To think it's a good idea to move to Cornwall?

[hooliodancer]

This is inspired by the thread about moving to the Highlands. That poster got some great information!

We currently live in the South East, but have put an offer in on a house in Cornwall. I am excited, but terrified that I might be doing the wrong thing. I really want the slower pace, to be near the sea, to be mortgage free, to have a bigger house. Of course, we need to sell our house first, which is a whole other issue, so it could not even happen.

I am worried about a few thing though!

The weather(I didn't realise that average temperatures were lower there until I researched yesterday)

Travel in summer. I have never been in the summer months. I will have to travel at least one day a week. I am self employed so work all over, but will have to at least get to Exeter or Bristol to fly to wherever I have to be.

We are planning to set up a small holiday let business which my partner would run, and I would continue to work one or two days a week to begin with. We have done a business plan, so it all seems to work out. I am thinking we will be happier there because we will be doing our own thing, not beholden to anyone etc.

I would like to know what it's really like from those who live there. The house we have offered on is on the south coast, in a village. We don't have children. Thanks!

The job situation here is dire unless you are a teacher or health care professional or something along those lines.

There are minimum wage retail and hospitality jobs. Otherwise, office admin roles pay around 18-20k. There are a handful of civilian jobs on military bases, either MoD or Babcock/Carillon.

I was born there and have lived there my whole life. It’s lovely a slow pace of live and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The wages are low but there are cheaper areas to live. The traffic is getting really bad though and some days we just don’t go out because of it.

This is an update on this thread! I was just reading it and realised that people had posted a lot of stuff that simply isn't true, so if anyone ever reads the thread again I thought I would comment on what my experience has been.

I actually moved two years ago and I bloody love it! It really is the best thing I could have done, despite what has happened this year.

Our two holiday cottages in our garden really do rent out 52 weeks a year. Anyone thinking of doing the same- and many people are at the moment- it really is location, location, location as to whether you get year round bookings. Our cottages are for couples and this seems to be the right market to aim for for year round interest. People really do book four nights midweek in January! We do all the cleaning ourselves so our overheads are pretty low. The cleaning is dull and repetitive but we get to go to the beach afterwards if we can summon the energy.

I haven't noticed significantly more rain, not enough to put me off living here anyway. It was very wet this winter though, and much colder than the previous two winters which were very mild indeed. It is never as hot in the summer and I do miss that.

I didn't find the travelling too bad once I realised that getting the train was a much better idea than driving. It amazed me how many people get the sleeper to London, stay a few nights then come back on the 6 o'clock train from Paddington. There was quite a community. As long as you can pick the right times, driving in the summer isn't so bad though. I now don't work anymore as we're too busy with the business.

I do miss my friends, although everyone is missing their friends these days of course. We had lots of visitors in the first summer, and a few in the couple of months we were allowed last year.

I still have to pinch myself that I live in such a beautiful place.

I moved to Cornwall 5 years ago from the SE, and I still can't decide if I like it.
Pro: 4G coverage is good
Internet speeds good
Mains gas
Sea and surfing
Walking
You get clever with your water bills to keep the cost down
Cons:
Not everyone is friendly
No decent choirs
If you like shopping ( I don't) it's a long way to a city with shops
Access to healthcare is not very good, both in geographic terms and choices. We're over 40 miles to the nearest hospital.

I've lived all over the UK and Cornwall is definitely the strangest place!

😂 We've just moved from Cornwall back to London after being down there, v close to Liskeard, for 15 years.
Glad to be home.

I live in Cornwall, moved from up north 7 years ago.
There are so many different things about living here, but probably some similar to back home.
1.The weather- it rains more than it's sunny. We always take a coat wherever we go, even if it's shorts and t-shirt weather.
2.The pace of life- yes it's slower, but when you're in a rush and need to nip out or run an errand, it takes ages to get anywhere.
3.Tourist season- I'm grateful for the tourists because we live near Looe, and if it weren't for tourists that town would have died long ago. It is dire in the winter months, although there's a great sense of community who help each other out. Locals go to the beach after 4pm (free parking) or go to the secret beaches to avoid the crowds!
4.Supermarkets - unless you live in a main town like Truro, Bodmin, St Austell- you will have to travel at least 10 miles to get to a decent supermarket with decent choice.

1. NHS- The Doctors and Dentists are all over subscribed, there's not enough to go around. NHS dentists have a 2yr waiting list for new patients. Doctors routine appointments mean you have to wait at least a week to see anyone.
2. Roads many need resurfacing and are full of pot holes.

These all sound like doom and gloom, but the quietness of Cornwall, the community spirit, the safety all make it worthwhile. Good Luck

This thread is almost 5 years old, I wonder if OP made the move?

@Gertie75 yes, I added the update if you scroll up a few responses. I have name changed since then.

Sorry I missed it, I look for the coloured posts and didn't realise you'd name changed.

So glad to hear you went for it and it worked out, I really admire people who up sticks and restart a new life.

@YouAreMyRain

I'm going to disagree about the weather. My friend moved there, close family members were already there and they had holidayed there for years and knew the area well.

She came back mainly because of the rain!

She also said it was very isolated, everything was very far away (supermarkets, hospitals, schools) and there was very little choice of shops and services.

Traffic is terrible in the six weeks too.

This. ^

Sorry but you couldn't pay me enough to move to Cornwall. For the reasons stated by 'youaremyrain' there, amongst a few others... ^

Too far away from everywhere, poor and slow moving traffic/roads, easily cut off, quite isolated, not much in the way of shops and services, very little for children, a long boring haul (and always an overnight stay) to get to most places in the UK, and VERY busy and hectic and overcrowded roads in the school holidays, and for most of June, July, and August. Winters are grim there too, with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

If I had to leave for a town out of Cornwall, and get to Bristol once or twice a week, (for work,) there's no WAY I would go to live there.

Sorry @hooliodancer It's a NO from me.

Oh FFS it's a zombie thread!

My views still stand.

Ask yourself this - if the house and business you are buying is so fantastic - why is it for sale?

As you were! ZOMBIE

@PanamaPattie it is a thread updated by me, the OP. I am here and loving it. The business has been a great success thankfully.

You made an odd comment though. Do people only sell shit houses and crap businesses??! People move for lots of reasons.

The original poster did an update today,but had a name change.

So glad things worked out so wonderfully for you @Movinghouseatlast sounds lovely

We moved 10 years ago and I love it. I grew up on the outskirts of London and while I like to visit, I wouldn’t go back to live.
But then, I hate shopping, for example, so when people say that Truro is small, I just think “It’s plenty big enough for me.” I have never been able to see the attraction of wandering round shops, with the exception of bookshops. Shopping is a functional activity that I only do if I have to, and Truro does me well enough!
On the other hand, I can wander forever on the coast path, and in the woods near my home.
So the things I like to do are in plentiful supply, and I’m not bothered about the things that other people miss. Busy summers, well, there are places you can go that non-locals don’t know of, so while the well known beaches are popular there are alternatives.
And I love going to the beach after school with the kids.

Depends what kind of life you want for yourself. If shopping and museums feature highly, this maybe isn’t the place!

That will teach me to read the full thread! I read the first page, thought “I’m tired, I’ll answer and then go back and read if I haven’t fallen asleep halfway through typing...,”