Devon/Cornwall/Somerset?

[FionaSx]

Hi,

Looking for some general advise over the main big differences from living in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset from the people that may know it best!

My husband and I would love to make a big life change and relocate to the West Country from North Lincolnshire with our two boys and our Labrador.

Only problem is from what we've seen we love it all! Also know just how different a holiday is to living there all the time.

Hope you can help

Thank you! x

Hi, not sure of the differences really. Would you be living rurally or in one of the cities? I live in Devon and love it. Friends who have lived in Cornwall have reported that in some places, employment can be tricky (bits of it are quite deprived). Other bits of the SW are full of second homes and money but maybe a bit isolating. Bit of a difference between living near the coast/near the moors too - Devon is a big county!

I live near the moor atm and love it but it is, er, wet. I love being close to the coast as well though!

Thanks for your reply!

We would ideally like a village setting with good schools and nice walks, also not too far from a town. Where we live at the moment it takes a 30 minute drive to get to town so anything better than that is a massive bonus!

Would be nice to live near the coast but think inland may be better for us to get a better home. Would love to live near the moors!

Is Devon generally easier for employment then compared to Cornwall? And is it a relatively friendly place to make new friends?

Exciting but scary at the same time!!

I think Devon is generally better off for work than Cornwall but I may be wrong! It has a reputation for being friendly (won friendliest county a couple of years ago I think) but obviously depends where you are. Some places can be very 'local' and others less so. There are villages near towns - Broadclyst perhaps, near Exeter. I would say though that generally, rural living here involves a lot of driving. We live near the A30 so at least the commute to Exeter is easy.

Schools generally OK I think.

Thanks for the info I know Cornwall better than Devon from visiting so it's great to know its a friendly place to be! Where we are now is one of those 'local' places in middle of nowhere so wouldn't phase us too much.

When you say living near the moors is wet it that meaning rain/underfoot/damp etc?

Re Dartmoor - it can sometimes be wet, raining and misty, and often boggy in places, but there are roads across and reasonable footpaths.

We have lived in South Devon forty years ('escaped' from London), and the area is constantly expanding and developing - which gives more opportunities to new people, but seems to be getting too crowded for us who have been here a long time.

A week ago the new South Devon Link Road opened, connecting Newton Abbot to Torquay, and avoiding congestion in Kingskerswell village - it had been discussed and 'wished for' since 1948! It is hoped it will bring more jobs and prosperity to the area.

Most of the South West is crowded in the summer holiday season.

Look on a map to see the main towns and commercial areas, and you can 'visit' places on Google Street View.