Advice on move to Edinburgh or Glasgow

[PouletDePrintemps]

DH and I currently live outside the UK in a European city. We are planning to move back to the UK very soon.

We were planning on going to Edinburgh but we are now wondering if Glasgow might be better for us.

We are in our 40s with no kids. We love walking in the hills and would like easy access to the countryside. No great interest in night life such as nightclubs etc but enjoy eating out from time to time.

We are looking to rent initially, ideally 2 beds with preferred budget of no more than GBP1000 per month.
DH will be working from home (he can move with his job) but I would like to find work in book-keeping/office management type role but of course at this stage have no idea if that is a)possible or b)where that job would be so it is probably best we stay fairly central or near to good transport links.

One final thought that may have some bearing on where we should look is that we are English, though I am not sure if this matters as much as some of the press make out.

We are going to Scotland next week to check areas out and maybe even to find a flat to rent so I would really appreciate your input on where you would recommend for us.

[WestCoastDreamin]

Why not somewhere in between like Linlithgow - good size, good transport links, easy access to both countryside and major cities?

[PouletDePrintemps]

Oh that could be interesting, thanks WestCoast

Are there any areas to avoid in Linlithgow or is it all nice?

[PouletDePrintemps]

Anyone else any ideas on Edinburgh or Glasgow?

[CormoranStrike]

Linlithgow, like anywhere in life,has a few rough bits but it is mainly lovely

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

From Glasgow, so biased :) (although have also lived in Edinburgh)

Glasgow is an awesome city, whatever you are into. There are also lots of suburbs with (generally) good transport facilities.

If you are into hill walking then Glasgow IMO is much better. Have a look at a map of Scotland and you'll see that the mountains are much closer to Glasgow .

However, Glasgow is wetter, but Edinburgh can be fecking freezing :)

[prettybird]

If you're want easy access to hills for walking, then Glasgow is probably slightly better. It's a compact, long narrow city (along the Clyde) so even from the South Side (like Pollokshields, where I live), it's still only 45 minutes to the Campsies and an hour to Loch Lomond.

With a budget of £1000/month, you should be able to rent somewhere nice. More expensive in the West End, but (West) Pollokshields, Shawlands, Newlands on the South Side will all have nice places and have easy access in to the centre of town. Plus there is Pollok Park to go walking in if you want a bit of wildness.

Plenty of culture in Glasgow: Celtic Connections on at the moment, the Comedy Festival in March, last week I saw a fabulous production of Cinderella by Scottish Ballet and in April Scottish Ballet will be performing the world premiere of Swan Lake by the same choreographer (who is now their Chief Executive/Artistic Director). We might not have the National Museum but we've got Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (with the iconic Dali painting of Christ of St John on the Cross), the Burrell Collection (in Pollok Park) and GoMA.

And Weegies are a friendly lot too!

[Ubik1]

Don't worry about Bemba English. They are very broad minded, I find. Except about football.

[Ubik1]

Bemba? Being

[helensburgh]

I think if you are used to city life somewhere like linlithgow would be too " villagy"

id say visit both, get a feel for them.
Edinburgh i find too touristy and fake, a bit too arty farty for me, all fur coat and no knickers is how it feels to me.

Glasgow is very down to earth. close to the clyde coast ( which can be beautiful) the trossachs, loch lomond, even the highlands are a day trip really.

[helensburgh]

Pretentious , thats the word id use for Edinburgh, but thats my opinion, each to their own.

[Piffpaffpoff]

Does it have to be the central belt? I'm thinking Inverness....I'd move there in a shot for the all outdoor activities in every direction!

[PouletDePrintemps]

Thanks for the replies.

DH has a preference for Glasgow I think as it is much nearer the hills and

It looks like property is cheaper in Glasgow than Edinburgh though difficult to tell if I am comparing like for like. And the job market, at least for jobs listed on the internet, looks similar in both with similar salaries too.

So if we do go for Glasgow, is the West End or South Side the place to go?
Any particularly good places or places to avoid?

[PouletDePrintemps]

Pretentious , thats the word id use for Edinburgh

Many years ago I had a lovely boss who said exactly the same thing. He was a weegie though

Ubik1 That is good to hear about the broad mindedness. Sometimes the press can make these things seem to be something they aren't

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

I'd say for property Glasgow is always a little bit cheaper and yes, it's closer to the hills. We do have the Pentlands though, which are very close to the city!

Taxis are significantly cheaper in Glasgow, I'm always jealous when I catch a cab there but that's probably not that significant!

I've lived in both cities and overall slightly prefer Edinburgh but it took me longer to feel 'settled' here.

Both West End and South Side are great areas - I've lived in both. West End probably more expensive for what you get though.

[prettybird]

I have lots of English friends. My family wasn't even originally from Scotland and has adopted it as our own. (We've been here since I was 3 which was a loooooooong time ago so as far as I'm concerned I'm Scottish).

I even know English people who were Yes voters in the referendum . Never, ever come across any antagonism towards English people just the football commentators still going on about 1966 - but that might just be because I only know nice people

[PouletDePrintemps]

Piffpaffpoff In many ways we would love Inverness because it is absolutely beautiful. It is the lack of jobs that puts us off. Although DH can move with his job he would like to have the option of moving on in a year or two. (I realise that it's not always that easy wherever you are though).

DH went to secondary school in Inverness-shire and his family are still there. He knows Edinburgh a bit but from many years ago but only visited Glasgow a few times. He moved away as soon as he finished school to get a job.

[Ubik1]

Glasgow west end is very cosmopolitan and multicultural due to the proximity of the university and teaching hospitals.

It has grand tenement flags usually with shared gardn areas out the back. There are botanical gardens, all kinds of restaurants, bars, an independent cinema, subway stations and a Waitrose.

It's worth a look - I love it - but it's expensive by Glasgow standards and there are other lovely places sauce as the areas prettybird has highlighted.

I'm English, love Glasgow and have never been made to feel unwelcome by the weegies.

[Ubik1]

Flags? Flats*

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

I'm from Edinburgh so completely biased however, in your circumstances I'd go for Stirling/Bridge of Allan/Dunblane. There's a train line to both Edinburgh and Glasgow and the motorway direct to both too. You are on the edge of the Trossachs, have the Ochils on your doorstep for nipping up for an hour or two if strapped for time. You are also directly on the A9 for heading North/North East (Aviemore etc) but also handy for the West/Glencoe/Fort William. Big Financial Services Co in Stirling too for jobs. Also keep in mind that there is some good walking in the Borders and Pentland and Lammermuirs etc more easily accessible from Edinburgh.

[PouletDePrintemps]

Thanks so much for all your replies. You are so helpful.

We are having all sorts of shenanigans over the sale of our flat etc and this is the first time I have felt really excited about it all.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Would also add that with the Uni (very international) on the doorstep, the area is very open to people from all countries/cultures.

In my street we have Scots, English, Italian, Indian, Canadian, South African, Nigerian, Kiwis, Irish....and Geordies :o

[Ubik1]

Geordies? We don't have Geordies

[Nospringflower]

I prefer Edinburgh to Glasgow. It's much smaller so easy to get around and it is such a beautiful city with loads to do (including easy to reach walking in the Pentlands and borders). But, I agree that Stirling could be a good option for hill walking access. I love going to Glasgow but wouldn't want to live there.

[prettybird]

Nospringflower - I feel the same about Edinburgh : love visiting but wouldn't want to live there (used to have to go across most weeks as my company had an office there and that's where my boss was).

Although I'm currently trying to get ds to think of Edinburgh Uni (or St Andrews, my alma mater) as opposed to New Zealand or Australia. I'd like him to go away from home as I think it's a good experience but not as far as New Zealand or Australia, so would prefer he didn't go to Glasgow Uni.

[cdtaylornats]

What about Stirling, ten minutes to the Ochills, easy access to Glasgow & Edinburgh by train, car or bus. Nice castle, lots of interesting little villages to start walking from.