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AIBU?

To move from the big smog to the Highlands?

371 replies

Rattusn · 31/07/2016 18:48

I have lived in London all my life, and it has been a bit of a love/hate relationship. I do love all the local facilities, and rarely for London, we do have some community. We do however live in a very deprived area, and I can already see my primary school age child becoming very streetwise, and being exposed to things I would rather she wasn't. The local secondary options are appalling ( very rough - think heavy gang involvement and frequent physical fights). If we stayed I would be dreading what will happen at age 11.

Our area is very high crime, and has a lot of social problems. Very ethnically diverse without much integration, with the resultant issues.

We have holidayed in the Highlands and it has been divine: Stunning scenery, with lovely friendly people, and altogether much more child friendly. Afaik all Scottish children go to their local school, so no more trekking across London because I couldn't get a place at a nearer school. House prices here are also incredibly good value for money after being used to London prices.

Altogether it seems like a an easy decision, but I'm not sure that it is pie in the sky. Aibu to uproot my dc across the country?

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Mumblechum0 · 31/07/2016 18:49

I'd do it if the London schools are that bad, but I suggest you live in a big town in the Highlands so that your kids don't hate you for ever for isolating them from pubs/jobs/cinema/clubs etc.

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specialsubject · 31/07/2016 18:51

uproot, totally reasonable. Move to Highlands - also not unreasonable but think winter!!

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 31/07/2016 18:52

Our area is very high crime, and has a lot of social problems. Very ethnically diverse without much integration, with the resultant issues

No don't live up here with a racist attitude

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BigginsforPope · 31/07/2016 18:52

They have winter for about 11 months of the year and will your job/career transfer so easily?

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Newes · 31/07/2016 18:53

There's a middle ground between the Highlands and London, if you have the money for a house near a good school.
But yeah, it would be blissful for me. Not so much for older DC though.

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Mumblechum0 · 31/07/2016 18:53

Yes, couldn't you just move out to the Home Counties so they can get jobs when they grow up, and you can still get into the city when you feel like it?

We're 35 miles outside London, in stunning countryside and in a beautiful friendly village where there's always something going on.

Only box we don't tick is affordability unfortunately

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Rattusn · 31/07/2016 18:55

fanjo I think you a deliberately misconstruing my point in an attempt to sound politically correct. Lack of integration does cause issues, that is a fact which is widely acknowledged.

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Didiusfalco · 31/07/2016 18:56

Is there an inbetween option? I think Holidays are very different to reality. Are you sure you're not having a knee jerk reaction to where you are and going for the complete opposite when a lesser change would suffice?

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BillyNotQuiteNoMates · 31/07/2016 18:56

If you can afford to it - no idea what your financial and job situation go for it.
Your child probably won't resent you for doing it, as long as she has the opportunity to make new friends and there are things to do. I'm assuming that she's quite young anyway. My teenagers would have a fit if I decided to move them now, but we uprooted when the oldest was 9 and it was the best thing we ever did. Not quite the Highlands but we moved from a large city, deprived area, to a small country town.

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 31/07/2016 18:58

No I am not, thanks.

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 31/07/2016 19:03

Do you integrate with local ethnic communities?

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NewStickers · 31/07/2016 19:06

Nothing racist about what the OP said fanjo

OP I would be worried about provincial attitudes, having to drive everywhere, winter and work.

Have you considered Edinburgh? Very small city. You could live closr to the centre and within minutes of beautiful countryside.

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 31/07/2016 19:07

There are lots of ethnic communities in edinburgh though, OP might not like it

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WorldWideWanderer · 31/07/2016 19:08

Go for it. And I envy you the opportunity.
But if you only know London, make sure you make the move in full knowledge of what you are moving to. Really research areas, visit the Highlands in the depths of winter, check on work opportunities and so on...

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Haggisfish · 31/07/2016 19:09

I would strongly advise renting your London house out and renting up north first over winter before you move permanently to see if it's as nice to live there as you think. Honestly, the winters are loooonnnggggg and wet. There's also quite a lot of underage drinking and drugs in many of the smaller towns.

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MitzyLeFrouf · 31/07/2016 19:09

A lot of English people move to the Highlands in pursuit of the good life. Seems a bit drastic to me though.

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DeadGood · 31/07/2016 19:09

Ignore fanjo OP

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RegTheMonkey1 · 31/07/2016 19:09

I moved from London (lived in Wimbledon, commuted to Kings X daily) to a small town in Argyll. Schools are wonderful, plenty of outdoor activity for kids, both of us got jobs. My commute is now - rather than 45 minutes (at least) on the Northern Line - 10 minutes through breathtaking countryside by the side of a loch (lake). And for what we got for our 3 bed, two bath semi - well, there is no comparison in terms of size, garden etc. I really thought there was no way I could find a life outside London, but it is possible. It took a little while to get used to the way people just chat away at the check out or in queues. It's a slower pace of life, but much richer.

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MitzyLeFrouf · 31/07/2016 19:10

And yy to drugs! Anyone I know who grew up in rural Scotland can tell some eye popping tales about drugs.

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froubylou · 31/07/2016 19:10

I don't think the op was racist at all.

Have you looked at Yorkshire at all? Around the pennies there is stunning scenery, small towns and villages but larger cities too.

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NewStickers · 31/07/2016 19:10

I don't think the OP meant that she doesn't like 'ethnically diverse communities' or that she expects other people to integrate with her community, but that she lives in an area where there is some tension arising from historic, structural problems with the social fabric. The rapid gentrification in London in recent years has had that effect on some areas. Not sure if that's what the op meant but I certainly wouldn't jump to the opposite conclusion.

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Sqooobado453 · 31/07/2016 19:10

Some of the responses on this thread are hilarious.

Whereabouts are you considering? Agree that the quality of life is excellent in most places. I live near Inverness and thoroughly recommend it.

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Olddear · 31/07/2016 19:11

Can't find anything racist in what you said OP. And how do you integrate with people who don't wish to integrate with you?? As for moving, it's a huge leap from London to the highlands! And being on holiday somewhere is very different to living there on a daily basis with the drudge of work, school etc. But I do understand why you would want to.

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FlowerOfTheWest · 31/07/2016 19:12

Whereabouts in the Highlands? Moving to Inverness is a very different prospect to moving to somewhere remote on the west coast. But if you can get work, why not? It's not idyllic though.

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Didyoumeantobesorude1 · 31/07/2016 19:12

I think you could get the best of both worlds by moving to a small town or city within striking distance of the Highlands - Perth or Inverness.

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