Where would you live?

[DoubleEnder]

If you had your choice of E Coast locations? Ideally with reasonably priced deep water swinging moorings available nearby? Currently I 'commute' to the boat, but MIGHT have the chance to move out of London, at first part-time ie long weekends but then maybe eeek as a 'retirement' house. Sailing of course but also stuff like shops, decent road/rail access, generally interesting place, good food options, er, cinema? Opera house? Well of course no opera house because that only leaves one choice, but for general amenities that make a good place to live.

Currently boat is at Pin Mill which I like a lot but Chelmondiston is maybe just a little bit toooo quiet? Any other ideas? I've visited lots but would value your opinions, cautionary tales etc

Thank you

Graham

 

[AliM]

We had exactly that problem a couple of years ago when we retired from London jobs. We had the boat on the crouch and were pretty fed up with the weekend commute to it.

We spent some time wandering around towns (we wanted to be able to walk or cycle to the shops, for the most part, so excluded the little villages), and also considered the sailing, moorings etc. the main candidates were:
Ipswich, but we didn't really warm to the town - lots of advantages though
Woodbridge - long sail to the sea, but otherwise lovely
Aldeburgh - as Woodbridge
Harwich - as Ipswich
Brightlingsea - a bit remote
Wivenhoe - as Woodbridge
Burnham
Maldon
We didn't like the Thames options

We have ended up in Maldon, and don't regret it for a moment - loads going on. Reasonable public transport to Chelmsford and Colchester, when we can't be bothered to drive. 20 mins from the boat (still on the Crouch with nice day sails possible even when the weather is bad)

It helps to have the flexibility of a bit of spare cash from selling a commuter-area house!

 

[Charlotte Anne]

Showing my Suffolk bias:
Woodbridge - but might well keep the boat at Ramsholt or Waldringfield... it would be my first choice town to live in were it not for the office being in London.
Holbrook - no need to move the boat - not on the water itself but all the key components of a town and within a walk of both the Orwell and Stour. Easy to Manningtree so full of commuters - and house prices reflect that.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Maldon is great, lived near there when I moved from London.

But I like the quiet and remote places now and a house at Ramsholt in sight of the boat on a mooring would be perfect. Woodbridge is a big place now it's 20 years since I lived in London.

 

[Sixpence]

We have ended up in Maldon, and don't regret it for a moment - loads going on. Reasonable public transport to Chelmsford and Colchester, when we can't be bothered to drive. 20 mins from the boat (still on the Crouch with nice day sails possible even when the weather is bad)

I thought that Maldon would be like most small towns on the coast where everybody seems to hibernate during the winter, is this not the case ?

 

[John 32i]

No ones mentioned Felixstowe - could do worse....swinging mooring locally or a choice of marinas a short drive away at Ipswich, Woolverstone, Woodbridge or Levington!

 

[DavidofMersea]

I thought that Maldon would be like most small towns on the coast where everybody seems to hibernate during the winter, is this not the case ?

I always feel that Maldon is a scuffy run down sort of place.

BTW Nobody seems to have mentioned Mersea - I live there and it is a great place to live and sail from

 

[xyachtdave]

Nobody seems to have mentioned Mersea - I live there and it is a great place to live and sail from

Only in the summer though??!

 

[ChattingLil]

How far from the mooring would you be prepared to travel?

 

[IanPoole2]

Some places have a bit of a waiting list for a deep water mooring, or you go to a more expensive marina.
I live in Wivenhoe, boat is in Brightlingsea - all of 10-15 mins "commute". Used to keep the boat in Wivenhoe but wanted walk on / walk off and was prepared to pay more for the convenience

 

[IanPoole2]

BTW Nobody seems to have mentioned Mersea - I live there and it is a great place to live and sail from[/QUOTE]

Could be a reason!!

 

[DavidofMersea]

Only in the summer though??!

The OP asked for east coast locations, and I was in Mersea until last week

 

[DoubleEnder]

Lots of good stuff. Thank you. Kent? Anyone got any views on Kent....?

 

[AliM]

We were surprised how much is on in Maldon in the winter. We have been at talks or Film Club films two or three times a week, sometimes more, since September, almost all within 5 mins walk. Residents range from real Essex salt of the earth to the medium posh, but it seems to be a friendly place, and we have talked more to our neighbours in the first year here than we did in 10 years at our previous commuter belt houses!

 

[Sixpence]

We were surprised how much is on in Maldon in the winter. We have been at talks or Film Club films two or three times a week, sometimes more, since September, almost all within 5 mins walk. Residents range from real Essex salt of the earth to the medium posh, but it seems to be a friendly place, and we have talked more to our neighbours in the first year here than we did in 10 years at our previous commuter belt houses!

That does surprise me, but pleasantly so. I thought it was a lovely looking town when I was there last but that was a few years ago, about the same time as when I went to Mersea and couldn't wait to leave

Southend On Sea looks quite nice too but according to wiki it's all run down, so any views contrary to that I'd be interested in hearing

 

[DavidofMersea]

when I went to Mersea and couldn't wait to leave

What is wrong with Mersea? BTW, there are at least 6 formites living in Mersea

 

[Sixpence]

What is wrong with Mersea? BTW, there are at least 6 formites living in Mersea

That doesn't mean we all have to like the place, and I don't, some of us prefer something else which is lucky as otherwise the prices there would be extortionate

 

[banger]

Only one choice for me, Maldon. Loved it since my first visit in 1966, no chance to live there though too much investment locally to chance moving.

 

[johnalison]

There is no law saying that you have to keep your boat where you live. Much of East Anglia has desirable living and although I live in Wivenhoe, I don't keep my fin-keeled boat there. I have a number of friends in Maldon and belonged to the MLSC for yonks, and although it has improved greatly since the 1970s it doesn't attract me. Before moving from Herts, I looked at a county map and the place that had all the right road connections for sailing and family was Tiptree. And then I drove through it.

 

[Poecheng]

We have given this lots of thought over the years - have had boats on Crouch, Mersea, Walton, Woodbridge and now Brightlingsea (and wintered at Heybridge and Maldon).

Concluded that best place(s) for us to live in retirement is not where we would sail from.

For living: we like Maldon a lot but it is Woodbridge that gets our vote followed closely by Wivenhoe. Maldon has a very different feel from Woodbridge (which I know well) and Wivenhoe (not as well).
For the boat: Brightlingsea or Mersea in the summer but you can winter your boat easily in both Woodbridge and Maldon where there are good facilities. I think it is more important that it is close in winter rather than during the summer.

Good luck