Where to live dilemma!!!

[Pippaiom]

Morning all,
We’re planning to move from Isle of Man to the Dumfries & Galloway area of Scotland.
Just a little bit about us…..

We‘re in our late 50‘s, into walking & cycling.
I plan to work in a care job, preferably zero hours so I can pick & choose, as we want to travel a bit as well.

We need good train links, so we thought the area around Lockerbie would be ideal.

Would love the pros & cons of living in the following areas (we’re viewing properties in or around these areas soon) …..

Eccelefechen (village looks a bit grotty? )
Eskdalemuir (is it too remote, does it flood?)

Any other suggestions?

Thanks for any advice, it’s a big decision, so we need all the help we can get xxx

I grew up In west Central Scotland but moved to England as a late teen- so my input maybe out of touch now a day's, but I always really liked Moffat, lovely town/village and lots of beautiful countryside and walks near by

Good luck with the move

I like Castle Douglas and the areas around there . Kippford is beautiful and Dalbeattie is nice too.
It’s a 20 minute drive to Dumfries though - which is where I presume rail links would be .

Don’t know much about the area but I do know they have problems with carer/medical recruitment, so hopefully you’ll find the job you want.

Good luck!!

Do you want a small town or a village? How far can the station be?
Kippford is lovely but holiday cottage central ditto Rockcliffe, dead as a door nail in autumn/winter realistically 30-35 mins from the nearest station (Dumfries) both are definitely more expensive than Lockerbie and surrounding areas. Castle Douglas again realistically 30-35 mins to the station has useful shops; butchers bakers candlestick makers etc property is cheapish, its well placed for walks in countryside and the glorious Solway coast is about 15- 20 mins away, lots of activities organised including annual cycling event thing, Dalbeattie (I think this might meet your “bit grotty criteria) lots of cycling again well placed for walks in land and on the Solway Coast, 25 ish mins to the station its very friendly and property is much cheaper than Kippford/Rockclife which are a 10ish minute drive away, has a few shops but personally I wouldn’t live there.
Kirkudbright small town lots going on especially for the retired, restaurants small shops including small Tesco its very popular again quite a bit more expensive than Lockerbie which is a bit of a dump frankly, for the station (Dumfries) you’d allow 35-40 mins door to door as the A75 can be a PITA.
Dumfries its self? Station and buses to Glasgow. Ok ish shops some not bad areas parts of Maxwelltown/Rotchell Park, near Mountain Hall Hospital, colleagues talk about Summmerpark and there are some impressive Victorian houses around the station itself, other colleagues like Heathall but it’s a bit anodyne for my taste. A committed group are trying very hard to regenerate Dumfries. Lots of care homes everywhere crying out for carers. Property is cheap people seem friendly well placed if you want to access walks in the region. Glencaple is nice (Dumfries station 20 -25 mins) and property is remarkably cheap in the grand scheme of things considering its location but the wind blows down there!
New Abbey on a fairly busy road but popular seems to have a thriving community maybe 20 ish mins to Dumfries Station door to door.
Or villages around Southerness (not Southerness itself) again 20-35 mins to station.

Finally New Galloway? Active village lots of community stuff going on, great walks/cycling in Galloway Forrest Park (a big consultation has just ended as there is talk of turning it into a national park but there’s lots of local opposition from farming community in particular), friends say it rains more there and you get midges (I don’t know if this is true) again realistically you’d allow 30-35 mins to Dumfries station.
Hope this helps.

Thornhill is quite a nice wee town -near the Drumlanrig estate where there are walks and mountain biking

Thank you NosnowontheScottishhills for the detailed post, all really helpful info!
Any thoughts on the villages of Ecclefechan and also Eskdalemuir?
We’d prefer to be closer to Lockerbie rather than Dumfries.
The train links to London seems better from Lockerbie, and we have family in London.

As far as I can see you change at Carlisle for Euston if you go from Lockerbie or Dumfries. Lockerbie trains are quicker and cheaper to Glasgow but I know people say it’s quite unreliable and the few times I’ve done it I’ve had a couple of delays/cancellations.
Theres nothing wrong with Ecclefechan or Eskdaemuir less popular areas of the region maybe, lots of rolling hills, a considerable step from the coast but they may not bother you.
If I was moving within the region I wouldn’t choose it but that’s just me.
What exactly are you looking for apart from a station and somewhere to walk, what’s your budget you certainly would get more house for your money around there than say in Kirkudbright or Kippford. But if your looking for activities sports clubs culture etc and an active retirement community then places like Kirkudbright would be a better bet for you.
The region is largely farming, we are not a popular tourist destination by any stretch of the imagination and where you looking is definitely not, we also have a one if not the highest % of pensioners/aging population of any region in Scotland. It’s exceedingly quiet here in all ways and IMO stunningly beautiful but it is a large region and I think most would say the Galloway half if more beautiful.

Should have added if you want to fly to London which is cheap and easy then where you’re looking it is significantly easier to get to Glasgow airport than day Kirkudbright.

Thank you for the response.
Wer’ve got a budget of around £300,000.
Ideally want to be somewhere semi-rural.
We’re not mega social, so clubs etc not a great priority.
Interesting what you say about the transport links.
Lots of food for thought!

Eskdalemuir is very cold and feels quite remote. Roads can get bad in winter. Lots of wind farms going up round there which may or may not bother you (there is local opposition).

^^This especially about the weather. The Solway Coast is on the Gulf Stream so it’s warmer (and wetter) than around Eskdalemuir.
£300k would buy you a decent 2/3 maybe even 4 (in some areas)bedroom house in a semi rural area in most parts of the region except areas like Kipford/Rockcliffe with a with a sea view.
Good luck. According to a couple of friends who are selling/buying the market seems fairly slow at the moment.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.
We’re heading to the area this coming week, so we’ll have a good explore.

Sanquhar. Lovely place with lots of history and a train station with easy links north and south. You would get a decent property for your budget.

Wherever you decide plan your life around what it will be like to live there November to February - dark at 3pm, cold and potentially snowy, not now that Spring is in the air and the sun is shinning.

Good points, thanks.
We’re also realising that flooding can be a big issue in that area 🙁
A couple of houses that we like the look of have got a high risk of flooding.

The OP is looking to move to SW Scotland not Inverness!
OP even in the depth of the winter it’s not dark at 3pm here (neither iIME is it in Inverness). It rains ALOT here, more than on the east coast and it can be very windy, but IME the wind is not a cold as on the east side although I think they get more sun than we do.
But no one in their right mind moves anywhere in Scotland for good weather.

Lochmaben is nice - about ? 6 miles from Lockerbie.

There are some nice houses in Lochmaben but many are situated on the very busy road that runs through the middle of it. Although I suspect this is reflected in the property prices.

The Arla Creamery is just up the road so lots of lorries go through Lochmaben.

We’ve been to Lochmaben, and noticed the traffic. That explains it!
Thanks all x

We’re going to look around the Dalbettie area while we’re over.
Like the idea of the forest park being close by.
Doesn’t seem to be much property for sale, but then that’s probably a good sign!

37 houses in you’re price range within 3 miles of Dalbeattie although quite a few are park homes/holiday homes.
Do PM me if you want my thoughts.

Thanks, have messaged.