Relocating to Scottish borders

[Chipsahoy]

Happy Sunday all.
Our home is for sale and we are planning to move to Northumberland, however in our search there we’ve seen properties we like over the border and starting to wonder if we should be looking there instead. I have family in Aberdeen so would make us closer than we are now, in the midlands.
Can anyone recommend a town or village in the Scottish Borders which is within an hour of the coast. We want to live semi rurally.
Three kids, two school age, jobs are home based and have been for ten years Plus so no commute to consider.

Thanks.

It is expensive and the closer / better links to Edinburgh the more expensive it will be. This is a filter of everything with 3+ beds in Dunbar and Haddington areas for under £350k. It's not a lot of properties and probably not the sort of thing you're looking for. Also bear in mind that Scotland operates on an "offers over" system with sealed bids on a closing date so expect to pay anything from 5% upwards (depending on area) over the asking price.
espc.com/properties?p=2&radiuses=55.983020507724625,-2.56530981845345,7.033,B6370%2C%20Belhaven%2C%20Pitcox;55.95842604865925,-2.7767856285299524,6.872,Tenterfield%20Drive%2C%20Nungate%2C%20Haddington&minbeds=3plus&minprice=250000&maxprice=350000&underoffer=true

Yeah we don’t really want to live near a city. We really don’t need the links for jobs so seems madness to pay the premium.
We live ten mins from a city now and never visit. About once a year if that.

Your April child will be one of the oldest in his year naturally without you needing to put him back. Eyemouth is by the sea but it's not the nicest of the border towns. Kelso is nice, st boswells also. Melrose has the benefit of being near by the railway and yes high school would be Earlston. Jedburgh is also getting a new concept all in one site super school from primal the way to high but you're a bit further from the coast there. To be honest most of the borders has plenty going for it. Hawick is a bit remote and still quite insular.

The borders really isn't as poor and impoverished as some are making out. It's one of the very few Tory seats for a start. It's also not nearly as insular as it used to be - towns are growing and have more and more incomers and then businesses there manage perfectly well with the terrible internet. Public transport out side of main town links is of course a problem but sounds as though that's not a problem to you.

@Chipsahoy I’m in Hexham, if you want to ask any particular questions

Well this thread has well and truly put me off the Borders and Northumberland to move to 😂

If your only needing to go to London a couple of times a year come proper North to Shetland. I’ve done plenty of work projects where I’ve had to fly to London every month or two and it’s perfectly manageable - just 2 flights.

Excellent broadband in many areas, excellent schooling, the sea and plenty for teenagers to do if you stick around the Lerwick commuting area.

Like wise Aberdeenshire, Inverness shire are just a shortish direct flight from London. Plenty of people commuting weekly from both airports. Orkney, Wick and the Western Isles would also be only 2 internal flights.

Rothbury? Pretty certain it's in a school catchment for Morpeth, so avoiding the school issues of further north, plus not that far (40 mins?) drive to beautiful coastline.

I’ve family in Aberdeenshire. And it’s definitely tempting. Hadn’t considered Shetland islands! Hexham and rothbury we totally love. I notice properties get snapped up fairly quickly in Hexham so renting first would put us in a good position to buy.

Well this thread has well and truly put me off the Borders and Northumberland to move to 😂*
*
Well I'm not actually surprised 😆. However I'm unsure how many of the people with the negative comments actually live or have lived there. I grew up there. I don't live there now but did til I was 24 but my reasons for not doing so now is because what I want from an area is the polar opposite of OP. It's pretty perfect for her requirements. I knew plenty people from Northumberland but have no experience of living there, bit from holidays, friendships and jobs that side of the border it all seemed a bit rough and ready compared where I lived. Obviously I cannot speak for all areas though. I still have a lot of links to the borders with family and friends so visit regularly (even now as my extended household is there). I have knowledge of quite a vast area due to travelling for work, moving and having friends and connections all over so feel free to tag me with any questions OP

Thanks for more info on the borders. I’m very confused now!

Yes we don’t need public transport so that’s not an issue. I just want my kids to be happy so obviously concerned with schools that have a bullying problem. Oldest dc is high school age just. He’s popular and outgoing and sporty. Middle dc is very shy and anxious and quiet. Youngest is only two.

@ midnightstar66

Thanks. We liked the idea of Duns and Kelso areas. Worried about being accepted as English/ American family? Schools really as bad as I am hearing? We are very outdoorsy as a family and we like quiet and space. We’ve actually enjoyed the lockdown on some respects because of that. Although all the green spaces we frequent here are over run with people at present so that’s a downside.
I do want to do some charity work so want to be able to access a town if possible.

I went to Earlston myself and was never aware of a bullying issue but my brother and sister went to kelso. They were polar opposites my brother very alternative and my sister in the in crowd and no issues. More recently my oldest nephew was at kelso all the way to 6th year and left with an impressive amount of highers and advanced highers: He had unconditional offers to his competitive uni courses of choice from the end of fifth year. He is obviously academic, bit of a geek, very musical and never had a single issue. Younger nephew did experience some bullying, he was again the polar opposite- popular, less academic but excelled in sports especially the much loved rugby. I wonder if it's a bit about the company you keep. He ended up leaving, not because of the bullying but because they moved to Duns. He got on great at Berwickshire high, no bullying problems but he did move away from the rugby crowd (not saying that's the issue just the facts) he had some personal issues outside of school and the support he received was amazing and my sister is forever grateful. He left school when he could though and got a local apprenticeship, now aged 17 he's earning more than me living in Edinburgh. Out of the 2 Kelso is the more upmarket town and is bigger therefore more things on your doorstep- Duns only has a small co- op for example whereas kelso has Aldi, Sainsbury's, an ice rink and a skate park however most people in duns go to Berwick upon tweed for their shopping and it's not far. It's far closer to the coast too. It's not the prettiest of towns though where as kelso is incredibly picturesque and had access to the pennine way and Scottish national way in yetholm just a few miles away (which is also very close to the border via the back roads). Where I grew up was kind of between kelso and duns in the middle of nowhere so very familiar with both. Hope that's helpful, feel like I've been rambling a bit 😆

Re the being accepted kelso being bigger and more opportunities is naturally the more diverse bit that doesn't mean Duns would be an issue

Sorry Chips I didn't express myself clearly. What I meant was that to me Borders and Northumberland seem to both have some nice places in between quite a few deprived ones. So secondary schools in both might have similar problems. And you might get the same response about Northumberland as you got here about Borders.

But I'm not living there so it's an outsider perspective!

The borders is not especially deprived - a couple of of the towns in Berwickshire, namely Eyemouth and to a point Coldstream but lots to balance it, kelso area as I said earlier is one of the very few Tory seats in the whole of Scotland and has far fewer. Selkirk and hawick far more so due to their more rural locations and loss of industry and large quite notorious (to borders standards that is) social housing estates. I'd not advise those towns to OP.

Good to hear all perspectives, thank you.

We live in a small town now but lots of less desirable areas and deprivation. I feel safe here. I grew up in a “naice” town, well to do. I was horrifically abused and not just by one.

My sons school is not rated highly and has bullying but he is doing just fine there so it’s so hard to know what will bother us and what won’t. Renting I suppose is the fail safe.

OP I'm in Northumberland about 25 minutes north of Hexham. I absolutely love living here but, as with anywhere, do be careful about school catchment areas. DD is at a fabulous rural primary but her secondary options could have been problematic. Although Hexham would have been geographically closer we are apparently not in the catchment area and the one she would have gone to does not have a particularly good reputation.

I don't know what the high school at Hexham is like but you could also consider Ponteland High School. It is big but most of the people from DDs primary who have gone there seem happy with it. Also Morpeth as other pps have said.

Would you be happy with the drive time to the coast from the Hexham area? It is about 40/45 minutes. Living closer to Ponteland would also be nearer to the coast but property can be quite expensive.

PM me if you want to. I would definitely recommend Northumberland though.

I did grow up there however it was a while back- 1990s...was sad to see the drugs stuff bit not surprised really. It did have some good points- it didn't have the competitiveness of the DCs southern school, we had a very good D of E teacher who took us on the lifeboats, canoeing and volunteering at local vets. I guess it was what you make of it but there was little in the area for teens and we had school talks about getting out and making more of yourself etc. Interesting to read about Stirling as went on the university there. I do miss the scenery and peace and quiet, but not some of it. The lack of opportunities and need to escape somewhere else can be quite motivating for a teen though I would say.

Lived in the borders for 10 years, you get a lot for your money but it feels about a decade behind city life. Drugs are rife, teens have nothing to do, you will always be seen as an outsider. Awareness of SEN and support was zero. Moved back to Edinburgh 6 years ago. Think carefully op.

Don’t want to go too north into Scotland as on occasion need to get to London to work. Not for commute just once or twice a year for a few days, staying over there

It’s a bit mad to choose your family home for the next 20 years based on travelling to London once or twice a year.

You could fly from Inverness, Aberdeen or Dundee in less time that it would take you to commute around the M25. The train from Edinburgh or Glasgow to London takes 4.5 hours.

Thanks everyone. Pulling my house off the market for Christmas as market is stale but it will be back on in jan and we will rent in Northumberland once sold and spend time in the borders as well before we decide where to buy.

@Chipsahoy
Let me know if you want to meet for coffee once here.
I'm currently N Northumberland but 20 years in Borders too.
School bullying is often down to luck but more rural areas are worse for accepting incomers, ime. Renting would be a good move. To be fair - there are lots of good features about both areas in terms of clean empty surface friendly but it takes time to get to know folk.
Have you thought if you'd be happy in an Independent Scotland?
There will likely be another IndyRef and it might well go Yes this time after the hash that Westminster is making of things?

@ 52andblue that sounds fab thanks. Fingers crossed we will be up there by summer!