Moving to Ayrshire or Dumfries and Galloway?

[pinkingshears]

I've lived in Scotland since 1991, Initially Edinburgh, then rurally, far outside Ed.
I'd like to move. I have two older teens who are both Autistic and there is nothing for them here. They're unlikely to move away to Uni & our local College is poor.

Ideally I'd move closer to Edinburgh again but I can't afford it.
I've been looking on Rightmove and there are some great places in D&G and Ayrshire in my price bracket (£175-225K depending on what my house sells for, for this I'd hope to get 3 beds, 2 receptions (so I can have a ground floor bedroom for my mobility needs), a small garden & a big outbuilding for Ds to work from home, so that money has to work really, really hard!)

My current housing isn't suitable so I do need to move and it seems I could get more for my money in either D&G or Ayrshire.

Can anyone who lives in either advise what it's like for young adults please?
Colleges? Public transport? LIbraries/ leisure centres? (everything closing here!)

Thank you x

I don't know those areas but I live on the outskirts of Edinburgh and you could probably find something on the edge or into Midlothian in that budget.

This place already has a outbuilding - though the layout probably not the best for you
https://espc.com/property/26-craigour-crescent-gilmerton-edinburgh-eh17-7ph/36310132?sid=617192

This place has a perfect layout and isn't that far out of town so you'd still have access to everything in Edinburgh plus loads going on in Dalkeith itself.
https://espc.com/property/32-woodburn-bank-dalkeith-eh22-2ep/36301078?sid=617192

Obviously haven't looked up specific details but I knew a friend bought a house well within your budget recently so was curious

I live in South Ayrshire and I am very familiar with Ayrshire College (sorry don't want to be too outing, this is a very 'incestuous' area where everyone knows either everyone or someone you know).

Leisure centres: Ayr is currently being redone but Troon has one and there are all sorts of places you can kayak and do water sports along the coast.

Libraries - yes, still open, some of them have other things in them like computer classes.

College - Ayrshire College is split across three campuses in Ayr Kilmarnock and Kilwinning and each one does different things, e.g. you do Aeronautical at Ayr but Mechanical engineering at Kilmarnock. There is a college at Dumfries but depending what you want to study you would be better going elsewhere.

Public transport - eh. It exists, but it can take you a long time to get anywhere depending where you're starting and going. There are direct trains to places like Ayr/Kilmarnock/Glasgow. Really really depends where you are. I have students who come from places like Girvan and it can take them a long time to get in in the morning.

Thank you both, this is really helpful x
@QwestSprout may I pm you for some further info please?
(I was looking at a house - on Rightmove - in Girvan earlier - Ds is interested in Aeronautics, Dd in Paramedicine & it sounds as though you are just the person)

Yes of course, I'll help if I can

Honestly, Girvan isn't great for young adults. It can feel quite isolated and the town itself is pretty run down now.

The scenery is lovely but not enough to make me want to live there.

@PurpleThistle7 Thanks for the links. Dalkeith is not for me (I worked there many years ago and it put me off!) but the other house is nice. I think I've decided nearer Ed (& much smaller) isn't the right direction though x

@cazzyg Thanks for this info. I just saw the most amazing house on rightmove but apart from that I know nothing about Girvan so not the wisest 'jump', especially if it's miles to College and rundown (insular?) too.

@QwestSprout thanks I'll do just that x

https://www.dumgal.ac.uk/

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-undergraduate-open-day-dumfries-campus-tickets-1262341390079?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.sruc.ac.uk/study-with-us/student-life/campuses/sruc-barony-dumfries/

these are links to Dumfries college, uni (a branch of the university of the west of Scotland) , and the barony college which I think is mainly environmental,? Agriculture and eg deer farming

In my view these don’t do particularly academic courses but are worth investigating as I’m totally out of touch with what’s available. There seems to be many options.

The link to the uni is it’s open day in June.

Dumfries and Galloway council is extremely hard up. Bus services not great. But it’s a scenic area and friendly I would say.

I'm on the west side of D&G so main towns are Newton Stewart and Stranraer.

Colleges - Stranraer has a campus that is part of the Dumfries college but offers much fewer courses. I've also heard of it starting a course and then stopping providing it in Stranraer part way through and people having to go to Dumfries to continue. That was adult learning. I would hope the same doesn't happen for formal qualifications.

Public transport - varies considerably, so you really need to look for each property that you're considering. Hard to describe without being too outing, but you can end up taking a very long detour. Nighttime transport is very limited. Probably best to choose somewhere just outside the main towns, so that you avoid the town problems but don't have too expensive a taxi home.

Libraries - I don't use them much, which says a lot in itself, but Stranraer has a good library. The larger villages have such limited opening hours, I can never remember what's open when.

Leisure centres - good leisure centres in both Stranraer and Newton Stewart. The Ryan centre in Stranraer has a theatre that shows films and NS has a cinema. Films are on later than most places and only for a few days.

Shopping - you didn't ask about this but it is very limited. We take a weekend trip to a city 3 or 4 times a year to shop and also catch up with cinema, bowling, high street restaurants etc.

I second what's already been said about Girvan.

I'm in Prestwick in South Ayrshire.

I'd say transport is better in Ayrshire (compared to D&G), the bigger towns have better shopping. Ayr has the University of the West of Scotland campus, as well as Ayrshire College and the Agricultural college. There is also Prestwick Airport, it's all Ryanair but there's a fairly decent selection of flights. Easy access to Glasgow Airport too.

If you're wanting a bit more rural, then there's plenty of outlying villages/smaller towns. Transport links then do tend to be a bit more patchy the more rural you are.

I'm in Troon and it's a lovely place to live. And quite vibrant but still with a community spirit.

We have the 2 train stations so the link to Glasgow, and Ayr is good. The bus service isn't so good - much better in Prestwick.
Only the one supermarket but plenty of options nearby in Irvine and Prestwick.

I'm in the west of D & G too and totally agree with @Issy422

Where I am public transport is very limited. Nothing on Sundays. 3 or 4 buses during weekdays.

I think if children are born and grow up here they know no different which is fine. but taking a teen from a city to here will be a huge culture shock with very limited facilities.

@summerscomingsoonwe are not in a city (rural, deliberately vague as to where). Ayrshire College looks a LOT better than our local one. This is main reason to move. Again St it is: lack of facilities for ASD young people & lack of specialist NHS input.

Sorry, I should have started that by saying I AM grateful for all input. I can't afford to make a mistake, financially or emotionally.

For all those promoting south Ayrshire for college you won't get much bang for your buck for £225k in Ayr/Troon/Prestwick and your requirements. You might have to rein it in a bit.

Public transport or lack of it is worth bearing in mind because your budget would stretch further in say Auckinleck/Coylton. Much more of an option if you can drive.

Edited for typos 🙄

My sister & BIL live in Saltcoats. They love it. They love the fact everything is within walking distance

I have an 18 & 20 year old niece & nephew and their friends are all in Saltcoats or one train stop away. They get so much more freedom than before they moved there. Most of their socialising tends to be there too so close enough to walk home.

And the beach is lovely and tends to be quieter than Troon etc

I live in the middle of D and G on the Solway coast. I absolutely love it stunning scenery we have everything beaches, pastures, woodland, meadows, moorland, glorious peace and quiet, few people not too many tourists and lovely friendly locals. But I have a friend who hates it, she’d say there’s nothing to do; I believe we have the highest number of pensioners of anywhere in Scotland and that is reflected in what’s on offer in terms of activities and timing of events, mainly during the daytime early evening.@ I suspect there’s not a lot for young people and I hear mixed things about UWS and the college and employment opportunities for young people are limited. IMO and from talking to a couple of paramedic students at UWS if your daughter wants to be a paramedic she would get a lot more experience if she trained in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Im a died in the wool car driver not necessarily through choice but there are trains from Dumfries to Glasgow 2 hours and Carlisle (trains go to London and all the stops between) and buses to Glasgow again 2 hours or trains Lockerbie to Glasgow 1 hour. We also get a lot of rain here.
Have you looked at the north east? Nairn Forres Elgin even Aberdeenshire properties are similar prices but public transport is definitely better lots of outdoor activities etc because of your proximity to the Cairngorms the sunniest place in Scotland although the wind has a distinct nip to it and it might feel less like a huge retirement village 🤣.

Have you looked out along the train from/to Fife, I understand children travel free on the service which has been very reliable when I’ve used it.