Moving to edinburgh - where to live?

[bigkidsdidit]

hi everyone

I've just been offered a great job in the royal infirmary :) and we are moving up to Scotland in January. I'm looking on Rightmove and getting very excited but was wondering if anyone could help me decide where to look first...

Not being millionaires the centre of town is out as after renting in London I am craving space. As I'm working at the RI and DH is away mon - fri so doesn't really mind I was thinking Midlothian. What are Bonnyrigg, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Musselburgh like? Ideally space and gardens but a bit of life - a shop, ideally a playgroup - an d a good primary for DS.

Any advice appreciated :)

Move to Penicuik in Midlothian. It's close to town, very easy to ERI and you're right next to Pentlands.

Thistledew - what hard work? The Thorn was really zippy, even when DS was on the back with his feet up and dreaming...

DS is only 9mo and has a seat on DH's bike for the trip to the CM. We are thinking of a tandem with his seat in the middle :) we'd be so cool

We moved to Edi 9 months ago.

I started with schools and worked backwards. Logic good school (primary and secondary), next step where can I afford a house/garden/garage.

It ruled out a lot of areas!

We are still renting - looking to buy but renting in the area we want to buy in.

Edinburgh Council have primary school and secondary school catchment maps on their website.

School league tables (secondary) herald 2009

Look at bus routes too on Lothian Buses website. It is expensive to park at ERI I think.

www.globrix.com/ good to rents - and you can see them on a map

I've PMd you back, Bigkids!

The point about parking is v true at the Royal. Parking spaces can be difficult and cost £10 per day if you don't have a uni permit - they're limited and main criteria seem to be distance that you're coming from (DH only got one once we'd mover Northwest and he was doing the nursery drop offs and pick ups), and if you are on any call-out rotas for your group eg for freezers etc.

we moved to Edinburgh 14 months ago and if you go through the MN archives you will probably find my many threads quizzing the Edinburgh bunch about where to live/schools etc.. our ds has just started P1 so schools were a big determiner and we didn't want to have to move and move again because of that but you are in ideal position that you can work out where you want to be before having to make that kind of final decision!
so we have ended up buying a MUCH smaller house than we had down south, but we have a garden and driveway and we live 15 mins walk into town (kind of at the end of stockbridge) so think we are pretty fortunate. BUT I do keep looking on ESPC at places over in Fife/further out in East Lothian and thinking how much I would like that space and also the countryside generally!
Interesting to read all those raving about East Lothian - I kind of get put off at the thought of the commute but maybe its not so bad, especially if you can be near a train..
anyway I am waffling but just wanted to say that Edinburgh is indeed a FAB place to live wherever you end up and we still feel like excited tourists when we are out and about!

fairylights I felt like that for the whole ten years I lived there Everyday felt like a holiday, it's a magical place.

£7/day - they reduced the parking charges. But it is still too expensive. A staff parking permit is £250/year, DH and I are carpooling (which is one of the MANY points we needed to get the bl**dy permit) so the money is worth it for us. I think taking care of a child before and after work also weighs quite heavily.

I just wanted to add lettingweb is the best website I've found for renting. I moved to Edinburgh 3 years ago and it is a great place to live!

ah yes lettingweb is brilliant!

Duddingston is lovelytoo!