MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Long story short, but our business didn't survive the recent C-19 turn of events as we only set-up in November and was banking on there being the usual uptick in business in March. Decided the best thing for our sanity and the family was to go back into a 'real' job. I used to work in London but can't stand the idea now after 20 years of that and the job I've been offered is very interesting and a new way of using my skills in a great way.
The job I've been offered is in Cornwall and the idea ticks a lot of boxes for us, being near the coast, slightly slower pace of life etc.
We currently live in a large rural village with a decent community, made good friends in the 3 years we've been here and mainly centred around the local pub but gradually extends to local cycling groups, local events and projects.
My concern is, we are hoping to replicate this to a degree in Cornwall but are we looking at it with our rose tinted glasses on? I've already started joining local mountain biking groups on FB and the like to get warmed up.
Has anybody made the move down to the most SW of counties and have experience to share? Any places to avoid, things to bear in mind and the like?
Great county but like anywhere it varies. Where’s the job based?
I live in Devon but started my career in Truro and my wife’s Cornish. May look to move back in a few years.
This might not be typical (although I have heard other stories). We always holidayed in Cornwall as kids and my brother (in his late 40s) moved back as he had such fond memories. His family moved to Truro and lasted two years - they simply found the ill-feeling towards them unbearable. His job means he is often in direct contact with the public and had several direct confrontations - being accused of 'taking locals' jobs' and the like (he works for a big company and they put a plea out to their staff to relocate there because they couldn't employ anyone locally). He couldn't wait to get back to Yorkshire and wishes he never went.
My wife would readily countenance a move to Devon (think Dartmoor, Exmoor, Quantocks, Mendips) but would start divorce proceeding if a move to Cornwall was suggested.
Go no farther than Devon.
Especially at night.
Jam on first. They ride bikes in the south west. They may accept you after about thirty years. Use more RRRRRR’s when you speak. And everyone is either your lover, dear or handsome. Learn to surf.
Seriously, great place, but not as nice as Devon. Long way from anywhere and lots of traffic in the summer. A village with a pub is a village with a pub. But being near the sea never gets old. Much cheaper to live inland. The area is one of the poorest in the country. With services to match. If you have children, expect them to move away over the longer-term and gradually try and migrate back.
From a Devonian who’s family is half-Cornish and three generations from a tin miner who left when the mines closed.
I grew up in North Devon and absolutely loved it. The space, the pace, the sea, the moors, all wonderful. Raised my eldest there and was pretty happy.
Anyway, time moved along a bit, change of circumstance and i've committed the cardinal sin of moving 30 miles south, over the border. I have to say, it's better. difficult to define, but overall it just seems more chilled.
I live right on the border now in a strange little pocket of the boundary and actual address is in Devon but Cornwall is 1/2 mile if I go North or South.
If you can sort out some work then you will be fine.
Disadvantages.
It's miles from anywhere you want to go. Always an hour or two in a car.
Could also be thought of as having a lack of culture. Gigs, Galleries, Theatre etc. I would say that's true for larger events, but there's plenty there on a smaller scale. There's loads of riding, and of course, the sea. I'd be looking at North Coast, Bude to Camelford as best value.
Do it!!
Been here for 26 years. Never ever experienced any bad feeling. Have taught in Penzance, Truro and St Stephen. Love it, wouldn't be anywhere else,(especially Devon ;-)) Don't be put off thinking there's a lack of riding. There aren't big centres but plenty of riding of all types bar high mountains. (Dartmoor not too far away) Most importantly you've got the sea.
His family moved to Truro and lasted two years – they simply found the ill-feeling towards them unbearable.
We moved to Truro five years ago and haven't experienced this at all. Also the riding is surprisingly good.
Everything does move a bit slower, which is lovely. Lots of local food, craft, arts. Love it. The downside is the summer gets heaving if you go to a tourist spot, but there's about 1000 beaches and 10 get busy, so explore and find the hidden gems. If you want a long list of recommendations feel free to message me as I was collating a list.
The big problem with Cornwall is that even Bristol is easily three hours away and most people would regard that as deep south west, so remember that any travelling you do *will* take an age.
A member of my family has lived there for 30 years and my son studied at Falmouth. In shops he used to get asides like 'farrkin forrrner' (he's white). At the time he said that Trago Mills did not have a single black employee. I came across a lot of insularity and ethno-centrism and of course alongside that you get the wide inequalities, low wages, insecure employment and reactionary small business owners. I regularly visited the breaks from Sennen to Saunton and I never came across the same in Devon. This is not a scientific survey, but is the experience of decades.
Where are you looking to move to?
I am a Londoner living in Cornwall and have not had any problems. It Takes a while to get used to everything being so slow and the extra traffic during the summer months. There are a few mountain bike groups catering for all levels and most people are generally friendly.
We moved from Sunningdale, Surrey to Plymouth. A vastly different friendlier world, and the better for it. Moors and beaches within 5 mins drive and the South Hams is lovely. Took my wife a while to get over the lack of Waitrose, mind. Also being the right side of the bridge means on a good run you can get as far as Birmingham in 3 -3.5 hrs.
I have been looking at Cornwall houses, they are expensive anywhere coastal. My take on your situation with kids and a job is you will be fine as you are contributing and keeping the local services going.
We holidayed down on the lizard a few times, a friend came once who was white but sun tanned. The locals in the pub started humming loudly, we just ignored it but I have to confess it does stick in my mind if a nice house came up.
I can see the hostility to tourists, it happens here in Spain but in reality without tourists a lot of jobs would go.
Wadebridge, Truro, Falmouth are all good towns. We lived in Mevagissey for 2 years and it was great if a little bit insular and self-contained - sometimes in quite a good way, but i can't fully recommend. A colleague moved to Wadebridge and got on a lot better.
Lots of deprivation as well especially in some of the central inland towns and villages.
Good mtb scene, local rides and races put on (CX, road and MTB).
Grogly woods for enduro. Also Carn Brea. And bits of cheeky coast path. Lovely road/gravel cycling on the roseland.
I grew up around the border of West Devon / North Cornwall but moved away mainly for work. You do get a few small minded types as you probably would anywhere but generally it was a very friendly and tolerant community.
Where you get localism a lot of this comes from people who have moved into the area and are trying hard to be more Cornish than the Cornish, putting on the accent and thinking they own the place. The natives are generally a lot milder, in my experience anyway.
Some great advice, thanks!
So the job is based in Falmouth, so probably looking within a radius (mainly to the east) of no more than 40min drive ideally. Thought about renting for 6-12 months and getting to know the kind of areas we would like to settle and buy a home. Falmouth would be great, love the town personally but we've got 2 cats that love to roam and 4 chickens, so a small place with little garden area doesn't really suit.
The distance from being anywhere is probably what I'm most anxious about, and have considered maybe basing ourselves in Devon, but that might just be a pain for work and not much fun at all.
Obviously work for me is the reason for moving, my other half will have to find work, but her role in a Luton secondary school is something she is happy to escape from. She's probably able to pick up work in a local school or a home based distance learning type of job. We'll see on that front, but I'm sure she'll find something eventually.
40 minutes drive to the east of Falmouth - maybe get a boat?
@scamperjenkins there's a Waitrose just over the bridge in Saltash.
@beanoir, I'm born and bred Plymouth and love the Southwest with a passion. I've worked in most of the England and South Wales (admittedly while staying in hotels) and there is nowhere better in my opinion.
His family moved to Truro and lasted two years – they simply found the ill-feeling towards them unbearable.
I have never heard of this in Cornwall let alone come across it.
He couldn’t wait to get back to Yorkshire and wishes he never went.
Ah. *cough* Twickenham 1991 *cough* 😉
Friends are Falmouth born and bred. It's a long, long way from anywhere. Think how far down you want to be.
The "local jobs/houses for local people" thing does exist, depends if the people you are talking to feel they have been affected by it or not. Think they resent second/holiday home owners more than people who move down to work.
Ah. *cough* Twickenham 1991 *cough* 😉
😂😂😂
East of Falmouth does seem... tricky. Unless you have a boat. The Roseland is beautiful and a commute across the Fal would be amazing!
40 mins from Falmouth in the winter, is not necessarily 40 mins from Falmouth from may through to September....
@crazyjenkins - yes, and she regularly finishes work at the hospital to cross over and get her fix on the ‘way home’ 😂
I have never heard of this in Cornwall let alone come across it.
I am only going by his experience - and he is the nicest, friendliest North Yorkshire born n' bred bloke you are ever likely to meet - he always has a smile on his face and happy to chat the day away with anyone that cares to listen.
He couldn't wait to come home.
“Yorkshire born and bred” that’ll be it then 😉
“Don’t talk to me about sophistication...... , I’ve been Truro!”
Good you know about it scamper!
‘farrkin forrrner’ (he’s white).
That's a geographical term for anybody who comes from east of the Tamar.
The correct response is "madder do ih!" translated in to English as "Does it matter"!
You also need to role the Rs not add loads of them.
Twickenham 1991
The Yorkshire teams must still have nightmares about that game to this day!
Edit.
People who move to a place and then try and tell locals how to do things will be met unfavorably wherever that is. Im my experience it is an issue in Cornwall, people moving there with an attitude that they are better (not aimed at any posters here). Corwall has a long history of in migration - People came to work in the mines and in associated industries from all over Europe including Holland (drainnage specialists) Germany (from silver mines) and Italy for the last several hundred years, to give 3 examples.
East of Falmouth does seem… tricky. Unless you have a boat. The Roseland is beautiful and a commute across the Fal would be amazing!
That would be ideal from my experience of the area, Tregony has popped up on my radar as a potential place to put down roots.
Make sure you buy up the hill, it can get very wet on the flat.
I assume you understand the concept of "dreckly"? 😄
Googled that one! Sounds about right though.
I live in Plymouth and always have, love this place of the country and its good for moors or sea.
I work in Truro, Plymouth and exeter and there’s a distinct difference in feel between the three “big cities”
The motorway finishes an hour before you get to Plymouth, driving in Cornwall takes forever and can be horrendous in summer.
I’d happily move down into Cornwall although jobs are limited
Tregony has popped up on my radar as a potential place to put down roots
Ha - that's where my wife is from. As has been commented above - what's indicated as a 38 minute drive won't be in the summer. My first job when I graduated was as a development control town planner in Truro and I couldn't believe the difference in site visit journey times from summer to winter, and that was 34 years ago. Tregony to Falmouth would be do-able but could feel a bit of a trek after a while - that Truro to Falmouth road is a PITA.
If you're looking to live in Falmouth, look at the surrounding villages.
We're about 15 drive from Falmouth have a byway about 2 mind from our house, that takes us to the main trails in police.
Also about 15 mins from Truro so it's kind of the best of both.
Oh I'm Cornish born and bred, but I've only realised quite how racist this county can be after Cornwall live articles about local BLM protests Facebook comments.
Live near where you work… summer drives are hell.
Some great little pockets of riding… plan to drive for the really good stuff though, just get yourself in riding distance of moorland for from the door rides if you can. Visit the coast, don’t live there. We’d be down there if we didn’t have teenagers. No prospects really.
but I’ve only realised quite how racist this county
We’re in Yorkshire. Enough said. Sad times.
I wouldn't want to commute to Falmouth from Tregony. Driving through Truro in the morning is a nightmare. You could look into the king harry ferry as an option. It's a bit isolated, I.e. it's a drive to snozzle for the nearest supermarket.
I can't really think of places to avoid, maybe certain areas in towns. All places are like that.
If it were me, I would look at 7-10 miles radius from Falmouth. I.e. perfect cycling commuting distance.
“Where are you looking to move to?”
You’ve done well picking up the local usage of to there @longmover.
‘Where’s the Falmouth bus to?’ is a perfectly reasonable question.