London vs Cornwall - where's best to raise a family?

[nc20]

DH and I currently live in London with our DD, who is six months old. DH has been given the opportunity to move down to Cornwall for his work, to the Penzance/Newlyn area - and we're now in a complete muddle over what to do!

We've lived in London for quite a while and have lots of friends here plus some family about two hours away. I love the huge amount of culture on offer, the countless great restaurants, museums and fabulous parks and public spaces.

On the other hand, I can't stand the pollution and worry about schools (actually the primaries near us are fine, but the secondaries are not so good). I also find living in London quite stressful and "full on" sometimes - I think it's just being in such close proximity to so many people.

Cornwall is absolutely beautiful and I love the thought of having a slower, quieter pace of life, with lots of walks in the countryside and on the beach. The thought of having a much lower mortgage (by over £1000 per month!) also appeals to me. I grew up in a rural area and totally adored it, but I'm aware that not all children do.

My main worry about moving to Cornwall is that I'm really afraid we won't make any friends and will be totally isolated (I've read other threads on MN where people say the Cornish aren't very welcoming to outsiders - no idea how true that is). I also worry about lack of job opportunities for DD when she's older, and am scared we will get down there, hugely regret it and be miserable.

Does anyone have any advice?

But the OP’s DH has been offered work in the Penzance area. Not just a vague “out of London”.

I also think that if you only eat at a few neighbourhood restaurants, it doesn’t matter where you are so Cornwall or Chelsea - it wouldn’t make much difference. However there’s are lot more in the vicinity of Chelsea!

The op said they would reduce their outgoings. So lower mortgage. I don’t think £300k goes very far in a nice area of Cornwall for a family house.

Now is the perfect time to move, as you’ll make loads of friends at playgroups, nursery drop offs etc etc. Far better to move now than in a few years. I’d do it.

We’re Cornish & it’s alright. A lot of people move here aspiring to become a Joules family and reality is quite different. And quite depressing.

If I could change anything I would have settled in Exeter. Best of both worlds.

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And make your own mind up

My sister moved from a suburb of London to Cornwall/Devon border 5 years ago with her three boys. Her running joke is that everything is an hour's drive away, be it to Plymouth for the hospital or Exeter etc.

She loves being near the beach, but also finds it pretty busy in summer although she reckons that locals tend to wait until 4-5 when others have gone home. She's divorced and finds that her friends tend to socialise as couples rather than girls' nights out etc (it's the opposite where we live). I'm not saying that this is a Cornish thing but it's her experience. She also finds the state and private schools a bit of a compromise where she is (and the school her boys attend is...an hour's drive).

Overall, she loves it there, it's a long slog to come back up to London to visit us all but she wouldn't move back.

Hi, I just got a job offer at Bodmin- Cornwall, I am a black African, a family of 4. I want to relocate from Lancaster to Cornwall. I am afraid, is Cornwall a nice place to live for me.?

@Dimej,this is an old thread so you may not get any responses. Best to start a new thread of your own. As far as I can see when I visit Cornwall, there is very little diversity.