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Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Village/small town within commuting distance from Glasgow

78 replies

Scotlandbound · 06/04/2019 21:03

Hi all,

We are moving to Scotland in the next few months. Due to my husbands work, we need to be no further than 1 hour away from Glasgow. Ideally, we would like a village/small town within easy commuting distance.

Our wish list is: Good schools, village/small town feel, easy commute to Glasgow, outdoor space (i.e. not a new build where garden space is limited), relatively large house as we need two study's (due to working at home) and at least four bedrooms.

We have considered Crieff (a little bit far from Glasgow), Dunblane (mostly new builds with little outdoor space), Bridge of Allan (few houses come up). Out budget is up to 500k.

I am Scottish and lived in a number of different places within Scotland, but I do not know the Glasgow area well. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

OP posts:
YouBumder · 08/04/2019 13:14

I have family members who live in Balfron. It’s alright but I loathe the drive and would hate that commute on a daily basis. School supposedly good but don’t know of anyone who went who did very well personally. Strathblane is nice.

twattymctwatterson · 08/04/2019 13:15

Ooooor Fintry? It has a pool! Grin
www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/50767181

WeeMadArthur · 08/04/2019 13:27

Lenzie? Less than 15 minutes on the train into Queen Street.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80072939.html

MoreProseccoNow · 08/04/2019 13:33

Here's a link on schools; I'd use that as a starting point. And I'd rule out Jordanhill, as you have to live in catchment for about 10 years before you can get a place.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/17512249.revealed-the-top-50-state-schools-in-scotland-2019/

Original poster
Scotlandbound · 08/04/2019 13:36

hhhhhmmmm, not convinced about the pool!

With regards to Lenzie, we would prefer to be a little bit further out. Ideally, a little town/village. We considered Crieff, but it is just too far. Anything similar would be great!!!!

OP posts:
maldivemoment · 08/04/2019 13:41

We’re in Helensburgh and it sounds like it may tick all of your boxes. Good schools. 40 mins to Glasgow by train; every half hour. 10 mins to Loch Lomond, Arrochar etc. Lovely people too!

maldivemoment · 08/04/2019 13:45

This maybe?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71000797.html

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/04/2019 14:00

Villages in Scotland don't tend to be the same as villages in England. There are some lovely ones and some small towns which are probably similar in size to your villages, but a lot of villages can be quite rough. Old mining or mill type places where the work is long gone or a few nice houses and a couple of streets of council houses. Some of those are all bought up and the villages can be very nice, in others, councils use them as a dumping ground to get troublemakers out of the local towns and split up rivalries. Jump into google maps and have a good look around and ask here before you buy :)

Elllicam · 08/04/2019 14:06

Strathaven is a lovely little town, a great secondary school, lots of activities for kids, really strong community feel. The park is lovely and they do a lot of events like the gala day and the balloon festival. It’s close to the m74 and you can get a train from Larkhall or East Kilbride. Feel free to pm :)

IHaveBrilloHair · 08/04/2019 14:09

Ooh, that house is lovely.
I I've here too but no where near as nice as that HA

Original poster
Scotlandbound · 08/04/2019 14:12

I am actually Scottish (unless you have given Orkney back to Denmark) and have lived in a number of different places around the country, I just don't know the area around Glasgow very well. 'your villages'?

I also currently live in the North West of England, so I am not picturing a pretty cotswold village!

OP posts:
prettybird · 08/04/2019 14:17

I second Fintry as a suggestion. It would tick all the boxes of Scotlandbound's criteria. Strathaven too, if she wants somewhere a wee bit bigger (and with supermarkets Wink).

Balfron and Killearn are both nice too. Some people commute into Glasgow from there by driving into Milngavie and parking at the station there.

Elllicam · 08/04/2019 14:17

Or this one is not far outside Strathaven and is in catchment for the secondary.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75575264.html

wigglybeezer · 08/04/2019 14:18

Wax is spot on, villages are not always bucolic and cosy in Scotland! Not always a bad thing being a working class village, in my experience there is often a very strong community spirit with gala days etc. But I know people who have been seduced by the low house prices and then found their child struggled to fit in with school peers who's parents all knew each other from schooldays.

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/04/2019 14:21

Sorry OP, didn't mean to offend! Blush . When I've visited and driven around, I'm always astounded by how many pretty villages there are south of the border. Not that we don't have some lovely ones too, but there are loads that sound lovely but turn out to be shit tips. DH was brought up in one but I'm a city person :).

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/04/2019 14:25

wiggly we had a similar experience with a move to Denny. I was brought up on a very rough estate in Edinburgh and DH from his rough Borders village so not like we were middle class snobs or anything, but we couldn't settle at all as it was very much a closed though vibrant community. I'm sure long term (maybe 3 generations down the line) it might have got better and maybe when the newer estates got bigger too, but we moved again quite quickly as we didn't have any sense of belonging. It wasn't anyone's fault, just not the place for us.

wigglybeezer · 08/04/2019 14:29

Oh and my teenagers bemoan (quite forcefully) living in a village with very infrequent bus service, they didn't mind when they were little. With hindsight I would try harder to move a bigger town before high school (our original plan) but the crash stopped us at the time. My sister lives in Linlithgow and DN has had a much greater choice of activities and friends and more independence than my boys.

Elllicam · 08/04/2019 14:31

I have to say as an incomer to (near) Strathaven I’ve found it friendly.

ACPC · 08/04/2019 14:33

I live near Strathaven. It ticks all the boxes op.

wigglybeezer · 08/04/2019 14:39

Wax, I was actually thinking of Denny when I wrote that ( and some of the Clackmannanshire villages). DH has relatives in Denny ( who are quite cliquey) and after attending an inadequately catered wedding there MIL and I got chatted up by two really drunk lads in the chippy, didn't know whether to be flattered or offended! Interestingly, the type of place I'm talking about often seems to have both more pubs and churches than " posher" places.

prettybird · 08/04/2019 14:48

I think you can get a good bang for your buck in Strathaven Smile

That is, until the MN recommendations creates a surge in demand which increases prices Wink

MegsF98 · 08/04/2019 14:58

I grew up in Erskine which is only a 20 min drive from Glasgow, decent schools, decent community, i would consider x

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/04/2019 14:59

wiggly how spooky is that!

It wasn't exactly unfriendly, we made friends who we still are friends with 15 years later, there was always a feeling of not belonging though. We'd previously been incomers to Penicuik and never felt that at all. Maybe they have more of a transient population? Who knows. Maybe it was a just a step too far west for my east coast sensibilities...:o I really don't think everywhere will be like that but it's worth bearing in mind.

MegsF98 · 08/04/2019 15:00

Also Bishipton have some stunning houses, and only 15mins on train from central station

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