I’m contemplating applying for a job in Plymouth. I’ve been there once and it didn’t look so nice. On the other hand, I love Devon – lots of friends and family live there (Exmouth and Chagford).

So is Plymouth as bad as it’s cracked up to be? Are there nice/posh bits to live in?

For reference, I currently live in Aberdeenshire and love it here. Just not a lot of work going on at the moment due to the oil & gas recession. This would be a full family relocation – so schools are important.

I live in Plymouth (well, the outskirts) and there are lots of nice places as well as not so nice (like most cities i guess). Close to the sea and dartmoor with loads of riding possibilities and routes and a few local clubs. Theres lots of good schools in the nicer parts, Plympton, Plymstock, Ivybridge and the likes are nice to name but a few. Wheres the job? Good luck with your quest!

Wheres the job?

Devonport Royal Dockyard – any nice areas within commuting distance?

BTW – I am a lapsed fanatical windsurfer, so being close to some warm sea would be a bonus.

Plymouth here too. Lived in quite a few bits of the uk; the city is much the same as others of the same size but the setting is really nice. Plympton and Plymstock have nice bits as mentioned above, in the city Mannamead and Peverell are pretty decent with apparently good schools. My only criticism is that it’s a mission to go to the Lakes or Scotland.

I used to work in the ‘yard, im assuming you mean cycle commuting. Plenty of places easily commutable, ie mannamead and peverell for a short commute or broaden your horizons if you don’t mind a longer commute. It’s hilly here but i guess you’re used to that

the mighty muff is an acquired taste. its a shithole but its my kind of shithole.

there are some really shitty bit and some amazing bits. depends on your budget and whether you want to live in the city or on the outskirts.
I live about 12 miles north but it would take me well over an hour to commute to the docks by car.

a lot of people commute into the docks from south-east cornwall on the torpoint ferry. not really windsurfing territory but good surf.

im assuming you mean cycle commuting.

Doesn’t have to be cyclable. Here’s a rough list in order of preference:

1) not in the city (but max 45 min commute)
2) good schools
3) nice setting (village or small town with good views)
4) near to the sea

My budget would be pretty generous I imagine. Going from a 4 bed detached in an expensive part of Aberdeenshire I can only hope/imagine I’ll have a decent choice. Salary is undefined, but they have talked about it being high (for the area).

You could live in some amazing places an hour or less drive away – guess it depends on your commute tolerance? Modbury strikes me as a nice small town, short drive that’s likely cycle-able, near the sea but not on it to keep house prices more sane. Ooples of villages about, Dartmoor, great beaches, hmm bit jealous now..

free pasties for life then 😉

Plymstock isnt in the city and with good schools, sort of small town and near the sea. Budget allowing Wembury or Heybrook bay, maybe even look into cornwall towns near the bridge or ferry. Most of if not all of plymouth is commutable but the traffic is bad around manadon and the north of plymouth

Lived in Plymouth all my life (while working all over the UK) and cant see me going anywhere else.
Got everything I want within an hour; beaches, moors, cornwall, on the coast, easy enough to get to the rest of the southwest for day trips, traffic isn’t to bad.

But same as everywhere, it has its up and downs.

Rome of the south-west, isn’t it?

Kingsand/Cawsand on the Cornish side of the Tamar would be just about within your 45 minute commute (especially on a motorcycle – they queue-jump on the Torpoint ferry). If you have the time to pick and choose and have a suitable budget there are some very localised nice spots – I live in a PL1 postcode (in general not good), but the few streets surrounding where I live are well established and pretty quiet, the neighbours talk to each other and there’s a good local pub; I’ve had no problems in the 27 years that I’ve lived there.

Also thinking of relocating from leafy Surrey to Plymouth. People think we are mad. Thing is, as my namesake says above its basically got so much within an hour – a great place to bring up kids plus if we do decide to settle there at least we can afford a house. Have not looked into the schools yet (we won’t have much choice in where we are housed initially) and there is a danger of having a rose tinted view of the area based on 2 or 3 visits a year to friends.

Top tip – don’t go in Jesters.

Top tip – don’t go in Jesters

Brilliant, I once pulled a girl who told me how she liked shagging blokes in the toilets of jesters. My self esteem plummeted. Sadly I wasn’t in jesters with her. Or maybe that wasn’t the point.

Brilliant, I once pulled a girl who told me how she liked shagging blokes matelots in the toilets of jesters.

FTFY

So in conclusion it seems I might get to like Plymouth- or at least somewhere nearby.

Just need to apply for the job I guess. Fingers crossed.

Generic dull concrete centre with some issues, but it’s generally an okay place outside of that and close to a lot of nice stuff and riding. Close enough to Cornwall to enjoy Cornwall but not have to suffer living there 😀 (actually, is a nice place too, if you stay away from Redruth & Camborne. Just it’s a pain in the backside to get to civilisation, i.e. Plymouth). Also not too bad on the train into London and up country.

So yeah, basically, good location if nothing else.

Could someone just confirm general house prices for me please? I’m looking on Rightmove and it seems I can afford a mansion with a swimming pool in Plympton. Surely not!!!

Basically – what’s the cost of a nice 4 bed detached house in the nice parts surrounding Plymouth?

I can help you there.
I’ve lived in the Plymouth area for 15 years.
Currently in Plympton and just had an offer accepted on a 4 bed detached in a desirable area (still in Plympton) – so, pretty much exactly what you’re after.

Rather than me spilling my financials out on here drop me an email

Richie @ silverfish – Uk . Com

(Take out all the spaces)

I moved down to Plymouth in 1995 for uni and have stayed in the local area ever since. Lived all over the city and now live out in Plymstock.

Plymouth is an interesting place to live – the local area (sea, moors, coast etc.) is great. Lots of hills. It rains a lot though. When the weather is good it’s fantastic!

I grew up (well, from the age of 9) Just outside Plymouth in a delightful place called Crapstone. Right on the edge of the moors. Dad worked at the dockyard and his commute took 30 mins if he left early enough.

I left to go to uni and vowed never to return, but I’ve recently been back and realised there is a hell of a lot going for it – as others have said, you’ve got the sea, moors, large city and easy access to Cornwall and larger places such as Bristol all within a couple of hours. And yes it rains, but not as much as the Lake District

they are finally talking about dualling Tavistock Road from Woolwell to the George which would remove one of the last big bottlenecks (once they have finished at derriford) from commuting in from the north of tavistock.

my BiL works in the docks and commutes from Bovey Tracey, lives at the bottom of Lustleigh Cleave. drives halfway most days and rides in from Ivybridge.

Currently in Plympton and just had an offer accepted on a 4 bed detached in a desirable area (still in Plympton) – so, pretty much exactly what you’re after.

Didn’t realise you were moving Rich.
The boys know they gotta change their bedrooms?!?!?!
(from Maya’s Daddy!)

Such a small world. I grew up in Lympstone (N. of Exmouth) and my maternal family all grew up in Chagford (Great Grandfather owned Bowdens.

Plymouth isn’t a bad place. It’s changed a lot for the better in the last decade or two. I certainly wouldn’t discount it.

Check out this STW jannerfest!

I moved to the area 14 years ago and love it. Spent a few years in North Devon and couldn’t wait to move back.

As said, it’s not the prettiest city but it offers access to so much. I live in Saltash and have everything I want in life within a 15minute drive. Good doorstep mtb and easy access to loads of great spots.

Loads of good windsurfing options (I’m also getting back into that after a 20 year absence). I mostly sail at St. Johns lake, overlooking the dockyard. Oodles of surf and sup options too. I would imagine the water to be much warmer than Scotland.

What strikes me most about Plymouth is how friendly it Is, and how easy it is to make friends. I’d also say that there’s nowhere in Plymouth that I’d be scared to walk at night.

I have lived in Plymouth for many years and live near the centre.
Lots of nice areas and great houses. Very hilly round town.
In terms of cycling I can cycle from town to the woods in 20 mins to some brilliant areas. Also various areas of woodland and Dartmoor within 30 mins ride. Gawton and Tavi woodlands are about 30mins away.
With a family we love it and is easy to get to the beach in the evenings or chill on the Hoe.
Cycling scene has grown loads over the last few years and there is a kids MTB club that runs all year as well as loads of road and MTB clubs. Waiting list for kids club at the moment as we train more coaches!
Richie is a good contact to talk to reference the bike scene and housing market!
Love the place!

Generic dull concrete centre

Looks like concrete in the rain. Actually clad in oolite. Look closely and there are fossils of zillion year old sea creatures all over it.

OP a decent sized 4 bed semi in a nice enough bit of Plymouth is £250k or so.

Stoke village has lovely parts in walking distance of the dockyard but nearest 2 secondaries are a bit meh. Close to the girls and boys grammar schools if they will have your kids.

We walk slower down here apparently. More overweight people than average. Accent is amaaaaazing! Traffic is actually not bad even at the worst of times compared to other cities of similar size (especially Exeter!)

Scamper it the other way round: you would be mad to move from Devon (even Plymouth!!) to Surrey! If you have any house at all in Surrey you will be able to buy at least 2 here. We also have the coolest version of a sea front (nothing like most coast towns) that is bleak and stormy in winter but just awesome in the summer. With a chuffin’ ‘ lighthouse in the middle of it! That you can go right up to the top of for peanuts. Great theatre if that’s your thing, gigs are fine for little/unsigned bands but if the beaten track for most big acts. We seem to get all the usual big standup comedy acts though. Also:
Surf. Dartmoor. Cornwall. So many beaches in east reach. Trails. Sailing. Loads of green spaces all over town and suburbs. Couple of great and massive cycling clubs. Gawton downhill trails.
Oh and of course Newnham park: best xc/marathon race venue ever!

fanatic278
Have a look at Wembury if you like the sea and also Saltash and Torpoint.
Some great houses in amazing locations depending on your budget.
If you are looking in town Stoke has some great houses but also look at Mannamead if you like period houses. One of our customers sold a 5 bed house in one of the best streets in the area for £350K.
Any questions my email is in my profile

So we’re all in agreement. Plymouth is the centre of the universe!

julianwilson – Member
Scamper it the other way round: you would be mad to move from Devon (even Plymouth!!) to Surrey! If you have any house at all in Surrey you will be able to buy at least 2 here.

I was mad and did just that. Not from Plymouth but just along the coast where I grew up. As a kid, place was boring and miles from civillisation. After uni, jobs were up in the smoke, so that’s where I headed, though deflected to Surrey.

It’s no Devon, but has a huge amount of trees (is or was the most tree covered county), and tonnes of riding, and close to work opportunities, useful airports, the tunnel, etc.

I miss Devon, and the sea though, but most people I know have moved out, and while I could buy a mansion for the price of my pokey little place in Surrey, I’d also have a fraction of the income down there.

So I may settle for the cliché and move back for retirement 😀

(that said, the more riding opportunities are getting blocked off in Surrey, maybe I’ll consider going back sooner).

This thread maybe worth a read

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/job-offer-dilemma

Like many cities especially ports, dependent upon government (military) spending Plymouth has been hit hard by cuts over the last 30 years. That said imo its all about the enviroment and location, access to epic countryside and the sea. As per thread above I would be tempted to try the job but rent a house there and rent yours out for a year or so to see how it goes.

Jobwise going from oil related (?) to Navy is possibly a suspect move, oil price can recover but imo our Navy capability is fatally depleted

Kenny, don’t get me wrong Surrey has lots going for it – great quality of life, zero crime, quick access for London day trips and my Wife loves it. Personally, I just prefer more rugged countryside and less golf courses 😀 I’m 10 minutes from Swinley and have xc from my door but in 18 months I’ve not even been able to make it 40 mins to the Surrey hills. Therefore Plymouth will have more variable riding closer. We will be moving for the wife’s work and I can work from home at a push. With 3 kids 6 and under, town night life isn’t really an issue 😀

Having just moved to “Tavi”, it sure is a revelation from my previous situation where I were based. Folk definitely seem friendlier on face value etc but this I’ve known as visitor for many years now.
My big bros been living around true SW for a long time already so was only natural to follow them on down here.

If anyone wouldn’t mind me tagging along for rides around here, you’d be doing me a favour as I wanna meet likeminded riders and ditch solo riding as much as poss nowadays. Gives me good reason not to duck out of a ride.

I’m gonna drop jam bo a message sometime as iirc he I saw is based in “TavI” too.

🙂

I’ve applied for the job now. So it’s still a long way off from being a reality.

I’ve wanted to move to Devon for 10 years now, but as the years went by the gap between my oil & gas salary and what I could earn in Devon has made the possibility less and less likely. Plymouth isn’t somewhere I knew much about, but thanks to this thread I’m pretty sure it’s what I want (well outside Plymouth anyway).

With the oil & gas recession I’m in a situation where my income is not so great at the moment (self employed). Added to this, the new job salary is potentially not far off oil & gas levels, and in a cheaper part of the world.

In summary, I think I’d be mad not to take it if it works out. Fingers crossed.

Best of luck.

Take a sailing course yourself and definitely get the kids to try it, windsurfing and kite surf too ?

I sail regularly in the Solent and its a muddy ditch in comparison to the clear waters of the West Country, plus stunning cliffs and coast line. Red Arrows and daily air displays at the Dartmouth Regatta, stunning over the river.

If anyone wouldn’t mind me tagging along for rides around here, you’d be doing me a favour as I wanna meet likeminded riders and ditch solo riding as much as poss nowadays. Gives me good reason not to duck out of a ride.

I’m gonna drop jam bo a message sometime as iirc he I saw is based in “TavI” too.

No probs. I ride solo a lot because of work and family but there’s a few guys I ride with regulary. We aim for a Tuesday night ride but doesn’t always happen. You might have found grenofen already but if not there is loads hidden away in there. Bit of a mud fest at the moment though

James and matt at rockin bikes in yelverton have a more organised Tuesday night ride leaving the shop at 1830 but I’m rarely back in time. Pace is pretty high with them.

You might have found grenofen already but if not there is loads hidden away in there. Bit of a mud fest at the moment though. There are some nice loops onto the moors and around burrator. I rarely venture as far as cann woods but it’s pretty good too. Loads further to the east as well around lustleigh etc.

Didn’t realise you were so close jambo! Might have to hit you up for a cheeky ride it at some point as I haven’t ventured on to he moors yet as I don’t know where to start 🙁

Likewise! Nice1 jam bo for the info.
Yeah I’m no where near at pace with what Matt and other guys look capable of.
I’m a fair old chunk and want to revive my biking back to a decent level.