Hi everyone,
My husband and I are seriously considering moving to Devon from Sussex with our DS, who will be approaching secondary school age by the time we move.
We want to be close to the sea and having the beach in walking distance. Unfortunately where we are based in Sussex it feels we are being priced out the area. We enjoy sports, outdoors life and beginner surfers that would love to make that a regular hobby instead of a holiday activity and would love somewhere we can make the most of the coast as a family day to day, rather than just visiting on holiday.
Initially, we'd been looking more at Cornwall as we are more familiar with it, but the more we've looked into secondary schools and future opportunities for our son, the more we feel Devon would be a better fit.
There are a few things that are particularly important to us:
Good secondary schools. This is probably our biggest consideration, our son is sporty and thrives with an active lifestyle and sporting clubs.
A proper coastal lifestyle. We'd ideally like to live in a coastal town or village, with easy access to beaches, surfing, walks and the outdoors. Living somewhere where we have to drive a long way to reach the coast wouldn't really suit us as we wouldn't gain much from where we are now.
A nice place to raise a family. We're looking for somewhere that feels safe, welcoming and family-friendly, with a good community and things for children and teenagers to do. We'd also like to understand which areas have more significant deprivation, antisocial behaviour or other issues that might affect day-to-day life. I'm not naive and know that all areas have pros and cons but I'm looking for generalised advice from people who know the areas.
South Devon seems to offer more employment opportunities for myself as I currently work in speciality dentistry nursing, however my husbands job will be able to relocate to either South or North Devon. From what I've seen so far, there seem to be more opportunities around Exeter and South Devon, but I'd love to hear from anyone working in dentistry locally.
For those who know Devon well, or have moved there with children approaching secondary school age, I'd really appreciate your honest opinions.
North Devon: Is the Braunton area as good for family life as it looks? What are the surrounding villages and coastal towns like to live in all year round, rather than just visit? Are there enough opportunities for teenagers, and how do families find the secondary schools?
South Devon: Are there particular coastal towns or villages you'd recommend for family life, good secondary schools and easy beach access? Is it possible to enjoy that coastal lifestyle while still having reasonable access to Exeter and a wider range of jobs?
We're not expecting anywhere to be perfect, and we know every town has its pros and cons. We're just trying to get a realistic picture of what life would be like before making such a big move.
Thanks so much!