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

Original poster

Moving to Banchory or north of Aberdeen

55 replies

Hannah2199 · 08/02/2020 09:31

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

OP posts:
Original poster
Hannah2199 · 08/02/2020 21:49

Thanks that's great will look at schools. Yes very different in England.

OP posts:
mrslol · 08/02/2020 21:50

Hi! Have a look at Bridge of Don. It's a big suburb on the north side of the city so would be more practical for commuting. There's lots of baby groups etc.

The commute wouldn't be great to Banchory. It's country roads for some of the way which aren't always gritted.

For schools look up the school you're thinking about and HMIe which is who inspects schools in Scotland.

prettybird · 09/02/2020 14:19

It's not a commute to Banchory that need to be considered. It's a commute to (near) Peterhead.

Original poster
Hannah2199 · 09/02/2020 14:22

Oh, so is it the roads near Pererhead that are the worst then rather then the bit round Aberdeen area? The job is fixed in peterhead

OP posts:
NaturallyEden · 09/02/2020 14:29

I found Banchory bits the worst bit of the commute...

Tinselette1940 · 09/02/2020 14:33

Hannah I was in your other thread. This school table was published in the Times originally: www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/4020266/scotland-secondary-schools-results-chart-worst-best-glasgow-edinburgh/

I'm in the Bridge of Don if you want to pm me

Tinselette1940 · 09/02/2020 14:40

From my house in the Bridge of Don it's 40 mins to Peterhead via AWPR (western peripheral route)

Tinselette1940 · 09/02/2020 14:49

Actually I don't drive that route in winter so might be longer. Newburgh is a lovely village.

OllyBJolly · 09/02/2020 14:50

Bridge of Don is a good location. Not too far to the centre of Aberdeen and straight road to Peterhead.

I have family in Ellon. Easy access to Aberdeen, frequent buses, big Tesco and Aldi yet still has a village feel.

The bypass has made a huge difference to travel times but I'd say Banchory is still too far. What about Balmedie?

I wouldn't live in Fraserburgh or Peterhead. Cruden Bay is lovely and I like the look of Newburgh (although don't know anyone who lives there).

prettybird · 09/02/2020 14:55

Those are the raw stats. If the "virtual comparator" is factored in (ie what would be expected given the demographics of the school catchment - ie a way of seeing the "value add" of the school), then the order of "good" schools changes.

I went to Bearsden Academy where I (and my friends) got great Higher results. But the school only cared about pupils like me, who were already motivated and cane from nice supportive family backgrounds Hmm. My mum taught at Clydebank High. It didn't get as good exam results - but was actually a better school and achieved more given its "raw" material. Smile

In fact, my mum and I both started at Bearsden Academy at the same time - her as a newly qualified probationer English teacher, me in S1. Despite the fact that my mum had no experience, they gave her one of the most difficult, de-motivated and disengaged classes they weren't to know that she was a brilliant teacher and actually got them interested in English Wink

Always delve more deeply when looking at newspaper generated "league tables" as they usually often don't tell the full story.

Lisette1940 · 09/02/2020 15:01

Well no you're right they don't always Prettybird but I think for the Aberdeen schools listed that I know well it's pretty accurate. Can't speak for Glasgow or Edinburgh as I'm not in the ground there.

SpanielPlusToddler · 09/02/2020 15:17

I think you’ll find it impossible to decide unless you come back up for another visit. To make the commute to Peterhead reasonable I think you want to be looking at towns north of Aberdeen. I’ve heard Inverurie is a lovely place to live and has a great High Street that always looks busy. Balmedie has a stunning beach, but don’t really know what the village is like.
I live in Moray, which is neighbouring to north Aberdeenshire. Both are fantastic places to live and to bring up your family. They are often rated in the top few places to live in Scotland, for family quality of life. Good luck.

ContinuityError · 09/02/2020 15:54

With the AWPR open I’d also look at Culter and Milltimber - good primary schools that feed into Cults Academy, easy access into the city as well.

Original poster
Hannah2199 · 09/02/2020 16:16

Thanks that's all really helpful. OH has heart set on banchory so will be trying to get him to look elsewhere. This is all great advice thank you. Obviously we will come up again but its reliant on getting a babysitter and time off work etc which is proving difficult as we live far away.

OP posts:
prettybird · 09/02/2020 16:29

Fair point Lisette Smile - while I know Glasgow schools, all I know of Aberdeen (& Shire) schools is their names Wink - and the fact that ds now plays for Aberdeen Grammar Rugby Club Grin (he's at Uni up there).

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 09/02/2020 17:07

Just wanted to put in a word for Stonehaven and Mackie Academy if you want to be south of Aberdeen. Longer commute than Ellon to Peterhead but with the bypass much quicker than before.
In 8 years here there has only been really bad snow twice but may be more common north of Aberdeen and if further inland. Agree Banchory is probably too far for comfort as very rural roads into it.
Cults Academy and Aberdeen Grammar (actually a comprehensive) are usually considered the best state schools in Aberdeen City and in Aberdeenshire it seems to be Banchory, Westhill, Mackie and so forth. There is also an academy in Portlethen (South of Aberdeen) but it's generally lower in the rankings despite new build catchment like Westhill. Think it might have risen a bit since 2012 however.
Good luck whatever you decide.

ContinuityError · 09/02/2020 17:32

Are you planning on renting to begin with? If you rent for a while that at leas gives you flexibility if you decide that your chosen area isn’t quite right after all. Probably limited choice of rentals outwith Aberdeen though (and negotiate hard on the advertised rates).

cookiemonster5 · 09/02/2020 17:40

Ellon has less to do than Peterhead. If your husband is working near Peterhead then it makes sense to live here.

We are shortly getting a new secondary school in the new community campus plus a new multiplex cinema. We are also close to Fraserburgh for ten pin bowling.

There is a lot to do in and around Peterhead. A lot kore than Ellon. Since they dualed the road from Ellon the bottleneck has shifted from balmedie to Ellon. My husbands boss works in Ellon and it's a nightmare him getting into Peterhead and home again at rush hour.

Original poster
Hannah2199 · 09/02/2020 20:06

Interesting points. Not sure, we would possibly rent first while we sell our original house. But want to rent or buy in same area as we dont want to have to move schools twice if that makes sense. I'm going to investigate inverurie and bridge of don as others have mentioned it. Stonehaven etc looks nice but must be further away.

OP posts:
Waterdropsdown · 09/02/2020 20:20

Inverurie is nice but I’m not sure it’s great location wise either.

Salene · 09/02/2020 20:26

Banchory I'd say no, it's not very big, roads aren't great in winter for commute and it's over priced

If working in Peterhead I'd live in Inverurie or Ellon , both decent sized towns

The drive to Peterhead isn't bad from Aberdeen now AWPR road is open, so you could look at Aberdeen, bridge of don, kingswells , Westhill , Dyce.

I like both Inverurie and Ellon though and would say they are a good place to live

Salene · 09/02/2020 20:32

Just read your husband has heart set on Banchory.? Any idea why.? I mean it's ok but definitely not somewhere I'd choose to live, there isn't much there and the road into Aberdeen through cults etc is absolutely depressing and seems to go on forever. Honestly there is much better places than there to live in Aberdeenshire. It's absolutely rammed of tourists in the summer also.

Original poster
Hannah2199 · 09/02/2020 21:07

I think he had his heart set on banchory because he didn't realise how rural Ellon was which was his first choice. It was a bigger town, had good schools, housing looked nice. A few more restaurants etc.

Agree with you though, although it was a nice town to visit I'm not sure I would want to give up everything we have here to move there.

Perhaps aberdeen itself would be a better choice. Hoping to coordinate a trip up there in a few weeks hopefully before OH has to decide eek! Worrying because I've no idea how long it could take to sell our house, and we cant afford to have two properties even if OH rented a cheap place the cost of trains or flights home each week to see kids would be extortionate.

OP posts:
ContinuityError · 09/02/2020 21:38

Personally I’d not bother with Kingswells as there is very little there. Westhill sprawls and although there a small shopping centre it’s nothing to write home about (M&S food store is popular though).

Banchory is a nice rural town, plenty going on for kids (not sure why the PP thinks the road into Aberdeen is depressing - both North and South Deeside Roads are pretty) but it’s quite a drive to Peterhead.