Where to live in Scotland?

[almostreal]

DH and I would like to move but not sure where, somewhere in Scotland (currently live near Edinburgh) Ideally no more than a 60-90 min commute from Edinburgh and/or Glasgow due to DH business.

Looking for somewhere that has low crime rate and a nice area for families. Prefer a village or small town but open to all areas.

Any recommendations?

Lanark is fab, lots of outlying villages and countryside and a great community. There's a festival every year called Lanimers - it's a local holiday and brilliant. And can also commute to Glasgow by train easily or Glasgow/Edinburgh by road really easily too. Well within the 60-90 minutes.

Biggar, Haddington, North Berwick, Linlithgow, Kinross, Peebles, Melrose.

Perth
Best place in the world. 5 minutes drive in any direction and you are in countryside. Schools are good.
Shopping is good, Debenhams and Markies and loads of little independents.
Weather however is shocking, snowing again!!

Hi PotPourri I know of Lanark but not really much about individual areas, is there anywhere particularly popular with families?

Ilive Mmm I like the idea of Perth, good shopping a massive plus! Mind you I thought it was at least a 2-3 hour drive.
Mind you DH won't have to commute all that much....

Nah, Perth is 45 mins to Edinburgh and 90 mins to Glasgow. 65 mins on the train. Come to Perth!!

Perth is nice, for all the reasons stated! Have a friend who lives there.

Lanark itself is great for families (new/newish housing estates especially), but some of the villages are good too - Crossford, Carnwath - I know a few people from these places. Toddlers groups etc.

If Perth is too far how about Stirling.

Bridge of Alan and Dunblane are lovely towns in that area. I live near Falkirk which has great transport links and fairly good shops but not as picturesque as Perth or Stirling.

I love the area north of Glasgow near the Loch Lomond National Park. Killearn, Balfron, Fintry and Kippen are all prime commuter villages with good schools.

I agree with the Perth recommendation, it seems so central for a variety of commutes but is also really close to some beautiful countryside - although I feel I should share with you that I was shopping there yesterday (good shops) and it was -10C! At 11am!

If Perth is too far, what about Kinross? It's 2 mins from the M90 so easy access to Edinburgh.

I'd second the Stirlingshire area. An hour to edin by train and about 50 mins to Glasgow and beautiful countryside. Some lovely villages around bridge of Allan ( alhough beware of student population) and kippen are lovely. Personally I feel Perth is just too far to commute although plenty of people do. Dollar in Clackmannanshire is also very nice but maybe a bit too far.

Crieff?

I agree with Perth suggestion, that is where we would like to live if we ever were able to return to UK.

My cousin used to live in Bridge of Allan near Stirling, it was a lovely town.

Cupar in Fife is on the mainline to Edinburgh.

Wow thanks for all the suggestions, we drove by perth today (returning from the outlaws) and it wasn't to far all, so well definitely look around Perth.

I know Stirling quite well not to keen (know mostly the Alloa end) but Bridge of Allen/Dunblane areas sound nice plus commutable.

DH surprised me today by announcing that actually we could move as far as 2-3 hours from the central belt and how did I feel about Inverness!

So anyone know what Inverness is like for families?

Or maybe even possibly the Borders?

I think Dumfries and Galloway is just lovely - v underrated IMO, I think because of being just across the water from the Lakes. We went there on hols from Glasgow earlier this year and it was really easy - we picked the DCs up from nursery at lunchtime and were in Dumfries by about 2pm. Beautiful countryside, nice beaches and Dumfries seems like a nice town.

Inverness area also good - how about somewhere like Nairn? But I'd say that's often further than 3 hours (especially at the moment )- depends how often your DH will have to commute I guess. I have friends near Forres who worked in Dundee 2 or 3 days a week for a while so it is doable.

Oh, Dumfries and Galloway is lovely, we have relatives there. They are nearer to the coast than Dumfries, in a wee town. Stunning area.

Jedburgh area is very scenic, I also like the look of Peebles.

East Lothian - the garden of Scotland

midnight: I LOVE the Dumfries area for me it's top of the list. Good to know others like it. Certainly in the 2 hour range plus lovely countryside.
Inverness is also somewhere we both quite like, will look up Nairn.
He's thinking he will only have to commute once or twice a week at most or possibly ever other week and stay for 2-3 nights. I suppose it all depends how well DH takes to commuting.

Inverness is great - but definitely more than 3 hrs to Glasgow. Also really liked living in Dunblane and in the Borders

I haven't seen East Renfrewshire pop up - any opinions on what it's like there? DP is thinking of applying for a job there. Is it all just an extension of Glasgow or is there some nice countryside too and is it worth coming down to from the Highlands?

Have you thought about anywhere in Fife? Very commutable to either Edinburgh or Glasgow, especially from Dunfermline, Rosyth or even Kirkcaldy at a push. Crossford is also a lovely village.

oricella, I think of East Ren as an extension of Glasgow, yes. It includes places like Clarkston, Busby, Newton Mearns that are definitely Glasgow, plus the villages a tiny bit further out like Eaglesham.

I certainly wouldn't move there for the countryside, at least not from the Highlands, although some of the schools are excellent.

And they're opening a Waitrose in 2011.

Allegedly.

Thanks Midnight - thought as much myself and initially told DP a categorical no. He seems keen on the job, and there are other positives, so am wavering a bit and would consider moving. Need some more convincing though.. can anyone tell me there's more to it than good schools and an alleged Waitrose?

Oricella: some parts of Renfrewshire are Glasgow over spill areas but some parts are meant to be very nice almost village like. The nice parts are very expensive compared to other areas for not that much more.
Also some parts are close enough to the Ayrshire coast for day visits and other part close enough to Loch Lomond for day visits.
Glasgow is also a great city for shopping compared to Edinburgh Imo.
People are generally very welcoming and chatty from the renfrew/glasgow region.