Relocating from Birmingham to Cornwall help..........

polestar

Hi,

I grew up in a village just outside St Austell and my brother and sister (and their young families) still live there. I think you are right to like the look of the area and hope I can do something to balance the bad reviews you have heard.

Firstly, let's just get it out of the way that, yes, the town centre isn't the prettiest (!) and will never compete with some other towns on looks alone. However the area has so much more going for it than a chocolate box high street.

It's a GREAT area to live and bring up kids. Beautiful countryside, good access to North and South coast beaches (lots of hidden gems around St Austell Bay that mainly locals know about so don't get too crowded in the summer). A proper community; not just holiday homes. Great transport links, good schools and college. All amenities you need within a few miles radius and Truro 20 mins away for retail therapy.

You have Fowey, Charlestown, Mevagissey etc right on your doorstep for the pretty harbour/pub thing, feast week celebrations etc. North coast surf beaches only half an hour's drive away and loads of lovely countryside and coast path walks (check out Luxulyan Valley and the coast path at Black Head for starters, also the Clay Trails above St Austell for panoramic views of the coastline).

I LOVED growing up there. I went to Charlestown school and spent many happy summers on the nearby beaches. It was, and still is, a friendly place that stands on it's own feet and does not feel like it relies completely on the tourist industry. It has a strong Cornish identity but is big and open enough to also welcome incomers.

Considering your wishlist, I'd look at Sticker, Tywardreath and Trethurgy. All good villages with pubs, shops, a bit of character (village fetes etc) and good access to the town and transport links. Also, a little bit further out, Grampound, Probus and Tregony are pretty with good amenities and well situated too. Even some of the clay villages (e.g. Penwithick, Trethowel, Trewoon) are better than their reputation allows and you can get some lovely old granite cottages for bargain rates up there if that's what you're after. Can seem a bit grey and drizzly in the clay areas at times but there is a lot of work going on to regenerate the old mines with public access trails and nature reserves and clay mining is due to stop altogether in a few years so these areas could be a good longer-term investment.

A little further away, Lostwithiel is another option with great schools, shops and pubs, a community feel, a mainline rail station and the BEAUTIFUL Lerryn creek just down the road. Feels a bit more 'inland' though and not such easy access to beaches, or town activities for teenagers.

Truro is a fab town (city) to visit but again, feels a bit 'inland' and not such an obvious community feel. On the north coast, I would second marmitepotato's idea of Wadebridge.

I have probably said enough for now Pls do PM me if you like

Wishing you all the best with the house sale and move!

puppypants

I love Cornish placenames!! xx

loubie1

Polestar- wow thank you so much !


It's great to hear local views of the area, I'm pleased my 1st instinct of St Austell was right ! You have hit the nail on the head with the suggestions of villages/towns I love the idea of a community, and as you rightly said not all holiday homes.


I am going to copy and paste the thread into a word document so I don't forget all of the recommendations !


Thank you all again, I will let you know of our progress.


Oh we live in a town called Chelmsley wood, Solihull !


Lou x

Strapped

I grew up in the area but now live in Devon. Happy to chime in when you start looking at particular properties. It's a lovely place to grow up, but don't be fooled - property vs wages very expensive, and the area loses a lot of its young people (I spent 13 years "away" in the South East).

polestar

No worries Lou, really hope you find what you're looking for
I agree with Strapped that a lot of young people tend to leave for a while (university, first jobs) but in my experience, many end up coming back in the end.

Also a second thumbs up for Tumbledowngirls's suggestion of Falmouth (I lived there for a couple of years too) it is a great town and IMO one of the best places in Cornwall for teenagers/young adults. However it is just that bit further down the coast and takes an extra hour or so to get to by car or rail. Also the town centre gets v busy in the summer which can be a pain if you are just trying to pop into the bank or whatever! The Roseland is delightful, one of my favourite areas too, and easily accessed from St Austell

Big fat yes to the Pandora Inn recommendation too!

polestar

Puppypants - a few of the best from St Austell Bay...

Menacuddle
Scredda
London Apprentice
Greensplat
Foxhole


(apologies for thread creep!)

tiernsee

We moved from Surrey to North Devon many years ago, probably the only person I know to move from London and make a loss! We are up the road from Bude in Barnstaple - love it here, close to beaches, moors, reasonable price housing, train to Exeter, major shops (yes, we do have a M&S!) and link road to the rest of the country. Schooling is not so great, primary OK, secondary decidedly average. I was probably spoilt by my experiences of an Essex Grammar School but certainly this is something to consider.

We also love Cornwall, especially the area around Marazion and Penzance but it does feel remote.


Would echo the sentiment that once you move south-westwards it is increasingly difficult to consider moving back to London and the South-East. We have been here nearly 20 years now and love it though I do like visiting London and going to the theatre. Good luck with the move OP.

Strapped

polestar wrote: »

No worries Lou, really hope you find what you're looking for
I agree with Strapped that a lot of young people tend to leave for a while (university, first jobs) but in my experience, many end up coming back in the end.

Also a second thumbs up for Tumbledowngirls's suggestion of Falmouth (I lived there for a couple of years too) it is a great town and IMO one of the best places in Cornwall for teenagers/young adults. However it is just that bit further down the coast and takes an extra hour or so to get to by car or rail. Also the town centre gets v busy in the summer which can be a pain if you are just trying to pop into the bank or whatever! The Roseland is delightful, one of my favourite areas too, and easily accessed from St Austell

Big fat yes to the Pandora Inn recommendation too!

I'd have to disagree - it's great if you want to buy drugs! Or maybe I just move in the wrong circles lol. I'd certainly favour Truro/St Austell villages over Falmouth.

Personally, I'd look into schools first and work from there. Penrice (secondary) in St Austell has an excellent reputation. I know from recent experience of a friend moving back to Truro, many of the village primaries are over-full so don't assume you will automatically get a school place. Good luck.

ETA: And shhhh, stop mentioning the Pandora, don't want everyone to know ;-)