from me. Yay!

MrHannahSnell -they are depraved in Pensilva, according to local gossip. I think you might mean deprived!!!!

I have a depraved ndn scarybut I may possibly be normal. My Mum also teaches but at an independent school in Truro

Portia I don't think there is anyone depraved in our village!

Most people I know who grew up in Devon or Cornwall moved away when they got the chance, unless they went into professions like teaching or accountancy (where you can have a good career pretty much anywhere)

Most people I know have stayed

My DS will be off to university in a couple of years. I cannot see him ever coming back down here to live and work.

Very few of DHs former school mates stayed down here.

Living in the middle of Truro in a lovely traditional townhouse, at the weekends we can wander into town - charmingly quirky by day with local markets most weekends, buzzing pubs and restaurants in the evening...yes, all year round! Its possible to hear brilliant live music in the pubs virtually every Thurs/Fri/Sat night (for free!). Falmouth (only 20 minutes by car) a vibrant seaside town with a big art student/slightly bohemian influence ..... I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! Sure the weather is a bit gloomy in the winter - but where isn't it?? Can still walk the dogs along the beach and go home to a roaring fire :-) However, you would have to be a particular type of person to choose to move to the moors, or the villages out in the sticks!! Agreed the wages are poor which is a problem.

Love Truro Pippa and went to school there, but come from Porthleven, bit of a drive intoTruro but only go once a month or so.

It's quite amusing reading outsider's other people's opinions on Cornwall.
We have no jobs, no opportunities, no culture (really?), constant bad weather, bad schools (?), poor healthcare and non existent public transport. Hilarious.
Spread the word though; the less people who want to move here, the better..

Cornwall is consistently ranked as one of the most deprived parts of the U.K. (and indeed Europe). Not all of it is, but it would be a fallacy to suggest it's all ice cream, beautiful beaches, the Tate and cream teas

Cornwall is great yes busy in summer slow in winter but what scenery I am hoping to retire there so obviously no job hunting or work income worries hope fate is kind and I will b there near to Bude is where I want to be fingers crossed