South Westers - Somerset, Bristol or Exeter

[SomExBrizzolll]

We are South Westers moving back to the South West from South East with teens.
Our priorities are cycle networks, schools and rail / road connections to local buzzy cities.

We need to be near the main line to Paddington.

I get weird feel vibes in Bristol though - does anyone else feel this way? Possibly the silliest sentence I've ever typed.

Ive disliked Yeovil since 1997 and I've double checked and I still dislike it but will consider anywhere else.

We're more mountainy, moores and forest people rather than beachy people.

Any ideas would be most welcome

Salisbury, you wouldn't be far from the new forest there.

Bristol is pretty expensive and a nightmare for traffic- how often would you need to be going to Paddington? The commute from Bristol would be much shorter than from Exeter.

Personally, I think Exeter is a nicer city, but not "buzzy" and traffic again is not great in and out of the city. Plus it would take you longer to get to Paddington. You'd definitely get more for your money though.

There are some good secondary schools around/just outside Bristol, which could be a good option, if you don't need to get the train to London too much? In Exeter, there are also good schools, but most don't have sixth forms and students go to the college for sixth form- so it depends how you feel about that?

I'd look maybe North Bristol, around Bristol Parkway?

Or else have you thought about Cheltenham or Gloucester?

Frome or Castle Cary?

i think most towns have nice bits and not so nice bits but then I’m from the south east and really like Yeovil so maybe isn’t opinion isn’t helpful. We’re outdoorsy so the country parks, close enough to Dorset coast, Bath and Exeter, and London in a day, make it ideal for us. But there’s many other towns around. Castle Cary has a good rail line to London. I like visiting Bristol but it’s never quite grabbed me like other cities.

Exeter is extremely white and suburban. I know I couldn’t live there.

Bristol is very expensive but if you can afford bishopston / st Andrew’s that’s a really nice neighbourhood and with great Primary / secondary options. Countryside / woods in easy reach, bus / train routes for teens so they can get so many places under their own steam. Gloucester Road is brilliant. Far more fun that Exeter imo.

I like outskirts of Exeter, they've opened the line on Dartmoor, if you like mountain, moors ect why not follow Trainline to exeter outskirts where it links to St David's and London line? The city itself has gone downhill atm, traffic is hell. With teens an option of quiet, rural area with links to city might be nice for them? I lived in Somerset for a bit too but really never liked it, don't want to insult the place but just don't like it 😬 But tbf I just like to have my cake and eat it 😂 access to city when I want and peace and quiet of rural life. Also some areas just outside city house prices are really affordable in comparison.

Some bloody good replies! Thanks everyone!

@Hope551

But tbf I just like to have my cake and eat it 😂 access to city when I want and peace and quiet of rural life This is SO me!! 😂

Exeter traffic is horrendous but I'm definitely keen to have a look around!

Taunton has pretty much everything. Close to both Bristol and external for big cities. Enough in Taunton itself for most things. Very close to rural areas - Blackdown hills and Quantock Hills, as well as Dartmoor and Exmoor further afield. Close to both coastlines.

What kind of budget would you have, for what kind of house? And on the schools front is there a priority around primary/secondary?

Exeter towards Dartmoor. If you are liking moors and wild places then it has to be Dartmoor really.

I wouldn’t want really to live in Okehampton - even with the railway but maybe our towards Crediton? Think there’s a train line in that direction .

I've had a look around and I think that the Frome area might not be enough for the DC (it looks gorgeous though!)

Budget is £350k and we need to look at both primary and secondary. Secondary School is looming.

I love the Quantocks and Exmoor.

I keep looking at Exeter but everything seems so tightly packed in. It has changed a lot recently :(

Going to check out Bristol and Taunton after food x

350k, 3 bed semi with a nice sized garden. we're very fuss free about houses as I'm very good at DIY, plumbing and landscaping (literally my hobby 😂)

I keep rereading this. I think you're onto something x

I lived in Wellington, just outside Taunton, for years and worked in Taunton most of that time. It was fine. Only left to move to uni to retrain.

I also agree to looking to Taunton. Bristol is very expensive, I can’t imagine you would find a decent semi with a garden for £350,000. Middle terraces with small gardens are around £500,000 plus in most areas. Also, personally, I hate Bristol, and can never understand people who say they love it, a lot of it looks rundown and shabby, and the traffic is horrendous.

@snowflakeinastorm we've just had a chat about Bristol. Our friends love it there but they have very demanding jobs and they're under unbelievable pressure to pay their mortgages. If I wanted that life I'd stay in the South East. One of my Bristol friends house is 3m wide!

Backwell School is an amazing absolutely amazing secondary school. Yatton also gives you catchment for Backwell. Churchill is also good. Cheddar and Wells both nice to live in too.

In that price range you would have more options in Exeter than in Bristol.

If you want something in the catchment of a good secondary school, with decent parking and transport links, I'm not sure it's enough of a budget for Bristol, unless you're prepared to compromise somewhere?

I've got friends who've recently bought in Bristol, and I think you might be looking at 2 beds or terraces with that sort of budget- it is very dependent on area, obviously though, and you might find something that needs a lot of work in budget!

Backwell school is probably the best of the schools on that side of Bristol, but I strongly disagree that it's "amazing".

Thanks for your reply @Postapocalypticcowgirl . We have ruled out Bristol itself (I only have to be there once a week for work)

💙 Have found a gorgeous home in Exeter and another one in Taunton. So I'll be focusing on these two places.

Also if I ever want to change jobs then Exeter is the place to be with much higher salaries!! A welcome surprise.

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/real-schools-guide-somersets-best-4378922?intsource=amppcontinuereading&inttmedium=amp&intcampaign=continueereadingbutton#amp-readmore-target

Ive disliked Yeovil since 1997 and I've double checked and I still dislike it but will consider anywhere else.

This has absolutely tickled me, to the point I couldn't tell DP why I was laughing 😂

I don't think I'd want to live in Oke, but the train from Exeter to Oke is very cheap, £4 each way, cheaper with a railcard, and comes in right at the top of the town so you can walk up onto the moors from there. Might be a consideration if you're thinking Exeter?

You might find this thread helpful -

www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4740598-moving-back-to-exeter?page=1

I personally would choose Exeter from your suggestions as it's got great access to Dartmoor and other green spaces for good walks like Woodbury Commons and Haldon Forest etc. Schools are good all over the city and whilst traffic is really bad compared to how it was a few years ago, it is nothing like as bad as almost any town in the SE that I've visited recently! There is a lot going on with sports teams and activities etc (compared to smaller towns suggested) and there are fast trains to Paddington which don't stop at Taunton (a few a day only stop at Reading) from St David's.

I've lived in lots of places in the UK including Somerset and Exeter and it's surrounds have been great for us.

Taunton area makes the most sense for you x

I spent 8 years living in a village next to taunton, and all I can say is everything shuts at 5.30 and it is a cultural black hole. The town is nice enough but there's very little to DO there. If you want culture, think carefully! (Great transport links though I'll admit)

Oh my god we are a 50:50 split. Kids want Exeter museum and the airport.

We want a quieter, slightly more peaceful life and a garden that isn't overlooked by 5 neighbours all smoking weed.

Just your average Dudley Dursley suburbian semi!