Regional Info

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Weather

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Rainfall

Below is a rainfall contour map for the peninsula from which you can see that whilst we have a higher than average rainfall here, the reality is that these areas of higher rainfall are restricted to specific locations, usually upland areas and their rainshadows.

for a detailed look at todays weather in the West Country click on http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/watchet_forecast_weather.html

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Light Pollution

Most of us in the West Country enjoy the privilege of a star filled sky at night when the weather permits. If light pollution is important to you in choosing a location you may find this map useful.

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Communications

Air

Exeter airport has daily scheduled flights to and from Belfast, the Channel Islands, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Norwich, together with flights to Alicante, Malaga and Paris http://www.exeter-airport.co.uk

Trains

The main London (Paddington) to Penzance line provides a fast and frequent service to Taunton, Tiverton Parkway and Exeter with sub two hour journeys to London from Taunton on certain services. The London (Waterloo) to Exeter line is single track for much of its length and consequently much slower but it does provide a useful service via Honiton. 
Paddington – First Great Western – fastest journey time to Exeter of 2 hours 4 minutes
Waterloo – South West Trains 
Cross-country throughout the UK – Virgin Trains

Road

There are two main routes to Exeter from London, the M4 to Bristol/ M5 to Exeter, which can be done in 3 hours, and the M3/A303 via Basingstoke/Andover, which can be done in a similar time when traffic is light – Exeter airport has daily scheduled flights to and from Belfast, the Channel Islands, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Norwich, together with flights to Alicante, Malaga and Paris.

Properties

The spread of property types and prices is considerable. Devon cottages are available away from the coast and sub regional centres from £300,000. Good village houses from £600,000, Old Rectories from £900,000 and hobby farms from £750,000. The exceptions are the coasts where proximity to the sea invariably commands a premium. This premium is considerably less on the North coast.

The Excellent private schools in Exeter, Taunton, and Tiverton are also having a significant uplift on the values of good houses within 15 minutes drive as does proximity to the mainline stations at Taunton, Tiverton Parkway and Exeter. The areas of the counties not affected by these factors, principally inland north west Devon still represent the best value for money.

Schools

There is a great diversity in the style of state school available, from the tiny village primary schools on the edge of Exmoor the large, highly acclaimed secondary schools in all the major towns and cities. Colyton Grammer, near Honiton is currently the best performing state school in the country.

Independent Schools
These are listed below. Many operate bus services to outlying rural areas.

Blundell’s Preparatory School |     01884 252393    01884 252393     01884 252393 | www.blundells.org | 3-11

Blundell’s Preparotory School Blundell’s Road Tiverton Devon EX16 4NA

Blundell’s School | 01884 252543 | www.blundells.org | 11-18

Blundell’s School Blundell’s Road Tiverton Devon EX16 4DN

Bruton School for Girls | 01749 814 400

Bruton School for Girls Sunny Hill Bruton Somerset BA10 0NT

Brymore School | 01278 652369 | www.brymore.somerset.sch.uk | 13-17

Brymore School Cannington Bridgwater Somerset TA5 2NB

Exeter Cathedral School | 01392 255298 | 3-13

Exeter Cathedral School The Chantry Palace Gate Exeter Devon EX1 1HX 

Exeter School | 01392 258712 | www.exeterschool.org.uk | 7-18

Exeter School Victoria Park Road Exeter Devon EX2 4NS

Grenville College | 01237 472 212 | www.grenvillecollege.co.uk | 2-18

Grenville College Belvoir Road Bideford Devon EX39 3JP 

Kelly College | 01822 813100 | www.kellycollege.com | 11-18

Kelly College Tavistock Devon PL19 0HZ

Kings College | 01823 328204 | www.kings-taunton.co.uk | 13-18

Kings College South Road Taunton Somerset TA1 3LA 

Kings Hall | 01823 285921 | www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk | 3-13

Kings Hall Kingston Road Taunton Somerset TA2 8AA

Manor House School | 01404 42026 | www.manorhouseschoolhoniton.co.uk | 2-11

Manor House School Springfield House Offwell Honiton Devon EX14 9TL

Millfield | 01458 442291 | www.millfieldschool.com | 13-18

Millfield Street Somerset BA16 0YD

Queen’s College | 01823 272559 | www.queenscollege.org.uk | 3-18

Queen’s College Trull Road Taunton Somerset TA1 4QS

Shebbear College | 01409 282000 | www.shebbearcollege.co.uk

Shebbear College Shebbear Beaworthy Devon EX21 5HJ

St Johns School | 01395 513984 | www.st-johns.devon.sch.uk

Prep St Johns School Broadway Sidmouth Devon EX10 8RG

St Margaret’s School | 01392 273197 | www.stmargarets-school.co.uk

St Margaret’s School 147 Magdalen Road Exeter Devon EX2 4TS

Taunton School | 01823 349200 | www.tauntonschool.co.uk | 13-18

Taunton School Staplegrove Road Taunton Somerset 

The Maynard School | 01392 355990 | www.maynard.co.uk

The Maynard School Denmark Road Exeter Devon EX1 1SJ

Wellington School | 01823 668800 | www.wellington-school.org.uk | 10-18

Wellington School South Street Wellington Somerset TA21 8NT

West Buckland School | 01598 760281 | www.westbuckland.devon.sch.uk | 3-18

West Buckland School West Buckland Barnstaple Devon EX32 0SX

Leisure

Sailing – More challenging and less accessible on the North Coast. Plentiful and varied on the South Coast.

Theatre – Exeter’s Northcott and Barnfield theatres punch above their weight considering their small size and the same can be said of The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton but in truth people do not come to this part of the westcountry for the culture.

Walking – The Quantock Hills and Exmoor are two national favourites on the doorstep. The Brendon and Blckdown hills are less well known but offer great oppertunities for exploring.

Fishing – Trout streams abound and great fun can be had inexpensively or free on the myriad of streams and rivers that play host to these sporting fish. Salmon fishing on the Barle the Torridge and their tributaries is getting expensive but with the Salmon on the river Exe making a resurgance this is better value. http://www.exebolhamfc.co.uk/

Shooting – A wide choice from the large commercial shoots around Dulverton to the small syndicates that occupy every other Devon valley. There are more testing high bird shoots here than in any other part of the country. http://www.loytonlodge.com/wc-shoots-the-field.pdf Mercifully the fashion for very large bags appears to be on the wane.

Hunting – Some of the finest fox and stag hunting in the country is avaiable in the area with two packs of Stag Hounds and eight packs of foxhounds to choose from. The Taunton Vale Foxhounds hunt over a well heged country and offer bolder riders the opprtunity to test themselves against these challenging obstacles. This is the westernmost pack of hounds where the jumping of hedges to follow hounds is still regularly practised. http://www.tauntonvalefoxhounds.co.uk/

Polo – The old established Taunton Polo Club at Orchard Portman offers two excellent well drained pitches and pony hire. http://www.tauntonvalepolo.co.uk The newly established Vaux Park Polo Club at Wigborough provides similar facilities but also offers arena Polo in the winter, pony liveries and tuition. The West Somerset Polo Club at Brushford is Englands most westerly club and the rustic setting of it’s two pitches on the banks of the river Barle are pobably the country’s most picturesque.