Relocating to Swanage

[LauraRo]

Hello! I would love some advice about Swanage and the surrounding areas. My partner has a potential work opportunity in Poole but I prefer a smaller town. I also don't drive so it needs to be somewhere with most things fairly central. So...Swanage seemed to meet a lot of our criteria. Good school with spaces, all the amenities in a fairly small area and we could just about afford a small house there. I do have a few concerns though - demographically it seems as though it might not have that many young families? The schools are outstanding/good and have spaces which would be unheard of here (Stroud). I worry that means there won't be a lot going on for children. Also, and I'm putting my political heart out there now, I am very much left wing, would describe myself as both a socialist and a feminist...will I find like company there? In addition my partner would be commuting to Poole...is that just bonkers? Will it be unbearable in the summer?

If anyone has any other suggestions for places nearby that combine fairly central amenities, good schools, plenty for kids to do, lefty political buddies and also potentially a nice arts culture please let me know. I do love Stroud where we are but it is a work opportunity we potentially can't turn down!

Thanks very much!

You might be better asking on Chat OP. This section is more for days out and UK holidays

We recently went on a day trip via Swanage. Public transport was very infrequent (bus was once an hour). Wareham might be better as it'll have more buses, plus trains that could connect with Poole. Sorry I can't help with your other questions!

A friend of mine relocated there a few years ago with his young family, he loves it but says it's a nightmare to get anywhere in the main holidays because of the traffic.
He's an electrician and spends hours in his van commuting between jobs and losing money.

It's a beautiful place but may be better being in Poole itself for your husband's work.

Commuting in the summer months will be a nightmare. Personally I'd take another look at Poole - don't know about the schools situation as we lived there pre-DC, but I wouldn't describe it as a big town,and there are lots of nice areas such as Parkstone which are close to the centre.

Just visited there for a long weekend - beautiful part of the world, some lovely coastal walks, cosy pub lunches etc, but I’m not sure there’s an awful lot to do for young people. Yes public transport was very poor, and I expect in high season town/beach/roads would get very congested. I think you’d be very stuck if you didn’t drive. What about your work?

Thanks all. We visited at the weekend and although it was lovely there and the school was beautiful we have decided that it is perhaps too isolated and summer time congestion/parking would be a challenge. My partner is accepting the job but taking a weekday let in the area for the time being whilst we work out where we do want to be. At the moment PunkRockHippy I am off with the children but before that I taught adult literacy and English as a second language - the funding for which has been quite decimated of late. Not sure what I will be going back into so that flexibility kind of helps us just focus on schools and houses etc. Anyway, thanks for the insights!

Have you looked at Broadstone. It has good schools and a community feel. Very popular with families and the commute to Poole would be easier than from Swanage.

The ESOL funding cuts are an absolute outrage, it’s so valuable for our communities, sorry that it’s affecting your career as well.

Purbeck is a beautiful part of the country - I was dreaming about moving there - but the dream mostly involved walking dogs and pottering around the garden of a cosy little old cottage a stones throw from a coastal path - nothing practical like commuting or jobs or school runs!

Good luck with it all :-)

Did you end up moving?... I am currently in this situation- but the work base is dorchester, would love some insider info on location to live with teen and pre teen?