Would we be mad to up sticks and move to Edinburgh

[JamInMyWellies]

I am Scots but lived down Sth since I was a teenager. DH and I love Edinburgh and are really thinking about moving North.

Please give me your good and bad points about uprooting and moving from East Anglia to Edinburgh.

The castle that is.

The Sun Inn's nice (though technically outside Dalkeith).

Wow those places are amazing. Have to remember everytime I go to my in laws (nr aberdour) that I couldn't stomach the commute by car to Edinburgh at rush hour as the Forth is gorgeous. Otherwise I'd be over there in a heartbeat - oh well when I win the lottery!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-47363629.html/svr/1119;jsessionid=6A906B94818032254AB6FC10D3217525

You wouldn't need a TV for entertainment!

Ooh and your kids could go to primary school with Gordon Brown's. DD did ballet in Dalgety Bay at the same time as GB's boys did karate (maybe? judo?) in the same studio. Sarah was always sat there in the tiny wee changing room, chatting away quite the thing.

I wonder if they'll move now.

I would worry about getting round the bypass from Dalkeith to the airport on a regular basis- Sherrifhall roundabout is a total nightmare.

I dont think the traffic apart from going over the forth is not that bad.I used to have to get from East London to South West London in rush hour so we can handle the traffic.

Am super excitied about Friday. Seeing a couple of schools but was scuppered a little by finding out that schools in the Edinburgh and lothian area get Friday afternoons off! How does that happen?

The bypass is bad, as far as I know. If there is an accident it is gridlock.

Sorry my first sentence made hardly any sense. I meant in the grand scheme of things traffic is traffic its crap if theres an accident or roadworks etc. Its like that anywhere. Not moving to Scotland to get no traffic .

I'm such a Fifer country bumpkin that I get annoyed in a queue of more than three cars ... A Fife traffic jam is getting stuck behind a tractor.

Oh my what a day. We are at the airport waiting to go home. Think we have found the house. It's in Peebles! Time to get home and do some thinking as Peebles is not Edinburgh but it is a fairly easy commute.

So excited for you.....! How did you go with schools?

That's really interesting actually - a Scottish friend of mine keeps saying we should look around Galashiels/Peebles if we decide to make the move. I don't see her often but she brings it up every time. I had discounted it as I don't know the area at all. Does the new train link help you out down there or would you be commuting by car?

I'd shove a little further out than Loanhead and look at Penicuik. High schools are pretty good. Handy for the Birders as well as into Edinburgh. It's only 9 miles from Princes Street. Just off the bypass, handy for Straiton., Ikea etc.

Any further update, Jam?

You will need to take vitamin D as you are too far north to benefit from natural vitamin D in sunlight during summer month.

Peebles is lovely, though.

Hmm don't think I have ever had to take vit d.

We are going for the Eco one. Just trying to figure out finances. Super exciting.

How exciting! You'll need to plan a Spa trip to Stobo castle!!

You will need to take vitamin D as you are too far north to benefit from natural vitamin D in sunlight during summer month.

Well done Jam.

www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/23/vitamin-d-scotland-food-multiple-sclerosis

But you said in summer. Surely it is winter that is the problem?

Also a problem in Australia because of sun cream use, I believe.

I'd rather live in Scotland and take vitD pills anyway

Moot point as you have deceided against Aberdour but state secondaries are poor - Balwearie no better than Inverkeithing, serious long standing issue with bullying.

I have friends who are happy with both schools. I won't deny I have concerns, but mainly because of the size of each school.

Have just read that article. Am a little shocked. I was brought up in Fife and can honestly say I have never heard this before. Surely as long as you spend large amounts of time in the outdoors you should be fine. Does this relate to people having sedentary lives who spend hours and hours inside and not getting out??

Anyway so looking for mortgage advice now. DH is a contractor so always tricky to get a mortgage but we need a self build one as the houses are built to order. Anyone have any contacts or know where we need to start.

I've lived in Dunfermline for 12 years and was diagnosed with severe Vit D deficiency about 5 years ago. I felt absolutely lousy with aches, pains and fatigue. I'm white, sedentary and in my 40s. It's a real concern if you live here.