East Devon is a beautiful area in which to live and there is plenty on offer for those who want to live in the villages that add to the areas rich pageant of rural life. Here, we feature East Budleigh, Colaton Raleigh and Otterton.
The villages of East Budleigh, Colaton Raleigh and Otterton are tucked away in the beautiful East Devon countryside, in the inland area between Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth.
All are rich in history, with picture-postcard pretty thatched cottages, along with ancient churches and thriving village halls.
East Budleigh is well-known as the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh; there is a statue of him in the village, a pub named after him, and a Raleigh family pew in the ancient parish church.
There is also an impressively large village hall and community shop.
Colaton Raleigh, as its name suggests, was owned by the Raleigh family in the 13th century.
Otterton has its historic working watermill, which also offers a restaurant, bakery, craft shop and art gallery; it is also a venue for live music events.
Residents praise the friendliness and community spirit of all three villages.
A woman in East Budleigh said it is a lovely village with a lot going on.
A resident of Colaton Raleigh described it as a good place to live with nice people, and its own village fete and music festival.
A local man in Otterton said that while it has its share of holiday homes, their owners integrate well with the locals, and he simply wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
One word of warning though – mobile phone coverage is patchy in this area.
Transport
The 157 bus connects all three villages with Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth, but does not run in the evenings.
According to local residents, the lack of public transport in the evenings can be a problem. Exmouth is the nearest town with a railway station, providing good links to Exeter; Honiton railway station, a 20-30 mile drive from the villages, is on the main line to London Waterloo.
Food and drink
All three villages have pubs serving food, and all the pubs are popular with locals.
Budleigh and Otterton both have community shops selling locally-produced food and drink; the village shop at Colaton Raleigh also produces its own wine, cider, fruit juice and salami, sells local meat and cheese, and has a small café.
The nearby towns offer plenty of bars and restaurants.
Education
East Budleigh and Otterton both have their own primary schools, rated Good by OFSTED.
For secondary education, many pupils travel to Sidmouth, Exmouth or Ottery St Mary.
Bicton College offers qualifications including A-levels, NVQs, diplomas, apprenticeships and degree courses, mostly linked to specific careers.
Sport and leisure
All three villages have various sports and activities centred around their community halls.
Otterton has its own football club based at the Stantyway Playing Fields.
The Ladram Bay Holiday Park near Otterton has a swimming pool, shop, restaurant and bar, all of which are open to the public.
Exmouth and Sidmouth both have leisure centres. Closer to home, Bicton Park and Botanical Gardens is one of Devon’s most visited attractions.
Football clubs.
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