Moving to Devon

[MoominBear]

Hi, almost our entire family are considering a move to Devon, so there are lots of people to cater for and lots of boxes to tick. I’m not sure if there is a location to suit us all, but I’m hoping you may be able to help.

Ideally, we’d like to live close to each other, perhaps on a farm or land with multiple cottages. However, it’s more likely that we will live separately, as long as everyone is within a 15-minute drive of the Grand parents. If they do live separately, we need a location where they can be independent, ie easy access to shops, the beach, and a bus for trips to the doctor etc.

We would like a property with either a very large garden or a few acres of land. We need space for animals and to relocate our business. We have a budget up to £1.5

DD is currently at university, so we need access to an area with good job opportunities—perhaps Exeter? Are there any other towns that might be suitable? She’s studying science but may end up doing something completely different.

The older members of our family would love to live either on or within a short, easy walk to the beach or sea (a river might be an acceptable compromise). They’re looking for gentle walks with scenic views, coffee shops, and places to eat out—ideally somewhere welcoming.

We want to live somewhere pretty in semi-rural setting but still want access to nice towns with good shops and restaurants. We love nature and are very outdoorsy and would like to regularly paddleboard, kayak, and swim although don’t mind a 15-20 minute drive to the sea.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Many thanks 😊

We have personal reasons I can’t mention but on top of that we want live somewhere less built up and more beautiful, have countryside on our doorstep, have a larger space for the animals to run around, and be close to the sea. We are looking at other counties but we like Devon and it’s has the advantage of having Exeter which is good for jobs plus has the airport. We like Dorset but don’t think there would be the same job opportunities for my daughter.

Exeter airport doesn’t fly to very many places OP.

With aging parents you’re going to want to be close to good healthcare services, especially in an emergency - anywhere a bit rural you’re likely going to struggle with ambulance response times. Speaking from experience - my parents lived in North Devon, about 30 mins from Barnstaple, and got lucky when my dad had a big heart attack because a fire crew were nearby with a defib. The ambulance took a while to get there.

We live on the edge of dartmoor in a village - GP in the village, 25 minutes to Exeter (including hospital), 20 minutes to the beach.
look south of Exeter - close to M5 but beautiful villages. Totnes sounds good too (and has a hospital), lovely south hams beaches nearby. Station in Totnes.
lovely places nearby by the river eg ashprington, or look at broadhempston and staverton.

There are a few areas that I’d deem suitable if you’re looking for remote but you’d need a car as there is very limited public transport.

Combe Martin/ Lynton & Lynmouth/ Parracombe/ Bratton Fleming - all near to beaches and other amenities. Ilfracombe is not far away neither..

Clovelly/ Parkham/ Torrington/ Buckland Brewer/Hartland - the other side of North Devon with close links to Bude and North Cornwall also.

Braunton and Saunton I’d avoid - these are absolute tourist traps in the summer!! They are nice places to visit though.

Westward Ho! is a good place to visit for sure- not many ‘remote areas’ there as is dominated by holiday parks…. Unless you’d like a nice bungalow by the sea!

As other posters have commented, there are areas of Somerset that would be nice too. Minehead and Watchet as examples.

Although Totnes has a hospital it is wards only with a limited walk in. Mostly you'd be sent to torbay hospital. Hospitals in Devon are torbay, rd&e (Exeter) and derriford (Plymouth).

Woodbury near Exmouth might have some rural properties, though isn't on the train line. Lympstone, Topsham, ebford, exton all on the main train service from Exeter and 57 bus route between Exeter and Exmouth.

Marldon and Compton between Paignton and Totnes might tick a lot of boxes but not the public transport one or the walking distance to beach.

I'd recommend Sidmouth for the grandparents. If they live within walking distance of the town they will have the seafront, a CQC rated outstanding GP practice and community hospital, and lots of (too many? 🤣) coffee shops and restaurants. Reasonable bus links to Exeter, Exmouth, Budleigh. 15 mins drive from Sidmouth would put you within range of lots of rural properties with land within your £1.5m budget.

I love Topsham check it out. Lots of nice villages around there.

Realistically DD will likely be in London no?

Oh yes @frogspawn15 , Sidmouth is a good shout.

Thanks I will look up Topsham. DD really doesn’t want to work or live n London but knows if she struggles to find a job elsewhere she may have to

Topsham is lovely but very expensive and you are not likely to find anything in Topsham with land within your budget I live in East Devon and love it and would recommend somewhere with easy access to Exeter, Plymouth and South Devon also have lots of options but increase travel time a lot when heading east. It depends how near you want to be to the sea and whether you need public transport links or are happy to drive everywhere.

You won’t get land in Topsham but there are plenty of villages round about. It’s got great shops and restaurants and on the estuary so it would be a good place for the grandparents as they can walk to everything, it’s 15 mins bus to Exeter and there’s a station. DD could be in Exeter and you could find a farmhouse with land around say Ottery St Mary.

Topsham is also the right side of Exeter for the RD&E hospital.

Lots of places with land round here, and on the edge of beautiful Dartmoor but only 25 minutes to Exeter and beaches.
have a look around Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead.
both are nice small towns with outdoor pools.

I'm just over the border in Wellington, Somerset, & agree you'd get more for your money here - quite a few properties locally with land & stabling.
However, it's perhaps a little too far from the sea for the grandparents. However, it's a nice central position - can get to the North Devon, South Devon & Somerset beaches easily & further on to places like Lyme in Dorset; Exeter is 30mins, Bristol & Plymouth about an hour. M5 on the doorstep. Bristol airport, Exeter airport & just over the border is Cardiff. Train line goes to London Paddington in under 2hrs on the fast train. Exmoor, Dartmoor, Quantocks & Blackdowns easily accessible; plus the Somerset Levels. But a car is pretty essential. Musgrove Hosptial is only in Taunton.

Here's a few local properties:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146418329

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146747627

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149600408

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148918049

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147316553

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148462772

I think Topsham area is lovely, and fits the bill. Close to Exeter but still feels like a lovely village area. Lots of nice shops and restaurants. Amazing cycle path and walk all the way from Topsham to Exmouth. Darts Farm is nearby which is nice for eating out and shopping.

Bristol affordable?! Having lived in Somerset, Devon and now Bristol, I have to say are you having a laugh? Property prices are mad here - 1.5 would not go far

You are right in wanting an area for work for your DD but there's a good chance she won't stay even then. I'd make being close to the mainline a priority.

I grew up in ND. A professional job but moved for greater opportunity- ironically to Cornwall. My two children have moved from here to ooop North for the right opportunity.

But ND does have fab beaches!

You need to go on Escape to the Country!

If you love Totnes I’d say focus on that and surrounding villages. It’s essential to land in a community you feel at home in and the feel in the small Devon towns varies tremendously. Staverton and Dartington have lovely walks by the Dart and things going on in the villages and on the Dartington estate. Villages south on Dart (Cornworthy, Ashbrington, Dittsham etc) very lovely but the drive down the lanes in that direction is particularly tricky.
Stoke Gabriel might be worth considering? Good community, stunning setting. Bit of a drive out to stations though.

South Devon has a very different feel to North Devon (I’ve lived in both). The mainline station in Totnes is a big bonus. Other towns with similar vibe…Ashburton is lovely and never as busy (flatter than Totnes for older relatives). Also lovely walking very close…on edge of moor.

agree Topsham might be great. Lustleigh is a gem to look at in that direction. Fab walking. Big retirement community in both for your parents.
Kingsbridge lovely but quieter and possibly a bit too far down in South Hams for travel? although the most stunning beaches are close! Dartmouth also stunning and good retirement community…but transportation a pain. Can feel a bit dead in winter. Avoid salcombe unless you love summer traffic jams and airbnbs.
Beach within walk possible with your budget but probably not with good access to cities or transport in South Hams.
your budget will be fine if you are happy with a grouping of homes (house with former holiday cottages) Holiday groupings good value just now with tax breaks recently revoked. Buying them can be a bit of a headache with lawyers though…be warned! Choose a good lawyer that works full time and you like. They are not all the same! Hopefully you can make some sense of that! Good luck. It’s a gorgeous part of the world.

I’d look at areas close to Exeter. Below are the towns I’d suggest that are coastal and c. 30-45 mins from Exeter - all have rural villages nearby. I’d suggest the towns themselves for the elders, looking a bit further out into the countryside nearby for the properties with land:

Dawlish (good train and bus links to Exeter and beyond)
Starcross (as above, but less to do in the village itself)
Exmouth / Lympstone - good train and bus links
Topsham - good train and bus links
Budleigh Salterton - bus only. Not amazing.
Sidmouth - bus only. Good service.

So I was born and grew up in North Devon. Then moved to Cornwall and had a family that are now grown up with good careers.

My suggestions.

1. Make sure you are close to a mainline train station.

1. Do NOT pick based on likely careers. It's very much more likely your DD will need to move out of the westcountry for the RIGHT opportunity. Both of my children have had to move. And so did I....although more oddly from Devon to Cornwall.

1. Make sure you have access to a proper size hospital.

The OP is a year old. She's probably moved by now.

Nope still affordable…..looking with purely Southwest eyes probably not but for the south of England it’s affordable for many.