Hi -just moved to Inverbervie area

[bellydancingmum]

Hello,

I have 3 school age children and have moved up from Kent. (came up here April, Husband been working up here since last September)

Am trying to find out what Johnshaven and St Cyrus are like as am looking to buy a house. Would like to stay in Bervie, but can't find a house big enough and Stonehaven is just too expensive (can't believe how much more expensive it is compared to Kent!). Have one girl at the Mackie in Stonehaven and the other 2 at Bervie Primary.

Am finding it hard to adjust after several years in London and Gravesend (town outside London, but on high speed train line) coming up to such an isolated area.

I see from this board that there's not many people from this area on Mums net but if anyone is around would be grateful for any pointers and where to go generally for kids stuff and adult exercise and adult ed stuff. I know many of you are at the baby/ toddler stage,but any pointers would be good.

Help! Anyone out there?
Bellydancing mum

Hope you're settling in okay. I know a little about that area. St Cyrus has a beautiful beach as I'm sure you've discovered, but the journey to Mackie is pretty long and I think (though might be wrong) that some children in St Cyrus go to Montrose Academy even though it's in another district. Don't know much about Johnshaven I'm afraid.

I know that Stonehaven community centre and leisure centre have the usual yoga and exercise classes etc and a range of activities for kids. The community centre also has adult education classes.

Hope this helps a bit.

Hi, im based in Laurencekirk, My friend lives in St Cyrus and really likes it. I don't have children your age as my baby is only 19 weeks old. I used to live in Aberdeen so have found it hard myself living in a small town. where does your husband work? you may find a bigger house here in laurencekirk?? lots for sale at reasonable prices compared to stonehaven. I dont know a lot about johnshaven im afraid. we have a secondary Mearns academy and a primary school, library, sports centre, community centre, a few churches and pubs, a chinese ann an indian and a cooperative supermarket and much more.. there are also fitness classes, hope your settling in okay. x

Belly Dancing Mum

Missed your post at the time. Did you move here after all??

Hi, autobahnbismark

Thanks for your post, yes will have to investigate the leisure centre etc, further I think. The girls are beginning to settle in and have made friends in Bervie.

St Cyrus does have a lovely beach, you're right we have been there :-). Laurencekirk is a bit of a sore point, as we were all ready to move there in the first place, found a lovely house, contacted the Mearns, etc. But the house owners rejected our offer(after saying they would accept ours over someone else) and we ended up renting in Bervie in a big panic as we had nowhere else to go. (sold in England, was trying to tie it all up)

There have been some houses we liked near there, but all a bit remote, nothing as good in Laurencekirk itself, since the house we lost. Also the girls started to settle into Bervie etc, which was making things more tricky.

There was a nice house in St Cyrus and we were told it is the Mearns Academy area, but some do go to both the Mackie and Montrose, but those aren't the zoned schools. Was a hard decision, but when Bervie Primary said we could keep our youngest there if we moved to Johnshaven, that really swung it.

So we've gone for Johnshaven after all, especially as nothing else as big came up. (of course something came up the other week, but too late! typical)

Hi Sajane,

thanks for your post, i meant to put you on the post above as well. Bervie is a similar price to Laurencekirk and it seems prices drop as you go away from Stonehaven. Bervie seems to have similar facilities to Laurencekirk, so when we found a place to rent we came here, really just chance (and being in a panic!). We were trying to rent in Laurencekirk as more houses seem to come up there (for sale) so settling there seemed reasonable, but we couldn't get anywhere that wasn't very small.

I'm going to have to get a car when we move to Johnshaven, so I might look at Laurencekirk exercise classes too and see which ones fit in best with what time I have.

Have you got any tips for settling in? I've always used the youngest child as a way to get to know people, which was easy when she was toddler age/younger. I think I will volunteer at the primary school, as I did that in Kent and it was good for that too.

Hi YMT,

I've replied to your message. Am moving to Johnshaven next week, main problem so far is the speed of internet access is appalling there, anyone know of a way to get faster broadband? Is there any satellite way of doing things, or are we stuck? (I expect so.)

Good luck in Johnshaven! I dont know much about it, so not much help Im afraid. I live in Stonehaven and was going to say you can probably find a nice cheaper house here. Its great because it has everything in it, plus the feel of a small town.

If you are able to drive there are lots of child classes you can attend. Tiny Talk (baby signing), Talking Tots (in Aberdeen), Tooters (theres one in Stonehaven), in fact anything beggining with T! Coffee mornings with other mums may be a good idea. Church (even if you dont believe). Theres also a Jehovas Kingdom Hall in Stonehaven who seem to like meeting new people.

Hope you're very happy in Johnshaven. I love living here!

I've found the broadband to be fine most of the time (but I don't have Kent speeds to compare it to!) I've only had a problem when downloading large files/ watching tv online.

Hopefully you know by now, but there was an adult education enrolment day a couple of weeks ago - a van came down to the village to enable people to sign up here. Info about these kind of events can usually be found either on the village noticeboard or on leaflets available in Johnshaven Stores.

Hi Ladies

My names Claire, I have recently moved back to Inverbervie from Norway. I grew up here in Inverbervie and am currently living in our old family home until after my first baby is born at start of February. I'm not working just now and my partner works at sea on a 4 week away, 4 week home rotation. I would love to get to know you all a bit better and also ask for some hints and tips on having my baby. Between now and baby coming, my partner will only be here for 6 weeks so it's pretty daunting to be doing all the major buying decisions alone.

Also, does anyone know of decent antenatal classes that aren't NHS or NCT? the only available NCT class is an intense 3 day course that my partner won't be able to make.

Hope to stay in contact :)

Bye for now

Hey Clara, are you going to have your baby at Montrose hospital? They have great classes and MWs all friendly and helpful, and it seems a total world apart from the slightly frightening and clinical ARI or ninewells. For birth classes as i have found otherwise you'll be stuck commenting to Aberdeen, and it seems there the classes are mobbed and it's different folk every time. We live in a wee hamlet about 4 miles from Montrose, great town , lots of amenities, cheaper to live, good commute options to Aberdeen and Dundee, and strangely nicer weather, none of the horrible haar you seem to get further up the coast!!

My baby is due end of Feb, a bit daunted, and as am not local to the area having moved down from aberdeen as its so expensive,don't really know many folk!