why we settled in the Southwest

I was born in Birmingham in 1947. After Handsworth Grammar School, I went to Leeds University. If friends from either place should stumble across this, I would be delighted to hear from them.

My wife, Cheryl, and I moved to Cornwall in 1972. Having lived in Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield, the delights of the far Southwest proved overwhelming and we’re still here – although we do seem to be drifting eastwards!

We began in Lostwithiel, moved to Polperro and eventually left Cornwall, moving just over the county boundary into Plymouth. There we stayed for more than twenty years until I secured early retirement and we moved to Totnes and, finally, Brixham. One of the advantages of the long spell in Plymouth was that although we were on the coast, we were only a few minutes drive from the Dartmoor National Park - that wonderful area of 365 square miles of stunning scenery that must be one of the very few places left in England where it is possible to escape the sound of traffic.

Fortunately, Dartmoor is still easily accessible from Brixham and we have the added benefit of living on the beautiful South Devon coast in this bustling, and very friendly, little town.