Highlands or East Coast move?

[dostopwaffelinggeremy]

Family are planning a move to Scotland within the next 12-18 months hopefully. We are in the process of narrowing areas down.
I am thinking Inverness-shire/Highlands whereas Dh thinks the East Coast would be less chilly.
Being within reasonable public transport links but not for daily commute is necessary.
Obviously good schools are essential (Secondary)
More rural but not too rural.
Would love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly about the North and the East.

If you are worried about being chilly, do not on any account move to the East Coast

I'm a West Coaster (Glasgow) but went to Uni at St Andrews. The 1st Years would start complaining about it being cold in November and we (the older students) would just laugh and say, "Wait until February"

The problem is the cold North Easterly wind which felt like it came straight from Siberia. I acquired a massive collection of thick jumpers during my time there.

Inverness will be cooler - and wetter - in summer though.

No idea about schools though.

OMG. Don't think the east coast will be warmer in winter. As previous poster says.

I'm from the highlands and studied in Edinburgh. Edinburgh winters are the coldest I've ever been. In fact a few years ago DH and I visited Edinburgh in January and it was so cold at the castle I had to leave DH there and go back to the hotel. I was almost in tears and I had loads of appropriate clothes on. And I'm quite used to the cold.

Highlands will be windier, wetter and more damp.

Definitely not the east coast! It's bloody freezing! All year almost! Originally from Inverness myself and have move 12 miles north to a small village with excellent commuting to Inverness via bus or train! Also a small town nearby for food shopping etc. Milburn academy seems to be the best high school in Inverness although properties round that area can be pricey so depends on your budget?

Morayshire is warmer and milder than most of the rest of Scotland..

There is that bitter wind in the coastal areas but inland it's not so bad. My family live in rural Aberdeenshire and they have quite mild weather. My parents' garden was always blooming earlier than mine! (Central Belt). If you're not thinking so far north then Dundee is fast becoming "the" happening city in Scotland and it's surrounded by lovely towns and villages.

Lots of gorgeous places around Inverness - in every direction.

I think in Scotland you just have to take the weather as it comes. There are so many other factors that make somewhere a good location. What employment options do you have? Are you happy for your DCs to travel a fair distance for secondary school? Are you looking for rural community living, rural isolation, or city life?

Wow, great replies everyone. Inverness-shire and Angus areas seem the most attractive to us for some reason. Definitely more rural than city living. Smallish village with a high street, pubs etc but within easy access to bigger towns/cities. Coastal looks out due to the weather so probably inland. I love rural living myself and would be quite happy live in a croft with sheep for neighbours but I have a husband a children to consider
Schools have to be a priority when looking for an area though, so that will definitely be a huge influence.
Need to be within a reasonable distance for train/bus/airport (an hour would not be unreasonable) Dh needs to travel but not on a daily/weekly basis.
I think I need to focus on what is the most important factors to properly narrow it down.
So, good school in a rural-ish area with reasonable transport links

Even Sunny Dunbar (East Lothian and right down south) can be cold in summer with the Sea Hars that roll in.

Where will your DH be working?
Dundee has an airport which also flies to Amsterdam for domestic flights and obviously train station.
I am in Angus and it takes ten minutes to get to the airport from my home. I'm not sure about it being overly cold on the east coast, but it's maybe just what I'm used to however nothing beats walking along monifieth beach into Broughty ferry on a crisp December morning in fact any morning.

Google the reports for Carnoustie high school, monifieth high school, Arbroath academy, dundee high school (private), Webster's high school, Brechin high school, St. John's high school (dundee), St. Paul's (dundee) Harris Academy (dundee I know the HT and he's a gem!) and I'm
Sure there are a few I've forgotten

I'm in Angus - moved here a few years ago and absolutely hate it. As someone else said, Dundee area is a good bet - lots of investment, much more positive, quite a few decent schools. I'm a good bit further north than that and it's a different world .

Nairn? Right side of Inverness for the airport, has its own train station, beautiful beaches, a lot going on, good schools.

The highlands, the scenery is amazing. The east coast is less spectacular and is much colder. I grew up in the highlands, later moving east, and would go back west at the drop of a hat.

I've been googling Inverness/Highlands and must admit in grows more appealing. Inverness has an airport, train station, what about life in general up there. Is the weather soooooo much colder than a few hours south?
Are there a lot of incomers? I will keep googling. Have been on Rightmove too. Will be renting (with pets) for (absolute) max GBP1.200 for about 6-12 months before buying.

I'm originally from the North East of England but have moved around a bit and now live with my family just outside of Inverness. I don't find it cold at all, a bit wet at times!
We love it here, we spend lots of time cycling, walking our dog through the woods and building sandcastles and rock pooling on the beach. We find people very friendly as a rule and there is usually lots going on to meet others.

The Moray Firth has a micro climate which is warmer, sunnier and drier than most of the rest of Scotland so you won't need to worry about the cold!

Have lived in Angus for past 5 years and we love it! It is colder than the central belt where we used to live - but is drier. We're close to beaches and Dundee is about 30 mins away. I would never move back now.

Agree that the Moray Coast is not too cold - I don't seem to remember it being horrendously cold in the winter.

Nothing much to do though. Everybody I knew left to go to uni and never came back.

I'd go with East Lothian. North Berwick is lovely, with good transport links. There's plenty of little villages nearby.

I do notice a few degrees of a difference when I go North e.g. Aviemore. And I think I would struggle with the dark in winter. & so little daylight.,

Broughty ferry is a nice location just outside Dundee and on the coast. Plenty of good houses and the Grove used to be an ok school.

Sauvignon
It doesn't get any darker here than the south of Scotland? Yes Aviemore can be a little colder as its higher up?

There is about 20 minutes more "daylight" in Glasgow compared to Inverness in midwinter - due to Inverness being about 150 miles due North of Glasgow.

The counter to that is that there will be slightly more daylight in midsummer in Inverness!

Mumtojenny - DSD is in first year at Grove Academy, seems like a fantastic school from what she says and the parents info nights. DS is at Carnoustie high in first year, not so much extra curricular stuff and not as much homework but still seems to be good for him

Luckily we are not in a tropical climate at the moment, the weather is on par with Scotland I would think, maybe slightly colder in the winter and a little better in summer. Obviously less is better when it comes to rain though.
Grove Academy seems to get good reviews as does Madras. What about Inverness area schools. How do you find out catchment areas for renting or buying property though?

The catchment eligibility will be based on wherever you live at the time that you apply (or evidence that you'll be moving in prior to your child starting) - so if you're renting first, it's the catchment for the rental property that counts. If you then move out of catchment, that's ok, as far as I know.