To up sticks from inner London for the Highlands?

[hibbledibble]

I've lived here all my life, but am increasingly finding it unpleasant. Too many people, too much pollution, too much crime, too little outdoor space. Since lockdown it's just got worse, as crime has increased, and the amenities have been closed. House feels too small when we are cooped up in it, but I could never afford anything bigger here, despite working in a professional job. I'm already in a not ideal area. Schools are also a concern, especially secondary, as they are rough and full of gangs.

The Highlands seems idyllic in comparison, and I could get a huge house, for less than the cost of my modest London terrace. The children would love the outdoor space, and it would be great for them to have freedom they couldn't in London, due to the crime here.

My concerns are the cold (but surely just need to wrap up warm?!) And feeling isolated. My job is portable.

Aibu?

Inverness does actually have a bit of a microclimate. In winter, you go out of town and there is snow as soon as you go uphill but not so often in the central bits of the city. It's sea level and relatively sheltered, so doesn't get the extremes that the coast or the hills do.

I think there is a lot of gloom and doom talk on here - but if you already have friends and colleagues up there you’ll not be ‘alone’ anyway.

As for rain - never seen as much rain as I saw fall in Yorkshire - and snow that stopped you getting out and about in the notorious M62 Pennine region. A serious PITA every winter.

To quote Mark Twain:

Ah but those remarking on negativity have to remember that bringing peoples dreams down a peg or two, not showing overt enthusiasm, being a bit pessimistic maybe Scottish national stereotypes but they are not without an element of truth (see Private Fraser from Dad's Army et Al). To enjoy living in Scotland you have to be a able to thole that as much as the cold and the dark and the midges, this thread is therefore a good test, if you find it highly irritating think carefully!

Midges do exist in other places - rented a house in Lake District - midges abounded. Attended an evening do in rural Saddleworth - midges everywhere.
Common denominator was both where near water and pine trees - avoid living mid forest or lochside at Dusk, you'll be fine.

I wouldn't advise anyone to consider moving to the dictatorship that Scotland is just now.

@Bikingbear

I wouldn't advise anyone to consider moving to the dictatorship that Scotland is just now.

Oh don't talk rubbish.

OP, it's a lot to think about and there are many good points on this thread. I understand your longing, btw - DH is from Aberdeenshire and it is so beautiful that sometimes I do fantasise about moving there, but it is remote compared to what I'm used to.

But...we do have a plan to move to Glasgow in a few years instead

Fastmoving I'm not talking rubbish, Scotland is being run by a dictator. Who's questioning her, illegal for the suburbs to travel into Glasgow. Stop and think about it.

I'm Scottish had enough and want out.

I'm near Inverness, its fabulous, do it.
I dont drive, never found it a problem
Its such a lovely safe area ,I would never leave

Also, never once had a midge bite

It is worth considering that Scotland's political future isn't that stable currently.
There is significant pressure for and resistance to another referendum and that is unlikely to get better in the short to medium term.
Another referendum would stoke further divisions in the country.
If there was a vote to leave the UK there would be considerable political and financial disturbance.

Do it, and write about it

If you Do stop and think about it, you might consider why experts in many countries - not just Scotland - have advised travel restrictions as a way to try to halt the spread of the virus. There have been similar bans on travel in Australia, France, Wales etc etc. There was an article on the BBC website just the other day about an old lady in France with a mental health condition being heavily fined just for popping out to her local shops without a permit.

If Scotland's a dictatorship, then so are those nations.

It's tragic that lockdowns and travel bans etc cause so much economic and personal suffering. But what are the alternatives? USA-style freedom and massive mortality? Anyway, Scottish politicians and the Scottish media can and do criticise Nicola Sturgeon if they disagree with/question her policies. As of course they should.

As you will know - we are already getting leaflets from politicians through the door - there are free and fair elections coming up before too long. You can vote against Ms Sturgeon if you want, which people living in actual dictatorships cannot do.

I'm not talking rubbish, Scotland is being run by a dictator

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

You are talking rubbish. Unadulterated claptrap.
Scotland has an elected First Minister.

I see Glasgow and other areas are moving down a tier later this week.

According to anti maskers, anti vacc's - everywhere is a dictatorship.

It is worth considering that Scotland's political future isn't that stable currently. There is significant pressure for and resistance to another referendum and that is unlikely to get better in the short to medium term. Another referendum would stoke further divisions in the country.
If there was a vote to leave the UK there would be considerable political and financial disturbance

All that can be applied to the UK. Brexit, post Brexit chaos, possible no deal Brexit etc.
Scotland a Dictatorship 😂😂 - em, think you will find it is Boris Johnson's Tory Govt in Westminster that has been refusing to appear on National TV to explain their policies, pushing policies through without debate or consultation, the same Tory Government that has been run by an unelected Dominic Cummings, and the same Tory Govt that has dragged the Scottish Nation out of Europe despite its overwhelming vote to stay in the European Union.

It is worth considering that Scotland's political future isn't that stable currently.There is significant pressure for and resistance to another referendum and that is unlikely to get better in the short to medium term. Another referendum would stoke further divisions in the country.
If there was a vote to leave the UK there would be considerable political and financial disturbance

All that can be applied to the UK. Brexit, post Brexit chaos, possible no deal Brexit etc.
Scotland a Dictatorship 😂😂 - em, think you will find it is Boris Johnson's Tory Govt in Westminster that has been refusing to appear on National TV to explain their policies, pushing policies through without debate or consultation, the same Tory Government that has been run by an unelected Dominic Cummings, and the same Tory Govt that has dragged the Scottish Nation out of Europe despite its overwhelming vote to stay in the European Union.

Macncheese I trust that you are being ironic?

OP please, please don't write about it. IMHO there are few more locally-irritating - or patronising - things than coming to an unfamiliar place and describing it and its inhabitants with wide-eyed wonder. Yes, write to your friends and family about it, by all means. Keep a diary. Take photos. Do sketches. Or whatever is your thing. But treat the place and the people with respect, not as some sort of public spectacle.

As a GP, I'm sure of course that the OP will have professional sensitivity and discretion in this matter.

Sorry, but this issue of 'ooh, look at us, we moved to somewhere special (but oh-my-word quaint and amusing)' really, really annoys me. Worldwide, not just in Scotland.

We had an exchange teacher from abroad who soon after she arrived wrote about what she thought were important differences in the way of life here.
She not only sent the stuff to her friends in letters but printed it out for the rest of us.
She described things we'd hardly heard of and didn't feature in our city at all.
Would she be told? No.
By the time she realised she'd got it wrong, her friends in her own country had a false impression, much more negative than the reality.

@StoneofDestiny

I'm not talking rubbish, Scotland is being run by a dictator

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

You are talking rubbish. Unadulterated claptrap.
Scotland has an elected First Minister.

I see Glasgow and other areas are moving down a tier later this week.

According to anti maskers, anti vacc's - everywhere is a dictatorship.

Yeah moving down a tier but still nobody is allowed to travel out their council area.

Scotland is a fucking disaster area.

All that can be applied to the UK. Brexit, post Brexit chaos, possible no deal Brexit etc.

It absolutely can but that doesn't mean that Scotland is in a much more unstable political situation than England. As it has all of the Brexit chaos plus independence issues.
I actually have a fair amount of sympathy for Scots who feel that accepting instability in the short to medium term would be worth it longer term.
But that doesn't mean it isn't an issue that someone looking to relocate to Scotland shouldn't consider.

And for good reason. for heaven's sake.
Why would you want to spread the virus, especially to people in inner cities where there is a higher proportion of vulnerable people?
Just why? Do you want to harm them?

Sorry - the above was directed to biking bear

I had a Scottish boyfriend years ago, and we visited each other many times, despite living more than 400 hundred miles apart. That period gave me time to consider where I was really rooted, and that place was where I was already. Where I was already was from perfect of course. but, had I wanted to move out to the country, I could have moved a tenth of the distance and so not been so far from friends. family and good opportunities.

We're all different and you say that you have contacts there already, but my advice would be to visit quite a few times, at different times of the year before finally deciding.

@florascotia2

And for good reason. for heaven's sake. Why would you want to spread the virus, especially to people in inner cities where there is a higher proportion of vulnerable people? Just why? Do you want to harm them?

You clearly aren't living with this shite.

Its illegal for me to meet my DMum in a fucking park. That is fucking nuts. Not even in a big city not even going near a city centre.
Wake up to the ridiculous level of control. Businesses have been closed for months without a penny of help or support.

2m rule in England is guidance Scotland its law. Look at the Ante Hate Crime bill look at the Named People bill.

Open your eyes.