Anyone move to Scotland from England away from family?

[arewescotlandbound]

Please tell me how it has been?

it’s a dream of ours to move to Scotland. We are looking at Aberdeenshire.

We know someone who moved there a year ago and is loving it, so we would not be completely without a safety net, but wouldn’t want to rely on them. Since they moved we have visited them a few times and it’s really stirred the feeling and desire to move.

We love the outdoors and if we move we can reduce our mortgage.

The only thing stopping us really is that we are close to our parents, and they look after our youngest so I can work part time. The childcare worries me less than leaving them behind - both sets of parents are retired.

Tell me about the good, the bad and the ugly.

Education isn’t great, the nhs is on its knees and honestly going to get a lot worse. Winters are bad and we don’t ever really get a proper summer (apart from those two weeks in May😂)

I really don’t see why everyone is so desperate to move to Scotland. Yes it’s beautiful but beautiful scenery isn’t everything

Sometimes the threat of violence is enough - or even seeing someone else subject to it -in both cases knowing that none of your parents, the school, the police or courts will do anything about it. It’s not working.

Scotland is amazing but there are a few things I'll mention.

The weather can be atrocious, it rained every single day of the school holidays in 2024 where I live.

The transport and road network is pretty rubbish as well. My local hospital is about 8 miles away but can take up to 2 hours to get there on the bus as no direct route. Hospital parking is free so parking is impossible hence the bus!

Research the demographics of your preferred are carefully. Some affluent areas are surrounded by high poverty areas with the usual anti social behaviour and crime.

And, saying this as my family moved here from England, have a short holiday in your preferred area first to work out the anti English vibe, there are still pockets of irrational hatred in some areas and no matter how hard you try, you'll never quite fit in.

If you vote Tory, don't tell anyone 🤫

Forres & Nairn are nice with railway stations. Busy GPs but if it's urgent then they move fast.

There's the Culloden area too & of course Inverness with an airport linked to major English cities.

Aviemore/Grantown may be considerations if you like the mountains.

Advice? Don't castigate Holyrood & glorify Westminster. Be aware that not all find the UK or Monarchy "tasteful" 🤣. Get used to the Anyone But England brigade when it comes to sport. Oh, and Flower of Scotland is way more popular than GSTK.

We are not England. We are not the South East. Don't expect that level of infrastructure.

Oh! Yes. If you vote Tory well keep that well hidden under your scarf & hat - items that will be needed between September & March/April.