Relocating to Inverness

[witchy5]

Hoping someone out there can help, I will hopefully be relocating to Inverness later this year and I have no idea which areas are 'good' areas to live in, any information with this would be great.
Thank you

I used to live near Inverness, but unfortunately I'm not that up to date with the good schools. You might have better luck posting in the local threads local.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_highlands_islands alternatively post in Chat as it gets huge amounts of traffic.

Are you interested in staying in Inverness? Or one of the surrounding towns? Within Inverness I think the Merkinch area and the area around Inverness High school are to be avoided. I know Inverness Royal Academy, Lochardil Primary and Home Primary are all well thought of. I'm not sure what the new developments up in Culloden/Westhill are like, a lot of newbuild homes but I'm not sure how this has impacted on the schools. Outside Inverness Fortrose Academy is very popular.

Hopeully someone more local will be along soon....

Thank you for your reply, hoping to be in or around Inverness if I get on my college course, have also been looking at Drumnadrochit, just nice to have some inside knowledge

I am laughing at the mention of Drumnadrochit. I know people who have lived there 40 years and still feel like outsiders. There's nothing in it but the main road and hundreds of B and Bs.

Definitely not my kind of place - too many touristy shops that are open during the summer and nothing happening in the winter.

Hello. I'm inverness born and bred. Happy to help. Drumnadrochit is v scenic but it's not a nice road to commute along if you're working in town. Depends where in town you're going to be working really.

Agree w poster above that merkinch is the only significant 'problem area'. Most schools are good. If had a choice would avoid the high school.

Hi, thanks daimbardiva, I'd prefer a bit more rural. That's why I was thinking Drum although not in the middle as I'm very familiar with it and know how touristy it is, the country around it is lovely though, (never lived in a town). I'd need to be within easy commuting distance to Raigmore and within access to a well thought of primary and secondary school, so any information would be great.
Thanks again.

I'm off on the school run marking this so I remember to come back in a bit.

Thanks

I personally wouldn't suggest Drum, but if you'd rather stay a little bit out of town then the Black Isle is lovely. The Kessock Bridge is having resurfacing work done at the moment so there are delays....but normally it's ok.
Millburn is a good secondary, as is the IRA. The IRA is due to have a new building, starting very soon....and Millburns building is very new too. Catchment schools for the IRA include Lochardil and Holm primaries which are both well thought of...also Hilton - which may not be in a particularly great location but is an absolutely fantastic school.

New build houses in the Slackbuie and Inshes area still have a lot of fields and trees round about, as do the new developments at Wester Craigs. Because Inverness is set in a valley these developments on either side of the town are higher up, so there are fab views to be had on both sides.
I've lived here for over 30 years and I love it!

I was also going to say I'm not sure I would personally recommend drum and was also going to suggest if you want to live out of town heading north and considering the Black Isle and a bit beyond.
I'm about 20 miles out of Inverness have fairly good buses and a train service. It's a half hour commute to Ness in the morning. Property is fairly cheap as well. I'm in a reasonable small town with good schools but there are loads of little villages between here and Inverness it depends how out there you fancy being. The joy of here is that you don't have to go far to be in the country with spectacular views. I live in a town big enough for a supermarket and i still open my curtains to views over the firth and the hills.

Where are you relocating from? Would.you rather live in town or out a bit? The thing that is different here is that I live 20+ miles out but my commute is far less than the one travelling 4 miles across the city when I lived elsewhere. I am used to travelling further for things and find it no less convenient and far less stressful than being stuck in a city jam.

Thanks that's really helpful. I am over near Skye so very remote, my main shop would be from Inverness as it works out cheaper than the local supermarket which is still a long way from me. I'd rather be in the country or by water if possible, the children are used to that freedom

Witchy5, have you looked over Fort Augustus way? Though Drum is lovely too. I like the Black Isle suggestion. Look at the small places on the Raigmore side of the A9. Culloden and maybe Dores?
Its all lovely, right enough. I am

is Aviemore too far? Its about a 30min drive but has all the facilities and Loch morlich is great.

Used to stay in Fort Augustus and thought maybe it was a bit far, I'll have a look though, keep my options open. Ideally I'd stay here but it is far to far to commute every day....the search will continue. Thanks

youmake...thank you that's really helpful too, I have no idea what schools to even start to look at.

I'm off on another school run lol. I will drop you a pm when I het back tell you more about what's directly around me.

Whats Inverness like these days ? Which places would best avoid if you have children ?! And are thinking of locating ?

Thank you. X

Hi we are looking to re locate to inverness with two disabled kids, what are disabled facilities like in inverness. Also does anyone know what adult support for disability is like up in inverness

Thanks