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Born in Liverpool, moved up to Dumfries as a kid, b*ggered off for a few years up to Edinburgh, spent a couple of years in Carlisle and have ended up back in Dumfries again for the last 10 years.
Happy to give as good a local's perspective as I can, with the added 'bonus' of having actually lived/worked and spent real time in other parts of the country.
The GOOD
D&G & the Borders are two truly beautiful parts of the world, the pace of life is good and we're generally within an hour or two's drive of anything you'd typically need (mainline railway station, big cities, airports etc).
The cost of living, certainly around D&G is low, compared to pretty much everywhere else I hear about, however the average wage reflects that. Not sure of your line of work but places like Tesco, and the Council/NHS/local government are far and away the biggest employers around here.
House prices - very affordable, all things relative. Use the likes of DGSPC ( http://dgspc.co.uk/) & GGMW ( http://www.ggmw.co.uk/) as your research starting points, but a decent, 'typical' 3 bedroomed detached house in a nice enough part of town will run you something in the region of £150,000 ish.
The biking is outstanding, with all 7 Stanes + Drumlanrig all, obviously, very accessible. The Lakes is an hour or two's drive away, and very much all do'able in a day trip.
The natives are a generally friendly and welcoming bunch, yes the anti-English 'banter' is far more tedious than it is offensive but I've never felt anything other than safe walking around any of the towns in the region, day or night.
The BAD
I'm sure this is very much the same as most other places in the country, but there's a LOT of small-town mindset around these parts. Things move glacially slowly, and we're very, VERY much the forgotten corner of the country when it comes to things like funding and infrastructure. Town centres are generally a bit grim (with notable exceptions like Castle Douglas and Moffat in particular), with lots of empty shops and a growing drugs problem.
Forget any type of 'city' lifestyle. The concept of 'upmarket' dining and wining isn't commonplace down here. This doesn't bother us in the least, but you have to dig out the fine-dining type places (they do exist) if that's your gig.
Lastly, the weather is genuinely atrocious. Yes, it's a cliche, it rains a lot in Scotland but I honestly can't remember the last time I got out for a ride on the bike and didn't come back soaked to the skin and freezing cold. I'm not joking like, it's been quite literally MONTHS.
Most people don't really believe just how wet it is around here, and if you're not prepared for it, it really can get you down after weeks on end of endless, grey rainy days.
Happy to help or advise - might be easier to chuck me a PM for anything specific as I don't really check the main forums all that much!
In a nutshell, this IS a great place to live for anyone looking for a slower, country-ish way of ilfe and I'm generally very happy here (apart from the weather, which truly sucks the dick of a thousand dogs).
And yet my riding buddies and I were just discussing how dry it is up here - it's mostly dusty pine needles (that'll curse it).Lastly, the weather is genuinely atrocious. Yes, it's a cliche, it rains a lot in Scotland but I honestly can't remember the last time I got out for a ride on the bike and didn't come back soaked to the skin and freezing cold. I'm not joking like, it's been quite literally MONTHS.
weather? Edinburgh is the second driest place in the UK after Kent. I ride a bike most days - got wet about 2 times this winter so far
My parents moved up to fife when i was but a nipper i pribably know yourguitarhero on this forum as went lived in the same tinpot village at the same time.
I sound english to some scottish to others and once australian to an australian!
Never had any issue in 30years
My dad is English and shouts louder than most when he has to go to england 😆
I live in peebles now and its great
You've not been to Hawick, have you?
There's a slim chance I may have been taking the piss, as I suspect you are you cheeky scamp
Lastly, the weather is genuinely atrocious. Yes, it's a cliche, it rains a lot in Scotland but I honestly can't remember the last time I got out for a ride on the bike and didn't come back soaked to the skin and freezing cold. I'm not joking like, it's been quite literally MONTHS
Must be a micro-climate in neighbouring DG as I'm not seeing this here in Ayrshire.
Lastly, the weather is genuinely atrocious. Yes, it's a cliche, it rains a lot in Scotland but I honestly can't remember the last time I got out for a ride on the bike and didn't come back soaked to the skin and freezing cold. I'm not joking like, it's been quite literally MONTHS
Rode home from Edinburgh last night in shorts and without gloves.
Aye, still shorts up here last night.
At least no one has mentioned the midges.
A windy funnel should keep the barstads at bay
shorts? thats only 'cos yer all daft!
#softsoutherners
Nesh gentrified big city types.
anti English hate at school.
What? & no-one's mentioned the 'R' word yet? Amazing!
FWIW I've been up Scotland way many many times since 1975 & have never ever come across any 'anti English'....(what's the word?) I'd move to the NW coast in a flash if I wasn't 'getting on a bit'
I can relate to Captainsasquatch's not on some Welsh speaking folk swapping from English to Welsh as you go in a shop too. Happenned to me & the Mrs in Conwy.
Lol, shorts, nutters! 😆
Tuesday afternoon...
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Must be a micro-climate in neighbouring DG as I'm not seeing this here in Ayrshire
This.
The weather moaners are to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Borders is best. I'm biased but Peebles and Innerleithen are (in their own little way) quite cosmopolitan. There are lots of born and bred locals but also lots of incomers from various countries - even England.
The schools are good, the Council is not too bad and I genuinely think that the sense of community is very strong. Come on, move up here.
If you don't want to live in a city peebles would be good - bar the lack of trains.
We moved from Surrey to Aberdeen(shire) nearly 3 years ago. Have a 4 month old daughter now. No intentions of moving back, we love it here. Looking forward to bringing the little one up here, also the local riding isn't half bad!
No problems with the Scots/English interface (although my partner is very Irish which does help) - I've never had trouble in deepest Wales either, quite the opposite actually. I've never lived there though, more of a weekend warrior kayaking capacity back in the day.
The weather up here is surprisingly dry, always seems far wetter towards the borders...(ducks)
This.The weather moaners are to be taken with a pinch of salt
Sorry, must've mistaken the damp stuff falling from the sky for something else...
I stay in Linlithgow, which between Edinburgh (20 miles) and Glasgow (30 miles). Regular trains and commutable by bike which is mega important. Have to drive to the awesome riding but there is mountain biking from the doorstep too. Been here 5 years and I love it..
Personally I'd [i]even more love[/i] to live in the borders but apart from the plus points of awesome riding and cheap housing, that would be easily be killed by a potential horrific commute. OFC if you can find work locally (public sector work - teacher, nhs etc?) then it might work for you.
I've lived in Scotland all my life and there has always been (IMO) a bit of an anti English sentiment but it's minor TBH and tends to revolve around sport etc. There will always be a few drunken bams who would go out looking for trouble but most people will be pleasant towards English. As an incomer I'd probably recommend not stirring things up (e.g build a eyesore 8 bedroom house with 6 foot perimeter walls and electronic gates - why do so many people in England do this it's so obnoxious?)
We moved as family of 5 in 2008 from Sheffield to Loch Tay. Utterly idyllic rural, mountain location, with the best and worst in society, feels wonderful in summer, end of the earth on a wet Wednesday in November.
Since then I've changed jobs and we moved to Dunblane. I'm struggling to think of a better place to bring up kids, work and access great nature/hills/facilities and more. It (and Bridge of Allan and Stirling).
Scottish are welcoming and generally positive folk.
Houses are more affordable, schools good without this daft fight for places that England has.
We love it - but having lived in Kirkcudbright for 4 years when first married, so had an idea what to expect.
The weather is colder and wetter - but not so bad it stops us.
We're a long way from family, it takes effort to go see them.
Houses are more affordable, schools good without this daft fight for places that England has.
Good move getting your kids into the high school in Dunblane. Supposed to be one of the best state schools in Scotland isn't it?
Its shite here all the rest are liars, best staying where you are and not cluttering up oor trails
Personally I'd even more love to live in the borders but apart from the plus points of awesome riding and cheap housing, that would be easily be killed by a potential horrific commute
Linlithgo and Peebles are equidistant to edinburgh.
And unless something really goes wrong its less than an hour to north edinburgh right through town?
The crap weather is a real thing in Scotland though and that would sway me towards North Wales. Wales may be wetter but on a nice summers day it can be amazingly warm, Scotland always seems cold by comparison.
joshvegas - MemberLinlithgo and Peebles are equidistant to edinburgh.
True, but to get to Edinburgh from Linlithgow you can use a motorway, or a 20 minute mainline train service.
We're a long way from family, it takes effort to go see them.
It's all good then!
I moved up here, (highlands) well I don't know how long ago cos the Mrs isn't awake to tell me, but its got to be 25-30 years ago.
I've never had any real anti English feeling directed at me, well one old lady who didn't think I should be ahead of her in a queue for some reason, other than that everyone has been lovely. Its a great place to live, and it wouldn't be the same without the midgies, they keep the numbers down.
falkirk-mark - Member
Its shite here all the rest are liars, best staying where you are and not cluttering up oor trails
You used to be Leith-Mark didn't you 😀
Sorry, must've mistaken the damp stuff falling from the sky for something else
Of course we get rain, it's just that some folks exaggerate the shit out of it.
We moved up to Aberdeenshire from North Yorkshire 3 years ago and then to Inverness at the end of last year due to work.
Inverness is fantastic. Great weather (so far), great riding, plenty going on for the kids (4 and 7).
Its a very multicultural place with plenty of mixed accents in the school playground.
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Of course we get rain, it's just that some folks exaggerate the shit out of it.
As Birky's picture shows, it varies massively between east and west.
It rains ALL the time in Glasgow. When I was living up there, I remember one winter where it rained from bonfire night until some time in January. Seriously. Proper rain, not just a bit of drizzle. Horrible.
Ok, spoken with no exaggeration then, it rains where I live more days than it doesn't.
Would you like me to pretend Scotland aren't sh*te at football and the entire Old Firm farce isn't an embarrassment too while we're donning the Scottish Tourism Board hat?
;0)
I love it round here, the guy simply wanted a locals eye view of what someone from South of the Border's perspective of life is like in, quite specifically, D&G and The Borders.
It can be tropical and balmy with palm trees and coconuts around Ayrshire for all the relevance that brings to the conversation .
It rains ALL the time in Glasgow.
My point exactly, Thanks for that.
onehundredthidiot - Member
I'd say that you need to make sure you know where you're talking about.
I know people get grumpy in Kirkcudbright because it's talked about as being in the borders when it's not it's in Dumfries and Galloway. It's a small thing but
Its actually in the old Stewartry, and they do get a bit uppity about it. Imagine Dumfries being the "capitol/big toon" where all the decisions are made and money spent/centralisation etc 😉
scotroutes - Memberbigjim »
Sadly that is definitely a problem in Scotland, and the two girls would likely have to endure a certain amount of anti English hate at school.This did happen a lot at my school, but it was the Highlands in the early 90's. I suspect it's a bit better now as so many people have moved up, but don't know for sure.
D&G and the Borders has a large number of English people, lots have come with work but the current "big issue" is the lure of our free prescriptions, medical, transport giveaways etc. Not sure of the statistics but MrsT tells me it is and is becoming a huge problem for the area.
Another small town, Thornhill is suffering the same issues as the Lakes and has been said elsewhere, people selling up and buying houses with cash that is now forcing locals out. This is nothing new, been going on since the `80s, many kids at the school mine went to had parents who had done this. Most came to work, transfers into council, education, medical but now its as above, the lure of the freebies and the retired.
as has also been said a lot of those people are now and have been responsible for the regeneration of small villages by rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into community projects.
on the other side of the coin my daughter works over the Border and gets stick for stealing an English persons job!!!!!
It cannot be denied that there is some areas that may be hostile, just as in Wales(have witnessed that!!)and there has been a few court cases but as always there are 2 sides to every story.......
You should be OK in Wales, if more people got behind this prick, we could have Welsh eradicated in a couple of generations. Fortunately he's not as narrow minded as the people he calls narrow minded.
[url= http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/forcing-pupils-learn-welsh-keep-9256782 ]http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/forcing-pupils-learn-welsh-keep-9256782[/url]
No good jobs for young ones
Assuming kids end up going to uni they are unlikely to be coming home assuming they do a "professional" degree.
Both mine have good jobs earning more than me 😀
Daughter went to college because she had no idea what she wanted to do(she did but school fricked up, product design)then to uni and on into teaching. Son started as an apprentice and is now an engineer with a degree in construction gained as an adult student.
CD is a we bit away from train stations as you probably know? Nearest is Dumfries but the fastest trains to Glasgow run from Lockerbie which MrsT uses regularly. Dumfries is for Carlisle only which can be good for going onwards South.
If it's real anti English bile you're after try Ireland
dragon - Member
The crap weather is a real thing in Scotland though and that would sway me towards North Wales. Wales may be wetter but on a nice summers day it can be amazingly warm, Scotland always seems cold by comparison.
All the English people I know, some for 50yrs manage fine 💡
My riding buddy @4.13
Add Newcastle to the list of airports, good for Malaga...
I lived in glasgow for many yeaqrs - yes it rains sometimes and above the UK average - but less rainy days than Manchester for example. colder in Scotland - yes. Wetter - depends where you compare it with
Nothing worse than the Welsh changing from English to Welsh as you enter their shops. Yes, my hearing is that bloody good.
Learn some Welsh unless that offends your little Englander sensibilities.
Learn some Welsh unless that offends your little Englander sensibilities.
😆
Nos da cariad. 😉
cysga'n dawel
Apology accepted.
What sort of comute are you after and where too?
I'd bugger off over the border if my missus agreeded to it. I'm half Scottish n have a lot of family up there.
I'd move several places. Mull of Galloway, Newton Stewart, kirkudbright port William, port Patrick. Black isle and Inverness and anywhere north west. But not fort bill. Though near would be ok.
OH Perthshire is nice Perth is my favourite city
For those who prefer facts to fiction: Glasgow is recorded as the UK's second wettest city. Manchester eighth. Apart from that carry on...normal service can now be resumed....
That's great, some facts. But it rains 'all the time' is utter bullshit.
Glasgow, 155 days with precipitation last year.
http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Glasgow/statistics.html
For those who prefer facts to fiction
Yes, look at the rainfall map above, the west of Scotland is significantly wetter than the east. The east coast rain shadow was always a staple of O-grade geography!
If you are thinking about moving to Scotland, the big things to consider are what you need in terms of culture, services and employment. 70% of the population lives in the Central Lowlands, and unsurprisingly, that's where the best services and employment opportunities are concentrated. If you are flexible about where you can work, there is some beautiful country in the south and north, but the pay off is that you just won't have access to a lot of stuff that is available if you are nearer to Glasgow or Edinburgh.
It depends what you want. Some people are happy to live way out in the country and drive everywhere. Living just outside Edinburgh for almost 20 years, I have been able to work for a variety of different employers in a number of different locations (mostly contracting) and have still been able to commute by bicycle all that time. My home area was Dumfries and Galloway, which was a great place to grow up, but the employment opportunities I currently have just don't exist there.
Another bonus to consider if you move up - you might get the opportunity to vote for independence in the next referendum, and the possibility of fast track re-entry to Europe!
move to France the Jocks and the welsh dont want you. 😈
A non statistical answer but I live in edinburgh and have been working in Glasgow, more often than not it's dry at home and wet when I get to Glasgow.
A non statistical answer but I live in edinburgh and have been working in Glasgow, more often than not it's dry at home and wet when I get to Glasgow.
Glasgow: 1124mm p/a 170.3 days with rain.
Edinburgh: 704mm p/a 124.2 days with rain.
thestabiliser - Member
If it's real anti English bile you're after try Ireland
Utter rubbish, my wife is completely English and her and her family have never experienced this there. Neither have the many acquaintances I know who have been or moved there.
Property is reasonable 'cause Dundee is a shithole!
Depressingly, being Aberdonian this has for decades been my default answer. This is NO longer true and a dated opinion. Dundee is punching above its weight hugely now and compared to the Aberdeen of 2017...well lets just say 'how the mighty have fallen' I still love Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as its home but its lost its lustre recently with the oil bust. Moving away to NW England 5 years ago (now settled with young family in Lancashire) has taught me amongst other things that frankly, ribbing of the Scot's is still alive and well. There's a general assumption that I'm a nationalist spokesperson and will endlessly be itching to talk about the farking Indy referendum... which do not. GTF. So it works both ways. Almost all of this is good natured of course, but its not peculiar to Scotland. Oh and everyone I've met in Lancashire? lovely. Ok maybe not everyone in Preston but that's a long story.
This is NO longer true and a dated opinion. Dundee is punching above its weight hugely now
+1
With the V&A and waterfront development it's going to stunning. Some decent tech jobs too.
NW England 5 years ago (now settled with young family in Lancashire
So why have you never turned up on a MNPR then?....
Right, a different perspective.
Anti English banter is no worse than any anti Scots banter I have encountered down south. That's to say, tedious pish from the mouths of tedious ****ers trying to be funny rather than with any real malice. That said I tend not to hang around the real shiteholes so YMMV.
Ayrshire isn't that bad depending on where you go, the East is mainly shite aside from the village's north of Kilmarnock, the rest is mainly forgotten ex mining villages. If you want an idea read the early chapters of The Flying Scotsman. North, again, isn't all that. I stay on Largs which, although nice is mostly populated by knobends. South is much better in terms of places to live and the people (I may be biased coming from Troon).
Not much experience of D&G in terms of Solway firth but I will say this; I don't see the big attraction. My friend's folks have retired in Elrig and its lovely but closest town is Newton Stewart then Stranraer for the train. That said its in a nice quiet part of the world and I could happily live there.
In contrast Castle Douglas has nothing. As in, its big enough to be a town but nothing to offer that it should for a town that size. I can imagine it would be easy to get frustrated with it. I should add that this is just based on a brief stay but have seen plenty of better places. Oh, and depending where you are you could be talking an 80odd mile round trip to Dumfries, don't even entertain notions of public transport.
I grew up in the central Borders and it was excellent. Melrose/Galashiels/Peebles and surrounding villages are very nice and often overlooked.
But it seem like a long way from Castle Douglas mainly due all those bleak hills around Newcastleton.
So why have you never turned up on a MNPR then?....
sorry man... er, no idea what MNPR is. Anyone care to explain?
weather? Edinburgh is the second driest place in the UK after Kent.
2nd driest place in the U.K?
Is this the fake news I've been hearing so much about?
edinburgh - average rainfall 700mm / year 120 days with rain and 1400 hrs sunshine
London - 550 mm rain, 105 rainy days, 1400 hrs sunshine
Manchester 870 mm rain. 150 rainy days, 1350 hrs sunshine
Cardiff 1150mm rain 150 rainy days, 1550 hrs sunshine
east lothian is significantly drier again
edinburgh - average rainfall 700mm / year 120 days with rain and 1400 hrs sunshine
London - 550 mm rain, 105 rainy days, 1400 hrs sunshine
Manchester 870 mm rain. 150 rainy days, 1350 hrs sunshine
Cardiff 1150mm rain 150 rainy days, 1550 hrs sunshine
And an east coast city is drier than west coast cities shocker.....
The UK has prevailing westerly winds which brings rain clouds in from the Atlantic. Ireland gets a lot of rain, then the remainder gets dumped on Manchester, Wales etc.
The west coast of Scotland does not have Ireland to get the worst of the rain, so gets pissed on.
As I said earlier it rains ALL the time. 🙂 Or at least feels like it and if you get a day outdoors when it doesn't rain, then it feels like a bonus.
MNPR = Monday night pub ride
The historical home is Prestwich but the rides move about. One day I may make one when work allows.
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/mnpr-–-monday-20th
My impression is totally different - I ride a bike most days and the number of times I get rained on a year is in single figures
I spend numerous nights camping usually on the west coast - been rained out once in 10 years
I spend numerous nights camping usually on the west coast - been rained out once in 10 years
Probably a pretty significant sampling bias there. Unless of course you choose your camping nights randomly rather than after viewing the forecast.
My impression is totally different - I ride a bike most days and the number of times I get rained on a year is in single figuresI spend numerous nights camping usually on the west coast - been rained out once in 10 years
Are you the opposite of Rob McKenna the Rain God??????
Single figures? Really?
Tulloch Bridge (Fort William)
Rainfall (mm) 1809.4
Days of rainfall >= 1 mm (days) 201.5
Oh indeed spin - but its just an example of how / why I really don't get this "rains all the time" nonsense
Parts of scotland are wetter than part of england, parts of england are wetter than parts of Scotland
I have lived for long periods in Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh. Edinburgh is by far the driest.
gobuchal - remember I live in Edinburgh This winter so far I have been rained on 3 times when commuting for example
I've just looked out the window and it's raining now. #realnews
That must prove something? 😉
Oh indeed spin
Met Office now on the #falsenews bandwagon.
I have lived for long periods in Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh. Edinburgh is by far the driest.
Obviously. It's in a ****ing rain shadow.
That's why Glasgow is wet and it rains ALL the time.
A Mate former coal miner from the black country with the accent to go with it has a favorite re-post(s) to those Scottish folk who like to tell him he should not be living and working near Castle Douglas. "I choose to live here because I love it".
A Mate former coal miner from the black country with the accent to go with it has a favorite re-post(s) to those Scottish folk who like to tell him he should not be living and working near Castle Douglas. "I choose to live here because I love it".
I suspect that's either a conversation that's happened once, or maybe even only ever in his head.
I live in Kinlochleven it rains a lot however it's the drivers that keep me off the A82 not the weather.
I live in Kinlochleven it rains a lot
I believe that when someone tells you to 'stick it where the sun don't shine' it is in fact Kinlochleven they are referring to.
No that's Glenrothes. Closest sunshine is apparently Leith. I could believe that.
Im in Dundee today and its like Mallorca 15° and sunny take back all i said about the place