Moving to the coast

Fwiw, I did report the link I posted.
And GN acknowledged receipt.
But I see that the link is still there.

We moved to Cornwall when we had our first baby. We were accepted very quickly because we joined the Resident's Association and the committee that was raising money to build a community centre. When a group of ladies decided to start a Women's Institute branch I joined that. Offer to help with anything that comes along (offer to help - don't take over!) I joined the Art Society, my husband joined a local shooting club, and we made some lovely friends.

Devon is a long way from anywhere and it rains a lot. Norfolk, though, better beaches, a fraction of the crowds, and less rain!

Well, yes, the postcards say, "Come to Sunny Devon where it rains six days out of seven".
Not true 🌞
But it has its compensations and I miss Devon. Norfolk seems remote to me, although I think North Devon is less easily accessible than the South.

I'd avoid touristy areas such as Torbay. .

twiglet77

Devon is a long way from anywhere and it rains a lot. Norfolk, though, better beaches, a fraction of the crowds, and less rain!

Not all Devon, and not if you want to make it work!
London and back by train (2hrs) in a day to watch a matinée, DS goes to work in London for a day too.
Airports in Exeter and Bristol. Ferry Port to France from Plymouth.
Buses every 20 minutes here to the county capital.
Today is sunny, no rain. Here's the proof.
I'm off to North Devon today, the other side of the county, I'll check it out.

Devon is a long way from anywhere and it rains a lot.

So is my bit of Somerset. It's the reason a lot of people want to live there. Visitors often say, "Bit remote here isn't it?" and I think, "Thank goodness".

Nowhere is a long way from anywhere if it's where you live and want to be.

During the pandemic and the stamp duty suspension I had a crazy idea of moving to Minehead as we had had lots of lovely holidays there. My dear husband went along with me - he is easy to convince! Sold our house in one day, We made lots of trips 250 mile both ways to view properties. It was very frustrating as you would get there to be told there had already been 5 offers. Our cash would buy a very small bungalow or small detached in the town. We found a bungalow where you could walk to the beach. We had to make sealed bids and offered £150k over asking price and I wrote a letter begging the owners to let us have the property. We lost out to someone offering more cash.

We looked at other properties but we were getting so much less for our money or they needed total makeovers. We have a large utility room and kitchen, a beautiful garden and if necessary will get a stair lift or make other adaptions. We realised that we were a long way from hospitals (here, in our village in Worcestershire we were 6/10/12 miles away from 3 hospitals).

We decided to stay. I am glad we did, we have many community ties and people we know. We have a made many improvements to our house since. We live in a lovely village with a shop, GP surgery and many clubs and activities. My husband since developed more health issues. We would have nowhere to store our caravan and located in central England we have better access to motorways.

It was a wonderful, but crazy idea really. I think the lockdown caused brain fever!

Good luck to OP whatever you decide.

It would be interesting and helpful if grans named the towns/villages they lived in. Or a nearby town if too identifying.
I know I will be planning a move in tbe next 2 years from a house, too big now and needing loads of work, we have lived in for 40+ years in a smallish town with good faciliteies and connections road and rail.

I yearn to move back to the coast, and having spent all my childhood up to 18 there, but know well what a wet cold coastal winter is like. So it would have to be a busy coastal town with good connections. Such as Deal for example. But I always loved readi

We should have made the move some years back and this move will be on my own.

Sorry posted too quickly. I always loved reading Mizunas posts which I think must have been from Falmouth. That sounded like a busy buzzy town. No doubt a lot due to a thriving Uni and plenty of young people. But a long way from my family.

I think my best plan would be to downsize drastically somewhere near here ehich could be easily locked up and left and then make the most of short lets in seaside towns all over the UK visitng places I have never been to. Just mustnt leave it too late!

I lived in Devon and found it lonely. Coming from the north I found it hard when those little conversations in the street or in the lanes didn't happen. I even had it once at the supermarket checkout where she said nothing instead just looked at the display for me to see the cost.

The thing that will decide this is the distance in miles between you. If you drive, even if you become widowed, it will still be possible. It's a big decision though. Good luckx

My sister has friends who moved to Appeldore, she says it's lovely and well connected by buses to hospital and bigger towns. On holiday I've found North Devon to be a lot more friendly than Cornwall.

I was very relieved when my mother and father moved to the town where I lived rather than 3 hours away. Mother tried the seaside and realised it was very difficult to get to us, to friends and theatres, hospitals etc. when family are working it's very difficult to get to see elderly parents, let alone support them as they get more frail or are left alone. That journey takes such a lot of time out of weekends and holiday time. Personally now we are 69 ourselves, I would prefer to stay closer to my friends and family, people who have known us for years and where all our activities and hobbies are, rather than try and start afresh and alone where I would be just another old lady

If you live near friends and family, I would give it serious second thoughts. It isn't so easy to make good friends when one moves a long way. Look into transport, hospitals, GP surgeries. One never knows when you can no longer drive to supermarkets etc.

We moved to North Cornwall. Extremely beautiful but I've become very poorly. Miss old friends and most of all family. They come to stay but it's not the same as popping in. I'm 66 and spend literally hours on the M5 and M6 trying to stay in touch. People are lovely on the whole but there's nothing like really old friends...I've joined dance groups and chat to people when I'm walking our dogs. But honestly? My heart feels quite broken. Come for a holiday but don't move X

Only you can decide but think carefully. We have dismissed a similar move and what really decided it for us was chatting to an elderly man who said when they moved (to Cornwall) all their family wanted to come to stay but as the years went by, they weren’t so keen and now rarely visit. His wife was bedbound and he was lonely. We decided that love it as we do, we’d just go on more holidays there..…a joy of retirement…. and stay closer to family. I feel that, for us, even though we’re not amazingly close to our family, it’s been the right decision.

Although living by the coast is wonderful, our public transport is not great and because a lot of people retire to our county - Dorset, it is expensive. We are starting to really notice how difficult accessing medical care is becoming too.
My sister moved over to the UK two years ago. She is 71. It’s been pretty tough for her to make friends. People already have their networks of friends and family.
She joined exercise classes, volunteers at several places but still hasn’t made a close friend. She has no regrets and loves living in our beautiful market town - loads going on - but I know she would love to make a close friend rather than depending on me and my friends for company.
This is why I would do loads of research, check out all the activities and think long and hard about making such a move.
Maybe rent if possible first before committing to a purchase.

Any ideas which part of North Devon? Woolacombe and Croyde are very very different to Combe Martin and Lynton. So much also depends on what you like to do. If you love walking and an outdoor life then this area is glorious. If you are more arty/theatre then your options are more limited.

Churchview

*Devon is a long way from anywhere and it rains a lot.*

So is my bit of Somerset. It's the reason a lot of people want to live there. Visitors often say, "Bit remote here isn't it?" and I think, "Thank goodness".

Nowhere is a long way from anywhere if it's where you live and want to be.

😂

Loved that!!

we used to live in Tiverton. Many tourists used to call into the M&S foodhall before travelling to North Devon. Barnstaple is not bad but unless things have change in the last 2 years, then I would suggest avoiding Bideford. So many shops there had closed. Tiverton is a nice town which has buses to Exeter, a daily coach service to Bristol and you can travel to Cullompton to get the hourly or every 2 hours coach to Bristol airport and Bristol itself. If you need the sea, then why not consider Exmouth ? or Plymouth ( south Devon). Teignmouth is ok too but in parts can be hilly. Sidmouth is ok but more expensive. If you don't need the sea then I would recommend Tiverton - there is also a bus service to Taunton.

there is also a bus service to Taunton.
The old department store in Taunton was on TV last night, celebrating 250 years of business.
Hatchers of Taunton, I do hope it manages to survive in these days of bargain shops and internet shopping.

Lola124. Do come back and let us know how you get on exploring from your caravan or cottage and let us know what you decide to do.

These threads are so interesting and its helpful to know what happens. A friend's parents moved to Cullompton from outside London more than 50 years ago when my friend was early 20s and she often mentioned Tiverton. Too late to ask them how they settlrd in.

I can't speak for North Devon, but I do live in a seaside town ìn East Kent, where we have an excellent bus service, a hospital and locals are of all ages. We do not close in the winter.
The decision about where to live is personal, of course, but I want to challenge some of the stereotypes about coastal towns

I would take a look at Barnstaple as it has a hospital and good shopping centte

My DMIL's neighbours did this after wanting to for years, but hated it and came back. They regretted ever leaving their old house in a friendly close, but at least could re-join their other groups and see friends.