EDINBURGH MUMSNETTERS - HELP!!

[Raptorrethy]

A few months ago I started a thread about living near Edinburgh - specifically within 30 mins of the airport. Moving to that area was on the cards and it is again - but the thread, of course, has disappeared as it was in Chat!! It was over 100 posts of great, friendly advice and I NEED IT AGAIN!! You lot were soooo lovely and I hope you will perhaps take a minute or two to post your advice again as a move is even more imminent now. THANK YOU in advance.

So - we would like to be semi-rural, preferably in a village, but must be 30-40 mins from Edinburgh Airport. Schools are a crucial factor - we have DD8 and DS6. We want, as does everyone, a lovely and successful primary school and then caring and thriving secondary - good state or private. DD very academic, DS more into being as noisy as possible as befits a 6yo boy . I am a teacher so would be looking for a job, too, but not crucial straight away. I'm also interested in the weather and midges - are they a nightmare?!

Let's go - can we make over 100 posts from unbelievably brilliant Scottish people again???

and here's a for good measure.

[dementedma]

Academically he's fine as he's quite bookish and enjoys learning. Socially he has struggled and he has found d high school a bit overwhelming. He does seem a but more babyish than the other lads who all now have that awkward pre.teen look about them where as he still looks like a child .

[TimidLivid]

Linlithgow even teachers In livingston high schools have advised it is the best high school and town is very naice

[Piffpaffpoff]

Aberdour? Lovely wee village, two beaches and a train station. Easy drive to supermarkets in nearby Dalgety Bay and Dunfermline.

[Piffpaffpoff]

Oops, wrong link in my last post! Do have a look if you like adventure sports, but if you really want Aberdour info, best go here.

[IrnBruTheNoo]

Aberdour's quite out the way.

[dementedma]

It has a nice wee castle though

[IrnBruTheNoo]

Cramond probably your best bet, or Balerno.

[cazzyg]

I honestly think Fife and East Lothian would be longer than a 30-40 minute commute at peak times. The traffic along both the bypass and the Forth Road Bridge is horrendous.

The cut off is different up here as it's March rather than September so a 28th Feb birthday would be the youngest and 1st March the oldest and yes Jan and Feb birthdays can defer. A March 2005 birthday would normally equate to P4.

[IrnBruTheNoo]

Possibly East Craigs?

[Piffpaffpoff]

It's Not that out of the way - it's no more than 10 mins along to j2 of the M90. The new bridge should go some way to solving the traffic problems and the M9 spur has made getting to the airport a lot faster.

Cramond is right under the flight path for the airport, lots of planes going over. But then you might like that!

[IrnBruTheNoo]

I was just thinking of travelling time really. Especially in bad weather. Being in and around Edinburgh would make sense if you need to commute.

[IrnBruTheNoo]

Cities and larger towns also have more going on for children, Aberdour (apart from the beaches there) hasn't go much going on.

[Sleepyfergus]

Bonaly is also nice, also second Crammind and Balerno.

Penicuik has a large army training base on its outskirts (Glencourse). My DH was based here a few years ago and would never choose to live here or close to here if his life depended in it. There are nice bus to Penicuik, but the town centre is quite depressing. I also think a 30 min commute from here is highly unachievable. It's double it at least in rush hour (and then some)

[Sleepyfergus]

Cramond even!

[Thatballwasin]

Biggar is 45 mins from Edinburgh when the roads are clear ( have been driving though it for 22 years) and the A702 can be pretty choked in rush hour traffic. West Linton in rush hour could take a good bit more than half an hour in the mornings even though it's only 17 miles from the centre. I'd concentrate on places with bus lanes and/or a train station nearby. Short distances can become long journeys when you're stuck on the city bypass!

I LOVE the back roads around Balerno, up towards the Harlaw reservoir. It feels like being in the middle of nowhere but only 10 miles from the city centre. No 44 bus every five minutes as well. I'd also love to live around juniper green/currie but just off the main road where you're suddenly surrounded by fields.

[PrimalLass]

Aberdour is 10 mins to the bridge and 15 to Dunfermline. Not out of the way IMO. It's only 35 mins on the train to Waverly.

[PrimalLass]

IrnBru I am probably outing myself here but Aberdour has a ton of stuff for children. Tennis, football, shinty, cubs, rainbows, brownies, parks, beaches, gymnastics in Dalgety Bay, swimming at Burntisland. And more beaches within 10 minutes.

[PrimalLass]

New art lessons, lovely cafe, toddlers, Playgroup, Coffee mornings.

[PrimalLass]

Cramond is lovely but the aeroplane noise is bad.

[Raptorrethy]

Sooooo much info - you lot are truly friendly!

So DS would be one of the oldest at march 21st...no bad thing at all for him.

[Piffpaffpoff]

PrimalLass I'm not in Aberdour but nearby and I agree, there's plenty going on there. It's a really nice wee spot and well placed to get to lots of other places too. We come down to the beach after school in the summer, it's lovely! Nice golf course too, if you're into that.

[IrnBruTheNoo]

Balerno/Currie is beautiful, and I agree with you Thatballwasin about the back roads around Balerno, it's so peaceful and quiet.

Balerno High School and No44 bus are the main attractions....

[IrnBruTheNoo]

If I had the money I'd sooner live in Edinburgh for DC education, than I would in Fife. If you can afford it, you're best buying property in Edinburgh.

[PrimalLass]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Our life is immeasurably better since we moved out of Edinburgh.

[Raptorrethy]

So - in your opinion, is it truly a friendly area to live in? Do people chat to each other? Having lived abroad where little everyday things can be a struggle, we're keen to find a place where people smile