Relocating to Devon

[Floatyfox]

My dh has been offered a transfer to Devon (we currently live in Bedfordshire) im self employed so can move and both kids are up for it as well as my aging mother.
We thought he'd be given an area but we have been told you choose!
Having only ever had holidays to the area I thought I'd do research, however the more I look the more confused I become, areas I thought I'd like Dawlish for example has been slated on some online site's as awful to live. Ideally we'd like to be near the beach but as to north or south I've no ideas. My only absolute requirement is good state schools primary and secondary. Any ideas?

Appledore? it's near a beach and has good schools. (Appledore Primary School and Kingsley School in Bideford- an 18min bus journey- for secondary).

Where will DH be working? Devon is big (one of the largest counties in England!) and roads can be slow, particularly in the mornings and high season

Brilliant thanks I'll take a look

How near do you want to be to the M5 and other road links or to a city such as Exeter?
Some areas of Devon have good links, others are pretty remote.
You say you'd like to be near the sea, but how much tourism are you prepared to live with? Property in some hot spots such as Salcombe carries a significant premium.
Other than the schools, what sort of life style do you and your family want? Access to facilities etc.
Give us a bit more of a guide and hopefully the Devon experts will be along with more suggestions.

Thanks, ideally my dh will need to be fairly near to good transport links as he'll be travelling around devon. My boys will need football clubs to join as both currently play. I thought if we were moving to the coast why not live by the sea, it would be great for dog walks and sports for the boys to try. But wouldn't want to live next door to holiday lets, looking for a community to join in with. Budget wise we could go to about 375k, if that gives anyone any ideas

Kingsley isn’t a state school though!!

I grew up in ivybridge, had family in Torquay (and spent a summer working there), went to boarding school in bideford (actually at what is now Kingsley college!!) and my husband is from ilfracombe and so have spent a lot of time there in the past 20 years!
So my opinions are
North Devon is lovely on the summer, very bleak and everything shuts down in the winter, lots of drugs and drinking in the winter! North Devon Linkroad is hell so getting in and out of north Devon is a slow nightmare especially on the summer !
South coast has better transport links (trains and A38) Exeter is a nice city for shopping etc
Ivybridge college has always had a good rep ( I went there for a few years)
Plymouth has a lovely seafront and most amenities. Has a few dodgy parts and isn’t the most attractive city.

Thanks, not keen to hear drugs in winter in north Devon. DH will literally be working all over south west, although you seem to get more property for your money in the north I think I'm leaning more towards to south. (Although I could be swayed)Thanks for everyone's input

I'd be realistic about the living next door to the beach thing. Will you actually go there often enough to justify the premium? Maybe you will find the DC are ace surfers, or you have a dog that needs long walks reagrdless of weather...but if not, your money would go a lot further away from the water

If he needs good access to the whole SW, I would stay close to the M5 or A30, or at least within easy striking distance. Worth looking into Crediton, Tiverton, Torquay (grammar schools), Exeter, Newton Abbot. North Devon is lovely (though not without downsides, as noted up thread) but is a long way from anywhere. Driving for an hour to get onto the motorway gets old pretty quickly

What part of Devon will your DH be working in? If I were you I would head near to Exeter.

I always thought Kingsbridge looked nice (never lived in Devon)

I’m in Bideford 🙂 not spotted major issues with drugs here tbh. Appledore is pretty but lots of holiday lets plus it can be a bit challenging for incomers.

Bideford College is decent these days plus there are good schools in Barnstaple and Torrington.

We have never regretted moving here x been here 8.5 years now and the kids are currently 16, 14, 12 and 10.

Quick question about Torquay, on some sites I've visited it's been totally slated but looking at schools they seem nice, can anyone advise on good bad areas, or if we should totally avoid

Any views on Torquay? I've heard on other sites it's not very good drugs etc but the schools seem oķ. I like the look of ivybridge we're heading down in a few weeks to look around so really appreciate everyone's help

I've lived in many places in Devon. I would choose south rather than north devon for schools, transport etc. Dawlish isn't exciting, but a great place for young families due to the beach, for older children/ work it's c 20 mins train journey to Exeter/ Torquay. The Dawlish schools are not so good- although some go to Torquay (grammar). Plymouth had several great grammar schools when we were there, and despite its city reputation you can find some brilliant places in the catchment area to live that are right by the beach. Coryton Grammar school is supposed to be excellent but I don't know that area of East Devon so well.

Torquay has some good places to live that would be in your budget and drugs are everywhere.... Are you looking for a city busy feel, villagey or in the middle of nowhere sort of place?

Torquay is not the best. I grew up just over the river but was educated at one of the grammar schools in Plymouth. I love plymouth the Barbican area is lovely and the sea view is amazing

Very very outing but my DMil lives in Ottery St Mary and I'm wildly jealous. Great little community, good schools (so I understand), 15 mins drive to the beach and less than half an hour into Exeter, plus you're on the M5 within 15 mins.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74580869.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64233643.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74666858.html

I lived most of my life in Devon (mostly north Devon but Exeter and Plymouth too) I would stick near Exeter if I were to ever move back there.

I was about to say Otterly! Friend lives there and it's lovely. Or I'd go top end of Exmouth, overlooking the estuary or Clumpton area.

I'd be tempted by somewhere like Okehampton, North Tawton and along the A30 West of Exeter. Massively overspecced road, dual all the way to Truro/Newquay split, only busy summer weekends. Okehampton College and Queen Elizabeth in Crediton had a decent reputation.

Not coastal but 45 minutes - 1 hour or so from north and West coasts, Dartmoor on the doorstep, much less touristy than coastal areas so more of a year round community. Can get to South coast pretty quickly if you want to.

Avoid north Devon link road, is rubbish!

There's a good state grammar in east Devon (colyton I think). My parents moved to Devon and love it but the only place I would live is Exeter or a village close by in east Devon - it's either holiday lets or retirees everywhere else. Seaside towns have bored youth problems (especially Torquay)

Thank you DollyWilde you get so much for your money!! My head is spinning at the moment but I'm making copious notes in my little "Moving book"

Exmouth/Lympstone and around there are good. Easy access to beaches and to Exeter.

If your hubbie needs to travel around Devon I would definitely go for somewhere around the Exeter area. Close to the sea, train lines to Paddington/Waterloo/Birmingham, airport with increasing number of destinations. Traffic in Exeter can be a nightmare though.

The Kings School in Ottery is currently outstanding.