Move to Scotland, town suggestions pls

[Minervamink]

My husband and I are thinking of moving to Scotland, feeling a little restless and fancy a change.
We live on the Devon/Cornwall border. It is pretty perfect, out in the sticks but close to beaches and a town, children have horses and can ride for miles off road from our doorstep.

My concerns are that there is very little here in ways of opportunity for the children when they are a little older. It’s always at least a three hour drive to an airport. I’d also quite like quirks that being close to a city has, theatre, giggs etc - no one ever comes this far south.
I was born in Glasgow and lived there till I was ten haven’t been back much though.
Does anyone have any “middle class” towns suggestions that are countrified but within easy reach of a city. I really love Edinburgh and think it might be less of a culture shock for the kids than Glasgow. Possibly even Stirling outskirts so it’s easy reach of city’s and the Trossachs.
Has anyone made a move to Scotland. Would love to hear experiences and suggestions.

Kilmacolm, Lochwinnoch, Largs, Fairlie, West Kilbride - all naice middle class and close to Glasgow on the south side.
Helensburgh too, on the north side.

Came on to say North Berwick.

Are you prepared for the cold - there's not been a proper in summer for a few years

Bridge of Allan ticks all the boxes you’re looking for. You can easily travel direct to Edinburgh or Glasgow from there by train or easy motorway journey. Fabulous walks and country feel, with restaurants, cafes and arts centre (with cinema) at the uni.

Oh and stables-there’s even a paddock two minutes from the centre where the little ones go ‘to see the horses’ and a riding centre further up the hill, with a wonderful view across Stirling.

I would avoid the Borders to be honest - transport links are poor if you are hawick/selkirk/jedburgh/kelso/coldstream although Kelso and Jed are about an hour from Newcastle airport.

I would look Edinburgh, Portobello, parts of east Lothian like N Berwick or Dunbar. Fife can be fine but try and stay close to the M90 or rail line as mid Fife takes forever to drive through.

Central belt round Stirling to Perth great.

Aberdeen and the shire gorgeous and better served than you'd think.

Aberfeldy

Linlithgow
Balerno
Queensferry
On the route of the new borders railway
Fife near the bridge- anywhere from Burntisland to Culross
Dunblane
Lenzie
Bearsden/ Milngavie
Newton Mearns
Thorntonhall/ Waterfoot
Strathaven

I would suggest Perth or South Queensferry. At a push maybe Stirling or one of the surrounding areas like Callander

I live in Dumfries and we are close to the border, close to coastal towns, have great transport links and we are in general a nice town to live in. It’s not too far up scotland we are south west. We’re also all from Glasgow and I love my town!

Oh and we also get the pick of glasgow, prestwick, edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and newcastle airport :D (used to be a travel agent) and we’re not far from Cairnryan for the ferry

All the towns @Verily1 mentioned!

Also having moved to Glasgow in my thirties, I’ve met lots of people that are from here and stayed for uni and beyond. Many more than did in my hometown. I think that shows the city in a positive light. Although I’m aware obviously I won’t have met the people that moved away!

Ahhh thanks everyone, really excited to come and look around everywhere x

Not near Glasgow or Edinburgh but it's not that far really, but there's a wee town Stonehaven on North East coast of Scotland. About 15 min drive to Aberdeen, train station with routes to Glasgow and Edinburgh throughout day. It's lovely and has a lot going for it x

Not least @ginandnappies, a heated outdoor swimming pool!

@ginandnappies Although no-one could ever call Stonehaven middle class!

I love the Scottish Borders. Peebles, Melrose are lovely. Kids seem to like growing up in peebles if outdoorsy.

Don’t rule out Moray. Close to Inverness, sunnier and stunning plus close to the Cairngorms.

East Lothian is also amazing. Close to Edinburgh and stunning coast. Drier and sunnier than the west. North Berwick is naice; Dunbar and Haddington friendlier and cheaper.

It’s much colder up here with longer winters!!

Bridge of Allan is a lovely wee place and close to Stirling.

I would move to the highlands but have opted for closer to Edinburgh for the reasons you mentioned.

Peebles in the borders is having a real revival lately. Only 20mi to edinburgh but no night buses or anything. Roslin or Penicuik are closer to edinburgh for night life.

Yes the commute to Edinburgh from Peebles is a bastard

I have a real soft spot for st Boswell’s. Close to Melrose. Train station at Stow. But a bugger for teens I reckon. I would like to retire to st boswells if I’m still alive when I stop work at age 80

Linlithgow or Dunblane.

Strathaven another possibility, but further out from public transport (and maybe a little tired in places?).

The busses are once an hour where I live and only 3 run on a Sunday, so having no night train is not a problem

I'm peebles, border buses have run the bus service to shit but at least we still theoretically get one an hour on a Sunday. 45-1 hour to edinburgh. Peebles is a lovely place for kids, teens not so much I don't think, judging by our town vandalism posts. It's also fucking expensive housewise for fuck all.

I grew up in the east neuk of fife, awesome place for kids, for teens though, fuck all.

I can't wait til my kids are old enough that we can move back to glasgow.

Cupar in Fife. On the main train line between Edinburgh and Dundee, lovely and rural for the horses but close enough to cities for the action. Just a few miles from At Andrews too. Or, if you want to be closer to a city look at Tayport and Newport in North Fife. Just a couple of miles over the bridge to Dundee, close to st Andrews and near a gorgeous beach and forest.