How does Scotland differ from England/Where should I live?

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I'd like to hear from people who have lived in both!

At the moment I'm considering moving to Scotland but I'm not sure if I'm totally romanticising it. I'm planning a year ahead of time so I'm going to be doing lots of visits and research but just wanted to get a feel for things ahead of time.

I work from home so commutes etc aren't a problem. Shite weather isn't either as it's my favourite kind :-D

How does Scotland "feel" different from England?

At the moment my thoughts are all over the place and pretty vague. I'm quite drawn to Edinburgh but I'm also drawn to Inverness and places like Forres.

I'm 32 with no children. What I'm looking for is somewhere either in a city or with good access to a city. I like open mic nights, I'm a writer so would be great to have a creative community. I'm really looking for somewhere that has a bit of energy but isn't necessarily a big city. Somewhere where people are friendly. Glasgow doesn't appeal. I'm looking for something like a Scottish Brighton

Edinburgh is cold in winter but Portobello is colder

It is cold, but the snow doesn't tend to lie so close to the river.

I grew up there, but it's not the scruffy, faded resort it was then. I've been back several times in the past few years and found the long prom to be bustling, well-kept and interesting. I would happily live there again (if I could afford it!).

@museumum sadly we always seem to be the “best” at the worst things

Glasgow isn't that cold, it is just driech, a lot of the time.

I'd suggest you have another think about Glasgow too- I thought as I read your post that you are describing how several areas of Glasgow feel- west end and Southside, and then you said it didn't appeal. It's a very pretty city, and has some really active creative and arty communities working in it. I love it.

I'm English but have lived in Glasgow for more years than I care to count... the thing I love about it is how friendly it feels- people are far more chatty than at home. I also love that can afford to live in a really nice flat/house in a lovely creative area. And a fairly glasgow- specific one, but the parks and outdoor spaces are great. Lots and lots of green pockets all over the south side and west end.

Pumpkin, you may need to explain dreich for the OP! It is a word she will need a lot, particularly if she goes West coast!

I'd agree that Glasgow is probably best for what you want. There are thriving writing communities; lots of open mic nights, etc. Plus in 20-30 minutes you can be in the countryside/at a beach. It always feels as though it has more energy than Edinburgh. The latter veers from touristy to twee but never strikes vibrant imo (except maybe at festival time).

Very prejudiced view of Glasgow, I’m a Glaswegian who now lives nearer Edinburgh and I’d choose Glasgow every time; very diversive beautiful city, friendliest place you could find. Edinburgh is overrun with tourists and not so welcoming, an opinion shared by many. Your views are based on 1950s folklore 🙄

All I'm going to say now is to keep in mind when reading all the Glasgow love is that Glasgow is the biggest city and therefore will probably mean that there are more people from Glasgow on here and so would also mean that there are likely to be more recommendations. It doesn't necessarily mean it's better for you.

You really need to see for yourself, you might love it or you might not.

I'll also second the comments about the Glasgow weather, however much i love the city. -Autumn can be really depressing with the amount of rain on the west side of Scotland, especially moving up from the south east.

I've also never felt serious anti-english sentiment, and I'm generally accepted as "as good as scottish" having been here for a while. There is sectarianism about, I've never seen the ugly side of it up close but there are marches around the city during marching season.

It's also great for accessing outdoors-.not far from loch lomond and the trossachs, also easy to get to the coast, a couple of the small islands (Aran and Cumbrae in particular), and has smaller hills close enough to get out for an evening stroll if you fancy. Had an amazing music scene too last time i looked (admittedly a few years ago... coinciding with the birth of child no 1!!)

Neither of the major cities up here are a patch on London in terms of the sheet amount of cultural stuff going on, but they are also much smaller and more manageable which I find better for quality of life.

If Dundee city centre isn't welcoming you should definitely tell the millions of people who've been there since the V&A opened.

If Dundee city centre isn't welcoming you should definitely tell the millions of people who've been there since the V&A opened.

People who visited to see the V&A I guess, and not because they fancy a wander round the shopping centre?

I was in the V&A within a couple of weeks of it opening. The building is impressive, the contents less so.

Sorry, but Dundee isn't all terrible and I don't find all the locals are unsettling, but I do stand by my impressions formed over two years of weekly visits. Your city centre is marred by too many locals who hang around and appear drunk and unpredictable. I don't feel comfortable there and wouldn't choose to move to Dundee.

If Dundee city centre isn't welcoming you should definitely tell the millions of people who've been there since the V&A opened.

Feedback suggests the majority found it a bit of a a let down, unimpressive, crap.

The idea that the locals are socially deprived however

And to the pp who thinks Scottish people speak a different language that no one else can understand

Yeah I wasn't talking about the museum contents, more that Dundee is drawing people in from all over the world who all - gasp - head straight for the city centre.

Let’s not turn this into a bun fight because of one person’s opinion. There are areas of Dundee which have huge deprivation issues, just like any other city
There are people with drug problems, just like any other city
The bus station isn’t the most pleasant place, just like any other city
Some people visit and see a tiny part of the town and make a sweeping generalisation, just like any other city....

Dundee is also the UK’s sunniest city (hard to believe this morning!)
And Dundee also has.....ME

And me. And as we all know I AM A RAY OF SUNSHINE

Hear, hear Judge! It's so good to read so many people bigging up their own little corner of Scotland on this thread. Proof that it's a great country to live in!

Check out Sunshine Number1 on Facebook. They are a shop on Cathcart rd in the Southside of Glasgow. Would be a good place to start networking

www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/17716872.scotlands-insider-guide-strathbungo/

Think there were a number of insider guides in the Herald. Might be worth a look. Here's the link for Strathbungo

As someone who's lived all over Scotland - Edinburgh, Wick, Inverness and now Glasgow, Glasgow is the most amazing, friendly and vibrant place. It also has lovely green spaces, as noted previous posts. But the weather is so so rainy and this can impact on your mood depending on how it affects you.
I really feel a holiday seeing different places will help as it's hard going by othets,' opinions. On paper, Edinburgh is lovely however Glasgow had just as nice places, just not city centre like Edinburgh (as was torn apart for m8!)

Just searched "Open mic Inverness" and lots came up. I live in a middle sized town and I think we have them (not my thing but we do have lots of events and things).