Moving to Devon

[JohnnyBoxer]

Brixham isn't easy to get to in summer, from anywhere except Brixham (even by bike).

Dartmouth is ridiculously expensive and full of grockles for 7 -8 months of the year. Kingswear, the Brixham side of the Dart, would be better but the queues in summer for the ferries to Dartmouth clog the roads solid for hours.

Anywhere on the southern edge of Dartmoor means that you will either have to navigate the couple of roads to Dartmouth and then use the Dart ferries to get to the Torbay side, or navigate via the complete bottle-neck that is Newton Abbot.

Exeter direction? You'll be okay on the M5 and the first part of the A380 but where it gets to Newton Abbot and the Pen Inn roundabout it will be at a standstill. Then you will have to take the Newton Road towards Torquay (average speed in summer: backwards) to get on the Marldon By-Pass. This will deliver fairly rapidly (30 mph if lucky) to the next standstill. From there to Brixham is a lot of single-carriageway road being used by every other commuter trying to avoid the other snarl-ups.

Starting out from Newton Abbot will mean getting stuck on the Newton/Torquay road and the Marldon By-pass (before you get stuck on the way in to Brixham).Torquay is nice enough but prices are not cheap and you have to get to Brixham via Paignton (where you will get stuck).

Paignton is cheaper and for a reason. You will get stuck between Paignton and Brixham.

Even navigating these routes on a bike will mean that you'll get stuck quite a lot.

If you are working in Brixham, try and find a place to live there before you even think of elsewhere.

If you come down here at this time of year and spot a nice place, try and imagine all the roads and lanes (which most of the roads actually are) being used by gormless holidaymakers crawling along at 15 mph (if the traffic is moving at all) because: a) they are looking out of their car ooh'ing and aah'ing at how picturesque everything is. b) crawling down the middle of the lane because the high banks scare them shitless. c) they've just got a glimpse of the sea (again). d) they're on holiday, what's the rush?

Have fun.

How about Totnes

If you're worried about the NA to Torquay Road amd Marldon................cut through the back lanes via Compton or Ipplepen

 

[MikeP]

How about Totnes

If you're worried about the NA to Torquay Road amd Marldon................cut through the back lanes via Compton or Ipplepen

Are you kidding? Totnes?

FFS. It's the placenta-eater capital of the world. Even an ageing Hippy like Timolgra would find it too much.

The A385 out of Totnes is nose-to-tail stationary traffic most of the distance between Totnes and Paignton. The lights at the junction of the A385 and the Brixham Road is a bottle-neck. Last summer it took me an hour (in the car admittedly) to do the five miles from Totnes to that junction and it's not a good road for bike filtering, it's too narrow and nearly all solid white lines these days.

The old short-cut via Berry Pomeroy is known to all and sundry these days. It's mostly a 20 & 30 limit and only delivers you to the Paignton end of the Marldon ring-road. You've still got the single-carriageway road from there to the Brixham Road.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Are you kidding? Totnes?

FFS. It's the placenta-eater capital of the world. Even an ageing Hippy like Timolgra would find it too much.

The A385 out of Totnes is nose-to-tail stationary traffic most of the distance between Totnes and Paignton. The lights at the junction of the A385 and the Brixham Road is a bottle-neck. Last summer it took me an hour (in the car admittedly) to do the five miles from Totnes to that junction and it's not a good road for bike filtering, it's too narrow and nearly all solid white lines these days.

The old short-cut via Berry Pomeroy is known to all and sundry these days. It's mostly a 20 & 30 limit and only delivers you to the Paignton end of the Marldon ring-road. You've still got the single-carriageway road from there to the Brixham Road.

Must have changed since i was born and bred in Newton Abbot then..............never had a problem navigating the local lanes to get anywhere

From Pen Inn.......... I can be in Torbay Hospital in less than 10 mins (if you know how & where to go)

Totnes....................a bit alternative ..............but pretty groovy

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Brixham isn't easy to get to in summer, from anywhere except Brixham (even by bike).

Dartmouth is ridiculously expensive and full of grockles for 7 -8 months of the year. Kingswear, the Brixham side of the Dart, would be better but the queues in summer for the ferries to Dartmouth clog the roads solid for hours.

Anywhere on the southern edge of Dartmoor means that you will either have to navigate the couple of roads to Dartmouth and then use the Dart ferries to get to the Torbay side, or navigate via the complete bottle-neck that is Newton Abbot.

Exeter direction? You'll be okay on the M5 and the first part of the A380 but where it gets to Newton Abbot and the Pen Inn roundabout it will be at a standstill. Then you will have to take the Newton Road towards Torquay (average speed in summer: backwards) to get on the Marldon By-Pass. This will deliver fairly rapidly (30 mph if lucky) to the next standstill. From there to Brixham is a lot of single-carriageway road being used by every other commuter trying to avoid the other snarl-ups.

Starting out from Newton Abbot will mean getting stuck on the Newton/Torquay road and the Marldon By-pass (before you get stuck on the way in to Brixham).

Torquay is nice enough but prices are not cheap and you have to get to Brixham via Paignton (where you will get stuck).

Paignton is cheaper and for a reason. You will get stuck between Paignton and Brixham.

Even navigating these routes on a bike will mean that you'll get stuck quite a lot.

If you are working in Brixham, try and find a place to live there before you even think of elsewhere.

If you come down here at this time of year and spot a nice place, try and imagine all the roads and lanes (which most of the roads actually are) being used by gormless holidaymakers crawling along at 15 mph (if the traffic is moving at all) because: a) they are looking out of their car ooh'ing and aah'ing at how picturesque everything is. b) crawling down the middle of the lane because the high banks scare them shitless. c) they've just got a glimpse of the sea (again). d) they're on holiday, what's the rush?

Have fun.

you make it sound so much fun. and it rains a lot too ...you forgot that bit.

who was it who coined the phrase 'Mickey Mouse road system ' ?

 

[MikeP]

I too know the area from years of experience and can use a lot of short-cuts. The difference is that someone moving to the area will take a long time (or a lot of frustration) learning. You cannot rely on a SatNAv as many of the rat-runs have been closed-off to through traffic or severely chocked-down by traffic calming following residents complaints over the years.

Berry Pomeroy is a classic example. It's not been closed but the reduced speed limits, priority to oncoming vehicle islands and humps have destroyed any time advantages it once had.

 

[jez]

Not to bad via Stoke Gabriel

 

[MikeP]

you make it sound so much fun. and it rains a lot too ...you forgot that bit.

who was it who coined the phrase 'Mickey Mouse road system ' ?

It's still a great part of the world to live, especially it you don't have to travel to work. Today I took the K75 and bimbled off to Dartmouth for a nice lunch, then back along the A379 via Blackpool Sands, Starcross and Kingsbridge. I was in no rush so the occasional milk lorry making progress slow didn't bother me. (It took me an hour to wash all the mud and cow shit off the bike when I got back though )

 

[G4]

It's still a great part of the world to live, especially it you don't have to travel to work. Today I took the K75 and bimbled off to Dartmouth for a nice lunch, then back along the A379 via Blackpool Sands, Starcross and Kingsbridge. I was in no rush so the occasional milk lorry making progress slow didn't bother me. (It took me an hour to wash all the mud and cow shit off the bike when I got back though )

O that was you holding all the traffic up through my village then .........

 

[MikeP]

O that was you holding all the traffic up through my village then .........

Possibly. Pop-round and you can have your cow-shit and mud back.

 

[kebabtomten]

hehehe this place sounds fun

Thanks for all the tips , for now I will be staying at the local guest house. Not many properties out for rent around here. I might just get a place in Brixham its nice be able to walk to work etc.

I am also without my bike for a while .the bike just cleared customs and transported to my storage in essex ,I opened the crate this morning and secured it up before coming down here

By the way I will be the new dentist in Brixham , any of you need help with your teeth just pop by

 

[Hustler]

........By the way I will be the new dentist in Brixham , any of you need help with your teeth just pop by

Will do, we know the drill.

 

[Captain GSA]

SIDMOUTH-SIDMOUTH-SIDMOUTH .......

There really is only one place to live ....

And two tossers live here-within a quarter of a mile of each other ...

Welcome to the South West .... enjoy ......

 

[Ed209]

Teignmouth? more pubs than you can shake a stick at . Only one club if your desperate but easy access to m5. And the beach.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Teignmouth? more pubs than you can shake a stick at . Only one club if your desperate but easy access to m5. And the beach.

South Devon is my fav............................

but i'm biased.............born in Newton Abbot and educated @ Hazeldown Primary and Teignmouth Grammar School - good times

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Teignmouth? more pubs than you can shake a stick at . Only one club if your desperate but easy access to m5. And the beach.

I never ever go into Teignmouth ...
WHY ???
Because the feckwitted council complained about too many disabled people visiting the town....
So FUCK 'EM

 

[Ed209]

I never ever go into Teignmouth ...
WHY ???
Because the feckwitted council complained about too many disabled people visiting the town....
So FUCK 'EM

When was this? shocking if true bud

 

[Summer]

I never ever go into Teignmouth ...
WHY ???
Because the feckwitted council complained about too many disabled people visiting the town....
So FUCK 'EM

did they Proff, thats disgusting, I hope U wrote a letter of complaint !

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

There really is only one place to live ....

And two tossers live here-within a quarter of a mile of each other ...

Welcome to the South West .... enjoy ......

Sidmouth ?? you're joking. Thats second only to worthing for the oldest population average due to the huge amount of retirement homes.
Gods waiting room.

Having said that, i used to ride over there to the Marine bars , lower bar for a beer or three. It used to be a very good pub, lots of foreign student action
and loads of bikes outside.

In fact, i still have some strong ties to the place....

 

[Captain GSA]

Sidmouth ?? you're joking. Thats second only to worthing for the oldest population average due to the huge amount of retirement homes.
Gods waiting room.

Having said that, i used to ride over there to the Marine bars , lower bar for a beer or three. It used to be a very good pub, lots of foreign student action
and loads of bikes outside.

In fact, i still have some strong ties to the place....

It's true - the average age is a little on the high side but WTF ...

It's a great part of the country to live ..... great coast, beach, walks, rides, pubs, ...foriegn students - (I look but don't touch ... ) in case the missus ever signs to this forum ...

The great thing about the retirement homes thing is that we will always have customers that come and go .......

I love it here - besides just hooked up with another 'tosser' that lives just up the road from me in the town ...

 

[uncle dick]

Did I see someone having a go at Totnes? Lived here 40 years and love it. Exeter, Plymouth, Dartmoor and the coast all half an hour away and a great community.

Dick