AIBU to consider moving to Scotland because I cannot cope with heat?

I couldn't take the heat I've def got the Northern Celtic genes. I would start with taking everyone for a long weekend or two and start looking at houses. Could you rent initially?

My friends from there used to complain about the dank rainy winters and how they preferred the cold brisk days of East Scotland.

I don’t think you’re the only one considering moving to a cooler part, even the south west / Wales etc is cooler. I love the winter, rain, cosy darker days etc. I just feel happier than hot oppressive days where you feel yuk and sweaty.

I used to live in London but moved to rural Lancashire some years ago, and have never regretted it. I still visit London and the south regularly - London is only 2 hours on the train from Preston - but for the first time this year I actually cancelled some meetings in London because of the heat. And a couple of clients actually suggested that they would like to come to me, just to escape the heat, which was a first.

The summer here has been generally very pleasant, mostly sunny (until a few days ago) with temperatures in the early to mid-20s, which is my ideal temperature. House prices are reasonable (though many people are surprised that in popular rural areas they aren't that much different from the south east), there are good schools and Manchester is close by for the `city' type things, though I'm not going to pretend it's anything like London - no UK city is.

So you don't have to go as far as Scotland to escape the furnace - I love visiting Scotland, but I'm afraid the long dark winter nights would make it impossible for me to live there - as northern England offers a realistic alternative. But you'd better get a move on, as house prices will be rising rapidly!

People buying holiday homes isn’t immigration.

I don’t have to. I live in Scotland. The extra tax is worth it.

What what?

Differentforgirls Again, cost of housing. A lot of those who moved for tax purposes earned over £40k. Suggest you check Scottish Gov taxation.

People like you scare me a little, with your collective you lot taking us out of the EU as if we're a monolith. The irony isn't as ironic as you think it is , but crack on with your generalisations.

For everyone else, Scotland is the same as England, in that there are friendly, open-minded people as well as ignorant, close minded, tribal folk.

So why haven’t they moved en masse?

Can't believe I have to clarify that housing is cheaper in Scotland than in England. Do acknowledge very north of England may be about the same but even there there was a boost in property prices when folk left Scotland and moved there when taxation in Scotland increased.

What?

Which way? To or from Scotland?

So you've written a post in which you deplore immigration's impact on your nation's housing market and position your country as being full of innately good people, unlike the culture the immigrants are coming from, which is positioned as inherently bad.
South of the border, we would call you a Little Englander. Is Little Scotlander a thing?

Look at the cost of housing over the border, may give a clue as to why people haven't moved en-masse.

There's a certain irony about people from a country where complaints about migration from war torn countries are loudest, wanting to move to another country - because of the weather. That said, we could do with more people and mostly welcome them, but don't believe for one moment that Scotland is 'the same' as England. Especially southern England. It's not nearly so class ridden, for one thing. Money doesn't necessarily buy you privilege, except in certain parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The ignorance on here is astounding. Yes, we will get angry if you inevitably screw up our housing market. Skye is a good example. Masses of rich incomers with holiday houses, and key workers living in caravans and tents. The SNP gets a bad press with some justification - but many people who are hugely disappointed in the party still support independence. That's why we vote for them. For all their many faults, we dislike the alternative - beholden to London - so much more. Be aware of that. We have never forgotten that we were dragged kicking and screaming out of the EU by our more powerful neighbour. We know that we're in a colonial relationship, not a real union. We hear the jibes. Meanwhile, I have an NHS dentist, I can phone my GP practice and get a prompt appointment, usually with a doctor of my choice, and our children leave university without owing a fortune in fees. The legal system is different, the NHS is different (and whatever people are saying, on the whole, it's better) and the education system is different. Not necessarily better or worse, but definitely different. There are far fewer private schools. There's a right to roam. You will have to get used to most of the 'UK' news on radio and TV not applying up here AT ALL. (And it's irritating.) People are - again on the whole - kinder and more tolerant. Less suspicious of their neighbours. The weather in South West Scotland is more windy and rainy than most people who don't live here can imagine, although the East Coast is drier and has more sunshine. We are not short of water. There are a lot of wind farms, although they also fund our communities. Midges will eat the tops off your socks. Eating out is as expensive - and in some cases more expensive - than in the south. Sectarianism still - shamefully - exists especially in South West Scotland. If you move north of the central belt, you'll pay more for deliveries. The immigrants who fit in are happy here, because they take it slowly and don't try to change things too drastically, too soon. My advice would be to spend a few weeks in late November in the place you want to move to. If you're happy, make the move. It's a wonderful country.

I bought a house in Aberdeen this year! Winters are brutal but will just have to adapt. I love how the city is on this beautiful beach. The summer felt great. I could afford a beautiful place that would have been a total pipedream. The locals can be down on it for having failed to live up to its oil boom glory days, but as a new arrival, I find it to be a characterful little city with lots going on. I ak worried about heating bills this winter though

We moved and retired to Northern Ireland in May this year. Beautiful part of the world. We had been planning this move for 18 months. The weather can be very wet and dull at times but the temperature is to our liking. When mainland UK was experiencing the terrible hot temps, we were in the low to mid 20's, very comfortable.
Not for one minute do we regret moving. We purchased a beautiful bungalow (199k) with fantastic views of Belfast Loch 😀 and the bungalow was 100k less than we would have paid for in our previous location.
Quality of life is amazing, food is fresh and cheaper. I previously hated buying vegetables that lasted a couple of days and then started turning. I really don't understand what is happening to the quality of food in general, in the UK. The quality of food in Ireland is as it should be, fresh!
We have made friends, quality of life is completely different. I could not have coped with the extreme weather conditions this summer, in my previous hometown.
It is early days, do we regret moving? The only regret we have is that we did not move sooner! Take a risk and move, would be my advice.Hopefully you will gain the same experiences we have, you won't know until you try. Good luck whatever you decide x

I live in London and barely anyone I know who you would call English is just English. Most are a mixture of all sorts of different nationalities from all over the world. I am English but my father's parents were Irish and my mother's family are originally from wales. They emigrated to Australia where she was born and raised. Does the individualistic personality of the English come from living in England or is it in their blood? Or is it just made up nonsense?

Lots of Scottish people come to live in London. I would never dream of generalising about them in this way.

I love Edinburgh. It’s never that hot or that cold. Can’t remember any snow last winter and I think it might have hit 28 degrees once in the summer but we were in scorchio France at the time. Mostly it’s been low 20s. Midges definitely not an issue in urban locations and even when they are, it’s only in certain places and at certain times. I was walking in the hills with DC1 last weekend and not a hint of a midge, doing the same tomorrow as well and won’t be bringing any midge spray, it’s been so long have had any bother with them I’d forgotten they exist. Otoh, every time we go to continental Europe, always come home with loads of itchy bites which often blister. It’s grim, it’s antihistamine all the way next time.

Scotland is only hell on earth for us southern softies :)

My wee sister lives in Perth - Oz, and her head is fried seeing us in skimpies and in the sea when its barely 20o C ( hot summer day here - middle of winter and light the fire for her )

You alicmatise. Im pretty sure when she emigrated, 30oC was like a furnace to her, now she takes it in her stride

As I say Im on the same attitude as Edinburgh , and today its been 18, complete dark cloud cover and so ruddy humid , but as darkness fell, curtains needed closing and a fire was needed but Im heading to a bed in a room where the windows are open cos it will still be hot to sleep otherwise ( little sister will disagree )

The NHS is just as bad in Scotland as elsewhere in GB. Have had exoeruence of long waiting lists, wrong diagnosis for one problem. This was discovered at a private appointment after NHS placed me on yet another 64 week waiting list for wrong treatment. Info to GP tgen referred to correct NHS department, 1 year list!
Then appointment with orthopeadic consultant who referred to old xray, prescribed drugs I should not have. Then declared I would be on a waiting list that I can use to contact if the condition deteriorated even more. Went to GP who was shocked at drug prescribed, also using old xrays. Drugs refused. And, they disclosed the waiting list is a tactic to enable NHS to provide figures to Scottish Government that waiting lists are reducing. GP informed me if I don't make any contact regarding "the waiting" within 6 months name is completely removed from the system as referral and I will be back to square one. Apparently, the lists are being applied to all conditions Anyone who thinks NHS Scotland is better than elsewhere hasn't a clue.I can go on about a surgical ward experience as a visitor only 3 weeks ago but like me, you just wouldn't believe what happened.

I moved to Scotland last year from Italy and have loved not spending my summer drenched in sweat and hiding indoors. I'd recommend East Lothian coast (not where I am) as less rainy/midgy than West coast, and a relatively easy journey to get back down to England for visits. Direct trains to London from Dunbar, I think. Plus not far to Edinburgh airport. One thing i would say is 25C up here feels more like 30C somewhere else. Not sure why, but it definitely feels different. At 25C in Italy I'd wear jeans and take a jumper with me, at 25C in Scotland I'm warm in shorts and t-shirt.

It's not been my experience at all that they "add nothing". From starting businesses to being the mainstay of local charities, they contribute a great deal.

lovely. 18 is fine by me