To want to move south?

[Oohlalaaaaaa]

Currently live in Central Scotland. My partner is from Dorset. We have primary school aged children with one due to start high school this year. I think we would enjoy a better quality of life down there.
I'm a bit worried my kids would be picked on and not accepted for having scottish accents or for being outsiders. Is this silly? 🤔
Also is it cruel to uproot 3 perfectly happy children, especially one at age 12 (she has strong friendships, the other 2 not so much)? Am I being selfish? I'm scared that if it goes wrong for them it will be my doing. Any advice would be appreciated.

Dorset is lovely - I'd love to live there. And Bournemouth has a bit of a rough element - like most UK seaside towns - but is also really nice. You could look at looking slightly further in land, like Southampton.

I wouldn't worry about accents.

Oohlalaa they’re both at state schools.

OP you might be better off starting a new thread asking specifically about local schools. Massive derailment by folk who don't know what they're talking about.

We've moved to the area twice now (had to move away for work) and plan to stay here forever! DC are at uni though so I can't help with schools.

I'd say keep an eye on planning as there is quite a lot of redevelopment and new housing being built i the area. You don't want move to suddenly find 200 new flats on your doorstep!

Thanks redspottedmug. I did start several threads but getting much advice on schools doen there is proving tricky!

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable,
as cruel to uproot depends where you’re moving and if it will be permanent

i grew up in Kent and trying to move out it’s so expensive, so overcrowded, traffic, high rise flats commuter town to London so basically turning into a dive. I would not recommend the south east.

Hampshire is lovely but not near the coast,

we are ironically potentially moving to Edinburgh because of an amazing job opportunity that eventually means I could work anywhere in the world and I’m very excited as I want to escape the south. Partner is also sick of his job and our little one is only 2, so a different scenario,

Er...Hampshire IS on the coast. Well it's a huge county and lots of it isn't but it does have a significant chunk of coastline including the New Forest, Southampton Water and Hayling Island.

Apart from the fact your partner is from Dorset is there any reason you couldn't look somewhere like Northumberland coast or maybe somewhere like York- ?? even though York is expensive for Yorkshire- it's still slightly better value than Dorset and you then have places like Leeds and also the coast at Whitby/Scarborough etc pretty accessible - just a suggestion. I was in York a few days ago (we live in Bath) and I could definitely live in York! My own personal view is that it has a great deal going for it. It's also good for work and has Leeds easily doable for further opportunities too.

Hampshire is lovely but not near the coast... err I'm in my Hampshire garden right now, and DS is walking to the beach with his mates 🤔

We are about 40 mins from Bournemouth. We lucked out with our local senior school, it's v good. I love this area. We are between 2 cities and have great amenities. Happy to give more info if you were interested.

"Hampshire isn't near the coast"

I mean maps might help

doesn't mean the whole of Hampshire you have close access to the coast, that’s like saying all of kent is near the coast, which is not true, it’s a big area go figure instead of being catty, but it’s mumsnet and people love to start arguments ✌🏼☺️😘

That's kinda splitting hairs. No one said the whole of Hampshire has close access to the coast, but it's patently wrong to say Hampshire (or Kent) is "not near the coast". They're counties that are on the coastline. A county would have to be landlocked to not be near the coast. It was catty/argumentative to start making an issue of it by saying it's not near the coast, when y'know, it is.

Definitely move OP. Don't underestimate how weather can affect your energy levels, mood and mental well-being. Scotland has beautiful mountains etc, but it's so grey - the sky, the buildings, the sea - a lot of people really don't look well tbh. The difference is noticeable and it's depressing. It's no wonder. The south of England is bad enough without going further north.

@Oohlalaaaaaa the places you suggested are pretty nice. Don't bother with Bournemouth as it's quite rough and run down now (I grew up there). The weather is fantastic on the south coast to be honest but I can imagine better than Scotland!

You don't need to highlight your advice about Hampshire was ill informed. No one said all of Hampshire was near the coast they just pointed out that to say "it's nowhere near the coast" was horseshit

I moved to Dorset from Yorkshire it's lovely and I hear all kinds of accents. Move to west of Dorset if you want a slow true Dorset pace of life of further east if you want something a bit busier. We're in the Purbecks and I love it.

@littlekipling -ah- we are staying in Christchurch for 3 days and popped to both Wimborne and swanage today- love that ferry from sandbanks to purbeck! Lovely on a day like today

@Oohlalaaaaaa - Hello! Myself and DH are considering a move from Edinburgh back to the South, and came across your thread. I wondered if you made the move and, if so, how you found it?