Moving to Scotland

[Andyiswavinggoodbye]

We have family in Scotland and will be moving up hopefully later this year assuming our house in England sells. Family will just be happy to have us a bit nearer so we aren't tied to being really close to where they are (pretty central).

We have travelled extensively looking at areas and have found it difficult to narrow things down. That said, we're keen on the Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Dunkeld area. Second option is the Borders - maybe Melrose - and our wild card is the west coast (!). We'd like a village setting.

A view is important (either hills or water) but that's pretty easy in Scotland isn't it. If we were choosing based just on beauty, we'd go straight for the West Coast, but it seems that rainfall is heavy pretty much everywhere on that coast, unless there a micro climate we aren't aware of?

In an ideal world, DH would like to live on Barra really, or maybe Arran, so he's not much help! Neither terribly practical from an access point of view

Any words of advice and thoughts on those areas very gratefully received, thank you.

What about work? All those areas are pretty different in that aspect

We've taken early retirement (sadly due to family deaths and inheritance) so work isn't an issue.

Really well pleased for you, welcome.

I live on the east coast for work, but plan to retire early and move to highlands or islands.

Midges will play a large part in my decision making. A couple of summers ago there had been a drought meaning all standing water was gone, and with it, those wee bastards. It was the best few days on the west coast I've ever had.

However, I've spent significant time there when their at their peak. They get into every facial orifice, crawling, suffocating, really is quite unpleasant.

Just came in to say I am very envious!! My dh grew up on the west coast and he preaches it to anyone and everyone like he lived in Paradise itself!!
If I didn't have adult dc in England we would be there!!

My criteria for moving for retirement include a view, a decent local shop, a method of public transport getting me to somewhere bigger, so on a train line or major bus route and a pub and cafe. I don't want to end up feeling trapped if we don't want to drive at any point. I appreciate that it's early retirement for you so some of those concerns might be a way off yet :)

Thank you . Midges will pay a part I suspect, I'm fair and react to mosquito bites, so suspect it'd be the same with midges. Presumably avoiding them means gong east or higher? I did wonder whether being on the actual coast on the west side, as opposed to inland by a loch, might be a bit better?

WaxOnFeckOff yes, agree with all of those (even though DH still dreams of Barra ) We saw my in laws struggle once they were unable to drive, so it's not something we want to repeat.

Sunnydayshereatlast it is indeed paradise isn't it. If your DH can find us a slightly drier area minus midges, we'd be there like a shot.

I wouldn't assume the mosquito/midge connection. I react terribly to mosquito bites but midges barely seem to bite me at all and no reaction. You'll need to test it out 😬
In your position I'd want to visit likely areas for a long trip if/when that's possible.

Pitlochry/Aberfeldy/Dunkeld is a great start - beautiful countryside, vibrant towns and pretty villages. Handy for almost everywhere else in Scotland, Pitlochry's on the train line too.

I know you've said you like a village situ, but that's the one thing I'd perhaps encourage you to think longer-term about. If you're in a town you can pop to the shops, jump on the train, etc etc - if you're in a village you will be absolutely tied to the car. There's no public transport to speak of in these sorts of places. That's probably fine now, but if you want this to be your last move ever, it might be a real challenge when you get older.

I'd also factor in that places are very different in winter, definitely more isolated and some services might shut down outside tourist season.

Have you checked out Comrie? Its in a lovely spot and is a large village with an active community but relatively handy for larger towns, bit like Aberfeldy actually. Less touristy than Dunkekd and Pitlochry.

I live on the west coast and have an amazing view of Arran and 4 ferry routes within 15 miles.

Midges are not a huge problem. Summer is short. Best weather is April May and June. Winters are long, wet and very windy and dark.

Having said all that I quite like it. Loads of space and empty beaches. And everyone says hello. Travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh is pretty easy by car or train.

Goodness, thanks so much for all the helpful posts. Lots to think about. Interesting about the differing midge/mosquito reaction, that'll please DH and his West Coast dream!

We've done an extended trip and checked out as many areas as possible, listing lots of places we liked as we toured - just checked the list and we really liked Comrie! Less touristy is better (we're regularly overrun with tourists here), which is why we were thinking a village rather than a town. But I do take on board the point about the lack of public transport if we make that choice.

A view of Arran sounds amazing. We've stayed near that coast and it's stunning. Without outing myself completely (already name changed for this thread) some of the summer will be spent elsewhere, probably end of June to Sept, so I guess we could miss the midges! The amount of rain on the west is a concern, it's much more than where we are currently. Not too bothered about cold or snowy weather in winter which I guess is a positive Thanks again everyone.

I don't mind the cold and the snow to be honest, nothing nicer than a crisp cold walk, it's the dark and the wet and general dreichness which can happen for weeks on end that gets to me. Personally i'd look at the Borders (hills and rivers) or East Lothian (sea) but i'll admit i'm generally biased to the east. I'd love Skye though but it doesn't necessarily fit my criteria.

I think you should definitely choose somewhere that has lovely forests if you are going to be away for the summer and coming back in the Autumn, highland Perthshire is great in the Autumn, more chance of a bit of proper snow in winter too. Having said that May is usually the nicest month in the west and youd be around for that.
Dont overlook the Angus Glens, really lovely and far less touristy than places already mentioned, handy for the Cairngorms and not to far from amazing beaches (or Dundee).

@Wbeezer I was in the Angus Glens for the first time yesterday despite living in Aberdeenshire for years and years. Oh my, such a beautiful spot. Corrie Fee is one of the most stunning places I've seen.

If you don't want too touristy then I'd avoid Pitlochry. I had to get the train from there after a car breakdown elsewhere and was surprised that even in February the pavements were pretty full with visitors and lots of people getting on and off with suitcases. Yes the west is wetter - a lot wetter. Melrose hasn't been mentioned much but I went to school there and it really is a lovely town. Benefits from the train to Edinburgh at tweedbank now too. Agree with a pp that East Lothian worth looking at too - stunning beaches and the best of the sunshine that you're likely to get in Scotland

Rent for a winter in Barra before you buy. I have a friend from Barra who left at 18 for university- don’t want to say anymore for fear of outing her - but incomers NOT welcome.

Comrie and Aberfeldy are both quite “cool” and artsy. Perth has good culture if access to that is important.

Hi OP, I moved from an urban area in the SE to the West Coast. It has a cafe and a pub and a few food shops (small ones mind) and regular buses (which are more like coaches but same system as a bus). The main thing I've noticed is actually the fantastic healthcare we get up here. So easy to get a hospital or doctors appointment and the free prescriptions are a bonus. Happy to answer more questions, good luck

@InsaneInTheViralMembrane

Rent for a winter in Barra before you buy. I have a friend from Barra who left at 18 for university- don’t want to say anymore for fear of outing her - but incomers NOT welcome.

We wont be moving to Barra, however much DH likes the idea

We hadn't considered the Angus Glens, thank you for that. Another RightMove search area to draw, it sounds lovely! It's useful to know about the busiest tourist areas, Somehow I've managed to live in touristy areas all my life and am ready for a bit of quiet.

Chamsz how do you find the weather? We've lived in the SE and it was so much drier than where we are now, okay alone the West Coast.

We liked Melrose, and the borders in general. There was a thread on MN recently saying that the Borders were becoming run down, but we definitely didn't get that impression on our trip.

This is all really useful to us, thanks so much everyone.

What a nice choice - west coast for me if I had unconstrained choices. Borders and East Lothian beautiful too but if you love quiet beaches and don’t mind rain...you can find pockets of run down anywhere.

There's nothing run down about Melrose. It's an incredibly sought after, well to do little town. Some of the more remote larger towns who have lost their industry - like Hawick - May have suffered for the young, but for someone who didn't need to work you'd also get a whole lot of house for your buck. The eastern borders for the most part is anything but rundown - it's one of the few places in Scotland that still has a Tory MP for a start.

Thank you, the Melrose area was beautiful, we did really like it there.

Having so much choice is lovely in one sense, but it feels really overwhelming in another. Heart says west coast, and we've not lived near water before but head says that, as had been said, the winters will be long and wet. Further east does make for drier weather, which I prefer (DH not so fussed) and might be important if we are are going to be around more during spring, autumn and winter. Family are in the central belt so will be reachable from most areas.

Thank for for the new areas we have added, and info on the most touristy places we will now avoid. So now we just need to find a house at the right price in a slightly drier area with crisp cold winters, a mountain view and overlooking a loch

Pitlochry too touristy by far. I would be loathe to move too far from civilisation. You say you've done an extended trip but have you been to any of the areas in winter? It can be very different and personally I find some of the areas on your list too bleak / couldn't cope with the possibility of being cut off because of snow.