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Original poster

Calling Scottish Mums- Would Love your Opinions

237 replies

colette · 08/12/2006 15:56

We have been considering moving out of Glasgow- at present we live in a flat in the southside and would quite like to upgrade to a house but cannot do that here without moving to a grim area iykwim. Also we are a bit dissillusioned with Glasgow generally.
We have been considering Stranraer , see my other thread - sorry have not managed to do a link. It is in travel/ general advice. The replies have backed up what I was worried about.
Also have considered Stirling and the surrounding area, but the problem is the best areas are too expensive for us and Cambusbarron looked like a great contender until we looked at the primary school hmi report! Also there seemed to be a lot of wild kids hanging about on the street- really like the location otherwise. Dh lived in Stirling for about 7 years and we used to visit it a lot when we first met.
Anyway to cast the net wider I would really like your opinions on these and any other areas in Scotland that ;
1- have good schools but reasonable houseprices eg. 3 bedroomed under ?150,000
2- are semirural and have a good community feel iykwim
3 are commutable to a city or major town easily
4 have less drugs related problems, crime and violence than glasgow.
5 are good places for kids to grow up but have some things for adults too - sports centres, cinemas , good restaurants . Beautiful countryside
I know cheaper house prices usually means less desirable. So I know I am asking a lot .
I am hoping your insights will give me an insiders guide to living in different places- and this will help us to broaden our search. We are really stuck in a rut and are going round in circles and would really be grateful for your input

OP posts:
TinsellyRhino · 08/12/2006 15:59

Check out Annan

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:01

Why TinsellyRhino ? I know roughly where it is

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/12/2006 16:01

So, will your partner still be working in Glasgow then?

FiveGoldenFIMBOs · 08/12/2006 16:05

What about Perthshire.

Scone . Very very close to Perth and you could get to Glasgow/Edinburgh easily enough from there.

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:06

Expat - dhs present business is going down the pan. He wants to carry on being s/e so we probably won't need to be based here at all as he will probably be working from home . Income is going to be dodgy for a while, which is why we can't afford to take on much of a mortgage iykwim.

OP posts:
Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:07

What are the schools like FiveGoldenFIMBOs - do you live near there?

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nailpolish · 08/12/2006 16:08

perthshire is the nicest part of scotland imo

fairly decent train service to glasgow

great shops

lovely tearooms

dont know anything about the schools tho

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:10

nailpolish is the weather better than Glasgow ? I can look into schools anyway later, just really great to get some info

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purplemonkeydasheranddancer · 08/12/2006 16:11

I vote for Falkirk (i know i know but just hear me out!)
we moved here 5 years ago from canada and I know tons of people who moved here from either glasgow or edinburgh. good schools, lots of things to do easy to get to either city or stirling for that matter.
I love it here. it just feels like home!

FiveGoldenFIMBOs · 08/12/2006 16:11

No, I used to live in Newburgh (at the other end of Perth). Perth/Scone always had a good reputation school wise but I haven't lived in Scotland for nearly 6 years so things may have changed. My dh worked in Perth and we were up there most weekends, tbh I would give anything to move back there. My old boss lived in Scone and loved it.

nailpolish · 08/12/2006 16:11

no, the weather is shite all over scotland im afraid

where i live fits the bill for everything on your list apart from v difficult to commute to glasgow

although my dh does commute to edinburgh

FiveGoldenFIMBOs · 08/12/2006 16:12

Is there a Scottish thing similar to Ofsted that can give you a report on schools?

nailpolish · 08/12/2006 16:12

house prices fabulous here btw

ver good value

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:13

Nailpolish I am intrigued - where are you?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/12/2006 16:13

another vote for falkirk here, i'm afraid.

if my ex bf didn't live there, i would!

nailpolish · 08/12/2006 16:14

im in Angus

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:15

FiveGoldenFIMBOs yes , hmi reports . Although I don't really know much about offsted - www.scottishschoolsonline.gov.uk/index. Just discovered it recently

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/12/2006 16:16

i like falkirk and those areas b/c it's still out enough, but close to larger cities, too.

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:16

Exp dh does not like Falkirk . I will question him about it

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/12/2006 16:17

there are a bunch of other places outside there, colette, that's just it.

that are really, really nice.

FiveGoldenFIMBOs · 08/12/2006 16:18

There is a lovely walk here to Scone from Perth. My dd used to love going here. (she was 2.5 when we left Scotland)

Original poster
colette · 08/12/2006 16:19

nailpolish , looks quite far up but we are considering everything at present. Dhs parents and db live in Glasgow so we need to be able to visit easily .

OP posts:
nailpolish · 08/12/2006 16:20

check out tspc.co.uk for houses round here

expatinscotland · 08/12/2006 16:21

how about clackmannanshire, colette? that's another great compromise b/c it's easy distance to the glasgow area, too.

we have a PhD student who lives in Edinburgh, but teaches in Dollar.

he LOVES that area and he and his family are moving out there.

Wallace · 08/12/2006 16:21

Come and live near Inverness