Bearsden/Milngavie or Clarkston

[LJHL]

Hello

We're moving to Glasgow and we'll be ready to offer on a house in a few weeks. We are relocating from a lovely community town on the edge of the Peak District. I have a 3 and 1 year old.

We just can't decide on where to live - we've shortlisted the Bearsden/Milngavie area or Clarkston. I really want to meet new mummy friends and build myself a good friendship group. So which area is the most friendly do you think? I like to say hello to people in the park without them thinking I'm a crazy. And also which places have the best things to do for small children?

Thank you in advance.

We're in Bearsden, have been here 12 years and very happy here. People are in general very friendly and will say hello to you in the park! The schools are very good with active PTA if you want to get involved at a later stage, playgroups, nurseries, things like Jo Jingles and sports clubs for every sport you can think of. Short distance into the west end, lots of things going on at the Kelvingrove and Riverside museum.

Can't really give an opinion on Clarkston as I don't know the area but it's a very similar demographic and there won't be much difference.

Between the 3 places I would choose Milngavie. It's lovely.

They are all very similar. One is where families move to who stayed in the west end and the other one is where they move to if they stayed in the south.

The dynamics are very similar (suburban) - where will you/your DH be working?

Thank you everyone - this is very helpful. He will be working at Pacific Quay so north would probably more convenient for not having to go through the centre of Glasgow if he's cycling.

Are the buses any good in Bearsden and Milngavie? Sorry for all the questions here. We're just going to jump in at the deep end and buy a house and hope we like the area (having driven through once!).

Busses are better in milngavie than bearsden.

Train station isn't far away whatever side of milngavie you live on.

I live in bearsden and it's really nice. There are 3 train stations (Westerton, bearsden & hillfoot) bus service isn't great although that depends where you live and where you want to go.
I have family in milngavie and it's lovely there too. The village centre is pedestrianised which I think is nice for kids.

Oh and milngavie has its own train station too with hillfoot not too far. Buses probably slightly better in milngavie.

Westerton village (in bearsden) has 2 nurseries (0-3 & 3-5) a primary school, a village hall that has parent & toddlers running twice a week, a play park, a playing field, a library, a corner shop, 2 hairdressers and a train station.

Oh and also a canal for cycling up. You can cycle up it all the way to cowcaddens or you can switch at Maryhill onto the kelvin all the way through the west end to kelvin grove

The canal sounds brilliant. Thank you everyone.

I would pick milngavie/bearsden over clakston.

That sounds good about westerton village. Does anyone know which are the best parts of Bearsden to live in?

All of bearsden is nice except perhaps the old courthill area (probably fine now but the neds used to hang around there years ago).
Baljaffray and mosshead probably aren't great for public transport.

Agree that Baljaffray and Mosshead are duff for buses, but it's 20 minutes to the Cross and the station and down onto Milngavie Road for buses. The "older" parts of Bearsden, so from the Cross down to Canniesburn, and around Manse Road, Roman Road, across to Thorn Road are generally more expensive. Mosshead is 1960s housing mostly, Baljaffray a mix of 1960s and 1980s. You really need to get up here and have a good look round!

What's your budget op and how many bedrooms do you need? We might be able to single out some streets / areas for you to look at.

We are looking to spend £320k max for 3 beds or ideally 4 beds. Thanks so much for this everyone!

I'm not sure you'd get a 4 bed with that budget (unless it needed work). You could get a 3 bed in westerton, castlehill, colquhoon park maybe?

Pacific quay is in the southside so I'd probably choose clarkston, netherlee or Stamperland. Much easier to travel to work from there than Bearsden!