So perhaps our wanderings are over. We meant to settle on the south Devon coast, but when we came back from Canada we were tempted by the lovely north and rented in Whitby. Lovely place but too cold and harsh for us.

So we rented down here in Dawlish, and a house just turned up nearby. Lovely sea view, stuck in the late '70s so it needs work, but priced accordingly. And as we're renting we don't have to live in the middle of the unheaval!

We don't think property is a growth investment any more, and reckon prices could well go down, but this will be our home for quite a while, we hope.

Bev

How exciting. Congratulations.
How long does it all take seeing you are renting and ready to move in?

Great news Congratulations hope you will be happy there.
I agree with the north being too harsh born and bred in Yorkshire,but when we get home it will be the south coast for us, can't wait.

Congratulations

Congratulations Bev!!

I'm new to this forum and have been reading the posts with great interest. You sound very happy to be home; that's wonderful. We are planning to return to the UK this year, after 30 years in Canada, and will also be looking for property in Devon.

We have to sell ours here first of course, but have already started looking on Rightmove in the area from Looe to the Dorset border. We're considering all of the coastal towns (I really really want a sea view) including Torquay, Teignmouth, Brixham, Dawlish etc. etc.

Have you found it easy to fit in and be accepted? I know when we've been back on holiday, everyone thinks we're Canadian or American (!) even though our Canadian friends think we sound very very english.

We do want to become part of the community wherever we settle and I believe that in some smaller towns, it can take a while to be accepted.

I imagine you must be very busy with a new house to work on, if you have the time, I would love to hear your opinions of the places you looked at in the area.

Thanks. Denise

Hi Denis.

We searched the same range, but in one way we were spoiled for choice, in another not finding precisely what we wanted. We do have family in Dawlish, so that helped in the end, but it wasn't key.

One factor was communication. I think Looe has a train line, but east Exmouth the coast isn't on the train line. We find being able to hop onto a train to London, Bristol, et al very convenient. The main line that passes through Dawlish leaves the coast at Paignton, I think, but goes down to Penzance.

They've almost got rid of the direct trains just recently, so we mostly have to change in Exeter, but it's still a good service.

We like Exeter, and it's not far away. Another factor.

Not far to the motorway for driving north or east.

A lot of people like Torquay, but we just didn't take to it when we looked. There's a lot going on there, though, if that matters. Dawlish is definitely sleepy, but the people do seem very friendly. One thing about these small coastal towns is that a lot of people are incomers -- and also of retirement age. They're quite welcoming.

More later. We're off to Spain soon. Another advantage of returning to teh UK!

Bev

Congratulations, here's to a smooth move.

Good Morning Bev,

Thanks so much for the info, very helpful. We did find a few nice properties in our price range in Torquay, but were a bit put off by how busy it will be in summer. I guess this applies to most of the coastal towns. Dawlish is such a lovely place with fabulous walks. Perhaps the secret is to live within walking distance of the daily necessities and driving distance of somewhere bigger to shop. We plan on going somewhere warm for a month or two in the winter, so will probably be there all summer. You must be so excited; I bet you can't believe it? Looking forward to more reports. Denise

That's great news, Bev! I can imagine that Whitby, lovely though it is, is a bit parky for much of the time LOL! Dawlish sounds great!

Congratulations !

I am quite envious lol

It sounds like a lovely spot you have chosen

It's a bit bloody foggy!!

Well done Bev, I hope you will both be very happy!!

Wow, so happy and jealous for you Bev!!!!!!!! have a wonderful life.

Congrats! Dawlish is lovely, nice golf course there too!

We spent a couple of weeks in last June scouting out Devon and Cornwall for our planned return later this month. We flew from Toronto straight into Exeter on Air Transat which was a real bonus, headed to Looe and worked our way westward along the south coast to Truro, north to coast and all the way along to Somerset and then south to the east Devon coast. We did 1500 miles in the two weeks - a lot of driving considering much of it was on A & B roads.

We thought where Cornwall edged it in terms of tranquility and its picturesque beauty - Fowey, St Mawes and Boscastle in particular and Truro is a perfect sized city, very nice feel about it and some beautiful architecture, Devon had more livable year-round communities and better access to transport links. We liked the Jurassic coastal area from Budleigh to Lyme Regis, though the lack of a direct train line might have us favouring Honiton or Axminster.

We've a Colyford holiday rental booked for 4 weeks in late January while we seek out an unfurnished place for a 12 month rental

Lovely reading stories of people returning "home." I would love to go back myself. I have been here 5 years. Out of interest does anyone know what % of Brits return from Canada???