Moving to Banchory or north of Aberdeen

[Hannah2199]

We are looking to relocate from England to Aberdeenshire for OHs job. Weve had a whistle stop tour of the area in a day (had to get back for young kids). Am now more confused than ever!

We looked at Ellon - great sports facilities and schools but seemed very rural. Was very quiet. Didn't see anyone with kids about in the daytime. I would be SAHM so I'm wondering if theres much going on in the town?

Also looked briefly at Banchory (it was dark by then!), seemed like a nice town with good schools and nice sports village. Its further away from OH job so I'm not sure how lonely it would be. Also, does it get quite touristy in the summer? Is there much if a community feel? Many activities for kids?

Can anyone recommend anywhere else that would be good to live with 3 young kids please? OH will be working near Peterhead. Should say at the moment we live in a city/large town with lots of kids amenities and OH works 90 mins (with traffic) drive away. Looking for less of a commute so OH can be home with kids more but also easy access to the things kids are used to. Does this exist in this area?Guess I'm reluctant to leave where we are now with friends and family for somewhere I would be completely on my own so need some persuasion.

Thanks

Banchory has plenty of clubs etc for children and a good community feel. However it would be quite a commute for your Dh, especially in winter. I don't know Ellon well but I would have thought it would be quite similar, and certainly a better commute. Inverurie is nice too.

I've lived close to both of those places (in slightly smaller villages outside of each).

The drive from Banchory to Peterhead is hellish (especially in winter)- so if this is a big factor please choose Ellon. I think the schools may not be so great in Ellon at secondary level though.

What has put you off Aberdeen itself?

I lived in Aberdeen for 8 years (did my first uni degree there), and I loved it. I miss it so much. What has been putting you off Aberdeen? Plenty of properties in Peterhead too!

Schools will not be as good in Ellon as Banchory but the commute will be horrible from Banchory. There is a new bypass which makes driving north of Aberdeen way better from places to the west/south. Peterculter/Milltimber are family friendly with schools as good as Banchory but you can get straight on the new bypass which would make your DH journey a bit shorter than Banchory. Still far for commuting for Aberdeen. Hopefully someone else comes along who knows the north of Aberdeen better.

I lived in a small village (Udny Green) - it was very family friendly as was Old Meldrum and Pitmedden - it was sort of like several villages came together as a community. Newburgh is also lovely (but again smallish village).

Thanks everyone that's really helpful. Interesting about Ellon schools - we weren't able to look round the secondary school - is it not very good? Primary seemed good, one in particular better than the other.

What makes people say Banchory commute would be hellish? Is it likely to be longer than 1 hour in reality?

I dont know the area very well at all but OH lived in Aberdeen for a very short period about 20 years ago. He discounted it because he said even with the bypass traffic would be horrible. And we would get less property for our money.

We looked at Westhill - seemed to be a big housing estate with shops - similar to what we have in England but we felt where we lived now was nicer (sorry!)

Ellon - just seemed too quiet. There wasn't really a 'town centre's and seemed to be very little going on. Though the people we did meet were lovely and leisure facilities looked fab. I worry I would be isolated an bored.

OH discounted Fraserburgh and Peterhead. I've never been but he said theres not much there.

Help. Panicking now!

Also are there any ofsted reports for schools? Couldn't find any for the banchory schools- even out if date ones are more helpful when choosing a school over literally nothing

Banchory Academy is one of the top state schools in Scotland. Have a peek on Wiki for data. Don't fancy the commute though.

Living not far from Ellon, I'd say there's plenty to do for a SAHM, depending on what you want. If you can drive, even more options will be open to you.
I can categorically say you'll not want to commute from banchory to peterhead. It's a long drive, even with the new bypass and will be an utter arse ache in the winter. Banchory does get very touristy in the summer too.
Even looking at Inverurie would be better if you want a bigger town feel.....still a fair commute in the snow though. If I was working in peterhead I'd look at ellon.....but also think about other towns too....the further out from aberdeen you are, the more house you'll get for your money. Commuter towns like ellon and surrounding villages can be pricey

Banchory to Peterhead would be absolutely crackers to be honest I wouldn’t even do it from WestHill which is where I grew up.

I have friends who lived in Ellon and always talk about the community and friends they had there. I have friends who live in collieston now and they love it. Have you Considered Newburgh?

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm even more confused now!

Scotland seems beautiful and the people were so friendly but I worry that it would be so isolating away from friends and I'd go stir crazy in a rural area. Possibly not true in reality, I dont know?? Perhaps good community and new friends would be brilliant???

So...just how bad does it get in a 'normal winter'? Obviously it snows here too but everything pretty much continues as normal. Some of the posts above lead me to believe this is not the case in Aberdeenshire?

Also why have people said the commute could be hellish? OH currently commutes 60-90 mins every day so he says 1 hr commute seems reasonable

Absolutely would not discount living in Aberdeen itself - it’s a great city with lots going on and easy to get around. Property is much value than it was at one stage too though prices have picked up again. Banchory to Peterhead with the new bypass would be better than it once was, but could be hugely affected by snow and I really wouldn’t fancy the single carriage way roads involved every day in winter. An hour absolute minimum. I know Fraserburgh very well and I wouldn’t personally choose to live there, especially if you’re worried about feeling isolated.

I've attempted work through drifts higher than my car. Some winters we get nothing, other winters you're under feet of snow. Ice is a big problem too....rain freezing on the roads overnight cause big issues.
If you're commuting to peterhead you'll pass a junction called the Toll of Birness. Google how many crashes happen there. Dont underestimate an Aberdeenshire winter!
The commute will be just over the hour I'd say, but the roads are awful. Not a commute I'd take on, traffic, weather, and volume of accidents and so on.
Theres an Ellon Mums facebook page, try joining it to get a feel for the community and activities. Plenty out there and yes, we are all friendly people!

Good points. So perhaps not Banchory then. Where in Aberdeen would people recommend? I think hes going to need to brave the single carriageway road in any case as we wouldn't be living right nearby unfortunately

Thanks I'll look for the facebook group. Slightly worried about the roads now.

Any more info on Ellon secondary? Why it doesnt have a good rep please?

For the record on the commuting, from Kirnkardine O Neil to Peterhead it would regularly (two or three times a week) take me over two hours in winter. I worked flexi-hours to due to the traffic around Aberdeen itself, 15 minutes late and I would bumper to bumper from Westhill to BOD.

It was really utterly miserable which is why we moved.

Yikes! Sounds horrendous. Is it any better from Ellon please? OH estimates 30mins commute? Thanks. Sorry if these are silly questions but we literally know nothing. So hard to pick somewhere to live for the next 10 years or so based on a days visit

No Ofsted inspection reports in Scotland like you get in England

OH wondering which part of the commute was causing the problem when it was taking 2 hours? Is it mainly the single carriageway way bit? Or is commuting anywhere just a disaster in winter? Thanks

Is there any way for parents to judge schools if theres no Ofsted reports please? Or is it largely word of mouth? Thanks

Yes, much better commute from Ellon. Need to check with someone where the road gritting cut off starts though in winter - I think it's fine Ellon to Peterhead (I think it was when I was driving into Aberdeen that it was often not gritted).

You can google results for all schools in Scotland.

OP, to compare schools you would need to look at HMIe reports on the Education Scotland website: education.gov.scot/education-scotland/inspection-reports/

Bear in mind that, unlike in England, generally children go to the local school in your catchment area.

So it was the south up out of aberdeen - dual carriageway bit that was causing the delay rather than the rural single carriageway part of the journey? Thanks

Ellon to peterhead only 25 mins, but a lot longer in winter. Schools have the same issues as any secondary....behaviour, drugs...Ellon not really any worse than any others.