Thinking of moving to Dorchester...

[Bearbo]

Hi everyone.

In the next year or so DH, DD, DS and I will be moving - we currently live in Surrey.

We're keen on Dorset, and in particular Dorchester. I wondered if anyone had made the move there, and if so what it is like?

Thanks in advance :)

Typical country town with some nice bits and some awful bits. It's a bit in the middle of nowhere if you want to get somewhere, but it does have an industrial estate with most of what you would need.

I know someone that moved there recently and they love it.

I don't live there but quite close.

It's OK. The mobile phone signal is dreadful if you are on O2 🙂
Has some good charity shops. There are trains to both London and Bristol direction. The nearest motorway is over an hour's drive. The cinema is cheap. The agricultural collage is close if your kids want to be farmers (we were pottering around it in September and saw some of the new intake learning which end of a goat was which and how to clean a wheelbarrow).

There's lots of ancient history - much more than simply Maiden Castle. Great beach at Weymouth which is a fairly short drive.

Poundbury (King Charles' pet project) is weird, but people seem to like living there. I think it's a big blot on the landscape.

I live in Bromley and were taking the plunge and miving to Dorchester in January. We've sold our house and it's all going through now. I can't help you with what it's like to live there, but I can tell you why we chose Dorchester.
We've visited villages and towns all over Dorset on our house hunt. My husband will be commuting to London once a fortnight so wanted the train to London. The school pyramid system is first class (my kids are a 5 and 7). Dorchester has everything our family needs, leisure centre, schools, skatepark, restaurants, cinema, market, train station. We looked at moving to Broadmayne, even put an offer on a house there but it fell through. I'm so glad it did because we are now in the heart of Dorchester! When I took the kids to visit the house, we went to the playground and for something to eat, then we went swimming. I realised how accessible everything was by foot.
I would have loved to have ahouse right by the sea, it's a romantic idea, but as my husband pointed out, the amount of stuff we take to the beach, we'd have to drive even if we were 5 minutes away (paddleboards, wetsuits, lunch etc.) So why not have it all on the doorstep and be in the centre of the Dorset beaches. At the weekend we have the choice of all beaches!
Keep in touch, it would be great to have some people to meet up with xx

Thank you for this. It sounds like exactly what we're looking for. We're staying in Dorchester next weekend to do a bit of research and hoping we have a similar experience to you!

I'll be saving your message to get in touch when we (fingers crossed) move down that way too! Good luck with the big move 😁

Thank you everyone, it's all really helpful to know! Looking forward to visiting the area and finding out more 😊

Thank you so much! It's scary having lived in London all our lives, but the people we've met in Dorset are so absolutely lovely. I've never felt more at home.
I hope you enjoy your weekend there. Please do keep in touch, I'll let you know how we're getting on. Take Care x

Did you move I the end @Bearbo ? We are in the process of moving now and need some advice :-)

We haven't yet! We still have a low rate on our current mortgage until end of next year so we're going to hold off to then, but Dorchester is definitely our first choice. Good luck with the move, I'd be interested to hear how you get on and how you're finding it once you're settled.

Thanks @Bearbo and good luck to you when the time comes!

I'll be in Dorchester next weekend, catching up with schoolfriends - two never left, apart from uni, one moved back after some years in Surrey. The rest of us are in Berkshire or Hampshire and go back fairly often. We're 50s now. I think it's a great place to grow up - countryside, beach, history. Mainline train to Waterloo.

@EBearhug That sounds fabulous! We are going to look at property in Beaminster, Sherborne, Ferndown and Cattistock. If anyone has local insights that they'd be happy to share then it would be much appreciated! We have two children, aged (almost) 5 and 3 years, so primary schools are essential for us.

I love to know what you think when the summer season starts.
And the traffic...
Lots people get the train to Weymouth loads easier than the car in summer.
When you leave your house in summer season you are behind a caravan which ever way you go.

I

That bad, huh @Myyearmytime ? I'm currently in SE London and feel as though nothing can be worse than the car park that is the M25...

We live on the outskirts of Portsmouth, have to drive everywhere! I need to downsize due to my mortgage being so high. If we stay local we are looking at a 70s / 80s houses with no character but if we move to Dorset we could afford something nicer (house of 100 years+) I’m not bothered about size of a house but something that’s more us.
I have an 11 year old & a 8 year old. We would know no-one. Dorchester appeals due to the train station but with all the bonus’ of Dorset. I’m a person with character @ 46 - creative type. Would we fit in?

Just wondered how you got on with your relocation?

We’ve been here just over a year now. Don’t worry about knowing people, I know more people in the last year than I did in the last 15 in London! My kids are 8 and 6, they absolutely love it here. No regrets, our lives are so much happier than they were. People who mention the traffic have never lived with the M25! There are loads of people from all around the country here, all my neighbours are from London!