South Devon living Dilemma

Is the rainfall in South Brent as notoriously high as is reported?!

Crikey! That last photo looks like South of France Ashcombe!

I lived in Tavistock as a child and it doesn't feature on my list. My heart is set in the South and South/East. I can't wait for lockdown to end so I can resume my explorations!

Thank you Ellianne and Ashcombe!

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Ellianne

Good luck! This awaits you.

Also....

I shouldn't read this thread.

Do Not Look at This Thread!

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Good luck! This awaits you.

We lived near Tavistock many years ago. I found the winters awful! The mist used to roll in in the early afternoon and the rainfall got me down and I’m an upbeat person! We moved in to Plymouth and the change in weather was huge. We now live in the North East which suits me better. Lot less in way of rain that is for sure. It did get so so busy during the height of summer but rest of year was great. Good hunting.

Thank you everyone for your really helpful comments. I hadn't thought of some of the issues raised which I am very grateful for. I sense a few Airbnb trips in 2021 to explore more!

Luckygirl is right about the A38 having loads of accidents. The traffic jams are often on the news.
Atqui is right about the prices going up and properties being snapped up. Our son is looking for a house in Devon. His theory is there will be a lot of fall through sales coming on in the new year because when buyers get their mortgage valuations done now there is quite a discrepancy and they can't then get the loan they wanted.

My family lived/live in this area of Devon. My parents were in several locations around South Brent, Ivybridge and Ashburton. And my sister still lives there out in the wilds of the moor.

Exmouth was my parents' home - they moved there just after I left 6th form for university; and I knew the area well, before that as my Grandmother lived in Lympstone and we spent all our holidays there as children.

The downside of these lovely places is the A38 - the huge dual carriageway that cuts the county in two, right by the places you are considering. When I used to be driven down there in my teenage brother's open top car, the road was fairly quiet and tolerable. Now it is a dangerous nightmare in my book; and a huge inconvenience to locals, some of whom need to join it, leave it at the next junction, cross it over a bridge, and rejoin to go back the other way to get to their local shops. I hate that road! There are some seriously dangerous entry and exit points and places where you can turn into a garage, but leaving it is in a hazardous place and there have been several accidents.

I would not live down there simply because of this dangerous road that cuts like a knife through the lovely countryside, and can be heard as a distant hum wherever you are - it used to be such a quiet place.

as someone trying to downsize.

I love Tavistock but if you need to get a train anywhere it’s quite a treck to Plymouth or Exeter Lovely for the moors and North Devon / Cornish coast .Also wet!!! Of course, we don’t know your situation Netty, you may well be one of those younger grans who is not thinking about being a non driver yet! Be warned though- at the moment prices have gone up , and attractive properties are being snapped up . I speak from personal experience right now.
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Good advice, Fuchsiarose, especially about Tavistock, which has a splendid indoor market and beautiful old buildings, too.

Devon is heaven wherever you decide. But then I am biased.
I dont like Newton Abbot much. It feels like a passing through town and I always get held up the roads in and out. You do get quite a lot for your money there.
Personally I prefer the Okehampton side, especially Chagford. And there is a Waitrose there which speaks volumes! Close to Exeter for hospital etc but lovely itself for walks, cafés, pubs, craft places etc.

Newton Abbott is quite hilly in parts. Chudleigh is very nice, as is Ipplepen, because I like villages. Bovey Tracy , and Totnes, and Abbottskerwell. Most of the South Hams has higher house prices.. Ivybridge and Tavistock have good roads to get to the moors or Cornwall. Plymouth has a good shopping centre

I know you don’t want to move to Torbay, Netty13, but you might want to consider renting a property here (plenty of choice) whilst you explore other local towns with a view to buying a house. In its favour, we have a reliable, frequent bus service, good hospital and excellent entertainment, both professional and amateur as well as various hobby groups. Traffic is heavy in the summer months but the new Kingskerswell bypass has helped to reduce congestion considerably.
Besides owning a flat in Babbacombe, I also have a holiday home on the edge of Dartmoor to which I escape regularly. It’s near Okehampton, another town worth considering.
I wish you luck with your plans. An exciting venture!

Callistemon

^Also check out moorhaven^
I hadn't realised that the old hospital had been converted into flats until I saw it on Escape to the Country.

My cousin worked as a nurse in Moorhaven.

Living in South Brent for 7 years I can certainly remember a good deal of rain, but also it was during that very hot summer which was glorious.

We used to swim in the river near the dam when we didn’t have time to go to the coast.

Sorry, Moorhaven not Morehaven.

I’d avoid Morehaven as it has no facilities. Just a pub in the village and a car would be essential.

Valid point Charleygirl15

And, believe it or not, South Brent and Newton Abbott both have considerably less annual rainfall than Sydney, which everyone thinks of as endlessly sunny.

Gosh that's a big difference in rainfall and temps. Thank you for highlighting. ?

Is the rainfall in South Brent as notoriously high as is reported?!

Also check out moorhaven
I hadn't realised that the old hospital had been converted into flats until I saw it on Escape to the Country.