To move from the big smog to the Highlands?

[Rattusn]

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?

[RowenaDahl]

I'd say give it a go but agree with comment to rent your London place out.

Completely understand the comment about communities not integrating. Have lived somewhere similar.

[thecook]

fanjo

Stop being politically correct for the sake of it

Why would I have bothered to learn Arabic if I was xenophobic? I am from a small northern town but was fascinated by the language when I moved down here.

I waa merely stating a fact about integration. Do you live in my area?

[Sqooobado453]

All the Inverness schools are good. The point of living here is that you can be doing all kinds of outdoor pursuits within a very short drive. Eden Court theatre is excellent. Great restaurants. Direct flights to Schipol.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

fanjo so now I'm having a bitch at you? . Weird comment.

Anyhoo OP, hope you come to a good conclusion and make the right decision. Good luck.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

It was me that said about energy bills being higher - I'm not saying it's because we live in the frozen North, but the ambient temperature is lower. Im in North Central belt and we needed ours on yesterday for an hour in the morning and the evening. My DSis lived in Exeter for a few years before moving back up and says her bills are 50% higher now she is back up. I'm not saying it's a deal breaker, but although housing may be cheaper, you need to factor in some higher cost of living items. It's not like living in London, but there are some things that will go up as well as many that go down.

I do love Scotland and I'd recommend it to anyone.

[FrogsSpawnofSanta]

I'm another Invernessian who doesn't recognise some of the descriptions of Inverness on here. It is lovely up here. There is a huge range of activities for kids and adults; all types of dancing, football, rugby, shinty, American football, ice hockey, martial arts, drama and performance groups, athletics, fencing, trampoline and loads more. The schools are good and no carry on about admissions. People are friendly and really don't care where you come from. The weather is really not that bad, Inverness is quite sheltered and doesn't get horrendous weather (disclaimer: I'm a highlander born and bred and it has to be blowing and absolute hoolie to get a reaction from me!)

I live on the outskirts of Inverness. I have a forest with lovely walks 2 minutes away from me, a 5 minute car journey to the city centre,20 minutes to the nearest beach, a good school on my doorstep with secondary education a 10 minute walk away. I couldn't imagine bringing my child up anywhere else.

Yes there are issues with drugs, anti social behaviour, ect. but no different to any town, city or village in the UK. It is certainly no worse than anywhere else and better than many.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Some of the initial comments were not about living in Inverness though. They were about generically living in the Highlands. ime Inverness and Aviemore area definitely have a better climate and less of the dreich wet miserable days that you can get in some places. Aberdeen coast can be colder and windy. Central belt gets a bit of everything.

I agree that the long summer nights are a big compensation for the winter. It's not so much snow and ice as they are never a regular or permanent feature, for me it's when you gets those weeks of permanent mizzle and dankness and you feel it's never going to end. I am sure you get that all over the UK though.

[YouMakeMyDreams]

I had no idea there were so many local to Inverness on here. I knew of one or two but there seems to be more than I thought.

[KC225]

I lived in Wandsworth Borough like you rough area, overcrowded tiny flat. With both of us working we could not afford to up grade in London. School wise was easier, though my local schools were grim and in special measures. However, did get my kids into a great school by taking two buses to the next BOROUGH

We decide to relocate to rural Scandinavia where my husband is from. For the price of our flat we have an enormous mortgage free house, (some parts are still a building site) a garden so we have our big our own barn. It is stunning. The kids have taking up skiing and riding, certainly not affordable for us in London. But it is not plain sailing. I have struggled with the language which you probably won't on the HIGHLANDS. The scenery is stunning but the remoteness of it is overwhelming sometimes. Sometimes on a cold rainy day you just want take the kids to a soft play, swimming or cinema. Today we are driving nearly two hours so the kids can see GHOSTBUSTERS.

Some two years on I have no real friends.
Partly my fault not speaking the language although a lot do speak English. I am not sure how different that would be if I did speak the language. I had a fireworks party and invited all the neighbours but only two came. I was involved on a voluntary basis in the school in London but that does not happen here despite me offering. I would not recognise half parents in my kids two classes (only 15 in each). Parents of primary school age do not have to do pick up or drop off.

In London there is always something going on, perhaps too much but not so much here. I do make trips back and on my own a few times, now the kids are older. And we have just had family holiday back in blighty.

I think you're right to consider the pros and cons. Some of the things I have mentioned won't touch you but a true city girl has things to consider.

[MargotsDevil]

I would also consider Perth and Stirling OP. Both are on the edge of the Highlands but also considered central - very easy access to Edinburgh and Glasgow and beyond. Gives you best of both worlds.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

I live in Stirling, It is a great place to bring up kids and very open to all nations due to the Uni. In our street we have Scots, English, Italian, Canadian, South African, Kiwi, Indian and Nigerian. Everyone rubs along perfectly well :)

There isn't a sport of hobby that we haven't found available somewhere in the local area. Edge of the Highlands, the only thing we don't have is the beach but you can be at either coast in an hour or so. 30-40 mins to Glasgow, 40-50 to Edinburgh. Schools are all pretty decent. Still feels countrysideish as the city is very small. Still have every supermarket including M&S food and Waitrose within a few miles distance - apart from Asda which is further away but there are plans to build one in Stirling at some point.

[TheWernethWife]

My daughter and her family live just outside Inverness, they love it. We go up as often as possible, nearly 400 miles but doable with a couple of stops. We stop for lunch at The House of Bruar (off the A9) as a treat.

We've been walking on Findhorn beach on Christmas Day, weather lovely.

Be prepared to ferry the kids around though.

[jmh740]

You make my dreams
Where abouts do you live? My fil lives near alness

[helensburgh]

I think from what you say you don't mean v remote Highlands?
What about somewhere like dumfries and galloway?
Fantastic schools, countryside and beaches fab, close to a town and quick public transport to Glasgow/ Edinburgh. Lots of activities for kids and opportunities to.meet lots of people and still be rural.

[Kukoo]

My family come from north of Inverness and I've spent a lot of time up there and in Inverness throughout my life.

I absolutely love it but would say the negative sides are:

Cold
Not much to do in winter
Dark in winter
Not as many opportunities for DC
Anti-English banter - nothing more and fine if you can take a joke

Plus sides:

Beautiful scenery
Slower pace of life
Much cheaper housing
Friendly people

There are massive cultural differences. We lived in London but would spend a lot of time up there and I really noticed it. Most of my Scottish peers would take the piss about being English but I very rarely encountered genuine dislike and even then it wasn't from highlanders.

Most of the youngsters move away after school as there isn't as much work or opportunities. Maybe that's different actually in Inverness though?

It's a massive leap, have you thought of Wales?

[ToriaPumpkin]

I'm 15 minutes outside of Inverness. I've lived in cities, towns, villages and on very small islands and while I miss the bustle of Edinburgh, we settled here to have our family. The schools are mostly excellent (DH is a teacher so we might be biased) and while the very rural students have to take long bus journeys in the ones who live closer to town can mostly walk. We have membership to the leisure centre which covers the gym, climbing wall, pool, exercise classes, pilates etc and the two cinemas are only half an hour away, which is the same as it was when I lived in a largish town in Yorkshire and when I lived on the outskirts of Edinburgh. There are 3 24hour supermarkets, plus lots of smaller ones, most high St names are covered and you can usually find someone doing an "Ikea run" etc on a local Facebook page. You also see regular ads on Gumtree etc for au pairs, mother's helps, nannies etc so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Having lived on a very small island the weather here is just fine We get the odd power cut but generally the wind isn't that bad, the snow is cleared quickly (if it settles at all) and in summer we get some lovely days. My last two months at work have been far too hot without fans on constantly.

The A9 is a bit of a bastard, that's true. I tend to get the train if I'm going by myself now as I can't be doing with the slow traffic, the variable speed limits and the snow closing it down in winter. In 9 years it'll be finished though, eh?

It's not all sunshine and roses. Getting deliveries up here can be extortionate as courier companies are determined we are an island. It does get dark early in winter. Yes it's light in summer but I won't say the winter dark doesn't get me down. Some communities can be very insular, though not all by any stretch. Having children and being willing to get involved in community events and life will greatly help with that though, in my experience people who complain about feeling like they're on the outside are people who don't want to take part in local galas/shows, community development events, go to dances/Fundraisers etc.

[elQuintoConyo]

I would move back to Forres in a heartbeat, if the right nob came up.

[elQuintoConyo]

Job. Obviously

[Rattusn]

We saw some properties today and were bowled away with how stunning they are and good value. A big family home with bags of character is the same price as a council studio flat in our current area.

We certainly have a lot to think about.

Thank you for the mostly encouraging replies.

[MerryMarigold]

OP, I hear you with the lack of integration. We've just moved from an area like that, an interestingly, it was the most PC middle-classes who were cliquey (as well as everyone else, v hard to break in to some communities). I was 'different' as my closest friends (NB. not my kids' closest friends, as these types always like to say their kids are so integrated) were not English. Anyway, they moved away. I've moved to a much more UKIP area now. My closest friends in the area are still not English but at least I don't feel like there's a double standard going on amongst the English clique, where it's more about whether you grew up here and know half the neighbourhood than it is about how middle class you are.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

Well thecook MNHQ obviously agree with me as your comment was deleted.

[Rattusn]

fanjo I have tried not to engage with you, as I find your posts deliberately inflammatory, misinformed, and off the point.

I take it you live in an area with little diversity, and have done little reasearch into immigration and lack of integration. If you would you to do some reading, here is a link to conclusions Trevor Phillips, former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, came to after extensive research:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/10/britain-sleepwalking-to-catastrophe-over-race-trevor-phillips/

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

You don't need to justify yourself OP. fanjos posts have been insulting, and then she comes back to crow at thecook for getting her post deleted. Very odd behaviour

You had me having a little look on goggle earth and rightmove, I can see why you're tempted looks fantastic, and sounds fantastic from what these lovely mners are saying.

[parallax80]

Rattsun based on my bold guess as to your job id say make sure you know what the rotational training will involve (if you still have any to go) - my family are in Aberdeen (though not from there originally) and I have stayed in London as switching at my current level would have meant split time between Inverness and Aberdeen, and with small children I preferred the shorter cycleable commutes in London. Also for me, resident on-call is more common in Scotland after finishing training (though will arrive in England too eventually I'm sure). On the plus side appRently this has led to many vacancies! (Similar in Leeds allegedly). I would def consider it in your shoes and won't rule it out at a later stage myself - for now we have an "alternative" set up in London.

[Rattusn]

parallel you are indeed right. I am at a convenient point however for changing location now based on training (still many years left). Admittedly I haven't researched the details of training in Scotland, and wasn't aware of the resident on-calls (though I plan to train in a speciality where resident on calls would be inevitable anywhere most likely). I do already have a 'training number' in London, with very convenient locations, so it is certainly food for thought.