Which areas near Glasgow are nice for families?

[dizzybiatch]

We currently live in a lovely picturesque rural setting where the kids have the freedom to play out, ride bikes etc..

However having been here 5 years DH and I feel we want to move on. We havent found it easy being so isolated and in 5 years have few people we could call friends. It is a very rural area, not very many people anyway so less people to click with. In 5 years i have made 3 lovely friends who i hope i will always have in my life but on a day to day basis i feel incredibly isolated. All 3 friends work and i am a sahm.

We would like to move near Glasgow where we have a huge network of family and friends but dont want to deny the children the kind of childhood we had hoped they would have. Freedom to play out etc.

We have looked at various places including Eaglesham, Largs, Tarbet, Stewarton. Dh works away so we are not tied to his place of work. I would like to be within an hour of (Glasgow southside).

Anyone live anywhere lovely that they would recommend. Looking for somewhere not too built up, decent schools, not a new housing estate or anywhere that DH might feel pressure to wash his car on a Sunday

Milngavie is lovely and not as 'posh' as Bearsden, but I'm biased :) easy to get everywhere, trains & busses, 10-15min into Glasgow city centre.

Thanks rough I will have a look at what we could afford there.

Have you lookedat Gartcosh? Still safe to play out,lovely village school and only 20 mins on the train to glasgow.

Have no idea where Gartcosh is. Is it near Moodiesburn? Or in that direction?

How about Skelmorlie or Wemyss Bay or Inverkip? Easy access to Glasgow,Largs is just down the road. Great primary schools - not sure about high schools but there are also private schools around. Lovely quiet villages,with larger towns nearby,tremendous views,close to beaches & countryside. We love it here!

tbh I only really know the northside/Dumbarton way which is great for kids and easy for commute but if your network is southside ... are you pretty open-minded abut this?

What about Troon, Ayr or Prestwick. All on the coast and have nice beaches and parks for the kids whilst still having plenty shops and good road and rail links to glasgow

Bishopbriggs suits us great and is still close enough to town but with east Dunbartonshire schools :0)

Was going to suggest Eaglesham. What about Carmunnock? Strathaven?

If you're considering north side too, then Drymen too.

Defo open minded (I think) certainly in terms of area and how close i need to be to the south side. I have family near Paisley, friends in Ayrshire, Glasgow and also near Helensburgh.

We have looked at Balfron, Tarbet, West Kilbride and even down to Ayr (but would prefer not to go so far south as DH has some work near Helensburgh fairly frequently)

So yes open minded as far as area but quite a strict criteria in terms of what we would like. One thing i hate where we live are the midges which is why i am drawn to seaside towns! Also like private garden as often out in pyjamas chasing stupid dog or mischievious children. Don't want on or near busy roads as children not wise to traffic at all due to sheltered life in the rural!! Dog even worse....

So all suggestions very welcome!

lifebegins is Strathaven nice? I don't know it at all but once worked with a girls who originated from there and she scared the life out of me!! Chapelton had a nice one for rent when we had a look at rented property (if ours doesnt sell we might rent it out and rent ourselves)

Off to search all suggested areas... thanks guys!

I second Carmunnock. Lovely wee place.

Chapelton is lovely too - handy for Strathaven but more rural. I lived in Strathaven itself many years ago, and it was fairly quiet then - it's big enough to have bad bits and good bits, I guess! The academy used to have a good reputation - not sure now.

Eaglesham is awkward because parts of the main road are busy, but there are areas of the village which are safer.

If you hate midges, don't buy near heavily forested areas - look for a house out in the open, preferably up a hill!

Bridge of Weir is nearer Paisley if you have family there.

Oh, and if you're considering other areas, I think Milngavie is much nicer than Bearsden these days, though I'm always disappointed by the shopping area - it's a bit grim.

Drymen is also very pretty, with lovely countryside nearby.

Strathaven is lovely. Great local shops, biggish Sainsburys, leisure centre with pool. 3 primary schools and Strathaven Academy is very highly rated. It' was rebuilt around 3 years ago so still nice and shiny. Only 10 mins from East Kilbride and 25 from Glasgow.

Sorry fell asleep! Yes Gartcosh is near Moodiesburn but way nicer! We also have fields and quietish streets so not too much of a culture shock. Some parts of Cumbernauld are nice as well. Or try Lenzie?

I'll second Prestwick or Troon. I grew up there, one street away from the sea front, and loved it. It's only 45mins to Glasgow.

Good luck whatever you choose.

West Kilbride is nice but very rural and fir me quite isolated