Thurso, Lesbian sheep farmers and alternative parenting

[Rainpuddlesandyellowboots]

Hi. I'm currently living in Sweden but plan to move to Scotland in the future. I would like to get to know some people in Scotland but don't really don't know where to look. So if you live near Thurso, are lesbian or a sheep farmer. If you like knitting or alternative parenting (like home schooling, baby wearing or tandem nursing) or if you like tv shows. Well I'm not very picky. I just want to get to know some people =)

I live in the north east highlands and am a little at some of the comments. There are all sorts all over. Heaps of people with alternative lifestyles from gay, to lentil weaving to goths. It's a bit of a sweeping generalisation to say that. Yeah lots of small towns where everyone knows when you fart but you get assholes everywhere. I actually find it less judgy than when I lived in the city. Possibly because everyone does know everyone you have less choice of people to socialise with so less opportunity to stick to your own 'sort' if that makes sense?
The Highlands are ace. East and West.
And yes gay marriage is legal in Scotland now.

Purplehonesty: yes I've been there. I have no reason to wanna live there other than I'm drawn to it for some reason =)
And I don't really care for civilization. Any problem with it is that the traveling to Sweden is even harder than it is to like anywhere else in Scotland =)

Youmakemydreams:
Yeah I wasn't really concerned about it. I think I've spent enough time in Scotland to see that even when they say that people are unfriendly in some parts I haven't experienced it at all. Of course there will be idiots everywhere but at least I don't need to hang out with that many people. One or two nice people to befriend is enough. Even if more is nice =) I have no problem to interact with people and think most people are interesting. =)

Great that it's legal! (I don't check the news like at all. =)

Same sex marriage has been legal since March 2014. It's even okay for Church of Scotland ministers now, which considering how they fought it is surprising.

Even in the Free Church dominated islands no one will say anything - and the burning cross in your garden fair lights up the place on a winters night.

I would try the midge test though, I am one of the happy group whose blood is not to their taste but I understand that some people can be sucked dry by the blighters.

Cdtaylornats:
Ok. In Sweden has it been legal since 2009 so I'm quite used to the idea but it sure is easier if I get married that it's legal in Scotland too =)

Not sure what midges are but mosquitos and tics don't really like me so if it's anything like that I guess it's not really a problem. I've been to Scotland both summer and autumn (and winter) and haven't noticed any insects bothering me =) But thanks for the heads up!

A midge or midgie is 2mm long and is built like a mosquito. They tend to be nasty because they attack in clouds. If you don't get mosquito bites then you'll probably be fine.

Civil partnerships were legalised in the UK in 2004. Of course now that we have equal marriage hetero couples are demanding the right to have civil partnerships.

The area around Thurso seems enlightened - Caithness LGBT Social Group - community.caithness.org/group.php?id=3272

Wherever you come too, I'm sure you will be welcomed the traditional Gaelic greeting below is 100,000 Welcomes

Ceud Mìle Fàilte

Cdtaylornats:
Ok. I'm useless at distinguish between useless insects. =)

I don't think straight people have asked for civil partnership here in Sweden. I know it's allowed for gay. I think it might be for straight people to but I really don't know. But I think everyone should be allowed that as well! Seems like a non big deal though. They should have been allowed from the beginning.

I'll check out the link! Thank you so much!

I would love to learn Gaelic. It just feels like I should practice German and learn some more French first because I kind of need them more. But If I live in Scotland I might use some Gaelic and the learning of it would be justified =)

If you're a wool-user you should have a good look at Ravelry for the huge amount of shared info, free patterns, online and real life friendship groups ..

Further south , you'll love Woolfest but you'd better get your skates on , it's the last Friday and Saturday of June, in Cumbria. Meet you for coffee ?

Have you been to Durness, also on the north coast of Scotland? More remote than Thurso but there's a surprisingly eclectic population. Last time I was there - 10 years ago there was a community co-op who bought whole foods.

Highland region is a deprived area.

Durness, near Tongue, does indeed have an eclectic group of people. Not all of them of Scots origin, hence my comment re Brighton art teachers. Nothing wrong with that.

I was going to suggest Findhorn? Quite alternative, but I'm not too sure about the sheep around there.

Footle:
I am a wool user. But I don't knit that much. (Would like to do it more) and I'm useless at following patterns (somehow I can knit without them) But I guess I might like it there eventually. I'm a member at ravelry (which I had forgotten) and wool week sounds fun but I don't like when. There's a lot of people and I wouldn't want to go to something like that alone. =) Maybe some year but not this =)

Rouge antimatter + Orlandafuriosa:
I haven't been to durness. Sounds like something to check out =)

Goudystout: alternative in what way? =)
I think I want to go further north. But that might be just something I want to begin with =)

This tells you a bit about why Durness is a bit more alternative. new.durness.org/?page_id=1028 Durness is one of my favourite places in the world and love visiting that little village.
Findhorn has a spiritual community economic village.

Haven't been there for ages. Just rather pseudo alternative when I was there. But that's because I find people going on about the merits of the young and old pretenders and not doing stuff about unemployment, drugs abuse, etc, irritating.

Findhorn is enjoyable. You might find Ullapool good news too.

Youmakemydreams:
Ah. Im not a fan of spiritual stuff. I like it down to earth =)

Orlandafuriosa:
Ah ok =)
Ullapool sound really funny in Swedish... (My grandmas name was Ulla. It's a typical old lady name. Ull also means wool. Pool is the same in Swedish)

Have you considered Orkney or Shetland? There's an island in Orkney which is I think self-sufficient in energy thanks to the community windmills. Very down to earth, community-minded populations in Orkney, especially westray. Shetland seems very similar. Fantastic community spirit in Unst with lots of community initiatives and 'leisure' events. Orkney scores very highly in surveys asking about quality of life. As for the most northerly island, North Ronaldsay; they have their own breed of sheep which potter on the shorelines eating seaweed.

On a) should have said depends when it's obvious they have no drop of scots, let alone highland, blood in them...and no care for the issues if eg the crofting or fishing communities...and no concept of the realities, just far enough away from Brighton...

B) I wonder if the water looked all stirred up like wool? Lots of Norse words round there, don't forget it's Sutherland, the summer lands of the south to the Vikings.

Shetland is famous for, among other things, its knitting!

Rougeantimatter: I think I'd love to visit the islands! But I don't think I want to live there. It would be even harder to get to Sweden (where my family is) and I unfortunately get very sea sick =)
I've heard about Shetland and its wool. Sounds really interesting! But not enough so I feel the need to live there =)

Orlandafuriosa: why far away from Brighton?

Maybe it's where they wash the wool. In ullapool =)
And yes I've heard a few Norse influences in Scotland. Bairn is for example very similar to the Swedish word Barn (children) =)

my view, prejudiced, was that they couldn't make it in Brighton, to be seen as cool and alternative, because the competition was too stiff. So came with protest songs, guitars, etc to the far north where they thought they would do better in terms of fame and acclaim.

Prob was, rather a lot of rather good alternative competition at eg the ceilidh place. Which also was echte Scots.

Lots of names with eg lax/lex/leish ie for salmon.

There. Is an airport in Wick...