[Closed] Inverness...what is it like to live there?

It was high on my list when we relocated. Fabulous setting, great access to the Highlands and still enough "services" if you're used to a large town (it barely qualifies as a city really). Plus we have a few friends there. Climate is "interesting" as it pretty mild on account of the Moray Firth.

In the end, we reckoned it was still larger than we wanted, hence Aviemore. Access is much the same but there are so many trails round here that mean I rarely drive anywhere with my bikes these days.

If you've passed through Inverness a few times, try staying there for a week or two and see how it feels? I guess it depends on what you are looking for/to do when not in your house - how often do you go to the cinema/theatre/restaurants etc.

Obviously, finding work will probably be easier in a larger town but there are plenty smaller villages around that are an easy commute. I work in Inverness and it's about 40 minutes drive each way.

I live in Nairn 15 miles east of Inverness.

The climate is very good in this part of Scotland.

You can access a lot of the best outdoor areas that Scotland has very quickly from this area and Inverness has quite decent traffic links.

The traffic into Inverness in the mornings like a lot of places is getting worse due to the city getting bigger and the roads not really being up to it.

Most would say it is more town than city.

I am bias towards Nairn, I prefer living here, we have the sea, good beaches, the river and it isn't as busy.

Can you get work here?

Grew up not too far away, it's a great place. Dry climate, beautiful countryside and great for access to the hills and an hour and you're on the west coast in Ullapool. It's grown massively in the 20 years since I left school. Town centre itself isn't what it used to be, shopping centres have killed it off which is a terrible shame. Lots of nearby towns give an alternative to the town itself and there are lots of rural houses and villages. Winters are dark and long compared to further south, but long summer evenings make up for it. If I was going to raise a family I'd move back there, often tempted to anyway to be honest!

I visit quite a lot with work - I'm not a fan.
It feels like it's bursting at the seams with little development planned to alleviate it.
Not great architecturally and the weather may not be too wet, but it is grey.
Too far from other places too, even compared to Aviemore.
Aviemore is a much better proposition if you can handle the big village/small town living.

If you can get a house on the riverside it's great, otherwise It's a useful place to live near.

Inverness has endless trails in any direction you care to go, and if you want to slip into the lycra, there's heaps of roads with stunning views (although avoid the north side of Loch Ness if you want to live).

ton in lycra.

I'd pay to see that! It would have to be tartan though 😆

ton in lycra.

I'd pay to see that! It would have to be tartan though

Bastid........ 😆

Been here since 98. Originally from Liverpool.
Different but I like it. Has everything. Local trails a plenty. An hour from Golspie, less to Balblair, less again to Learnie. Cairngorms and Torridon close by too. Loads of bloody tescos.

I don't live in Inverness, but I work here during the week for 3 or 4 months of the year. I can just echo the positive things said above.

The only thing to add is that it is suffering very badly due to the oil & gas recession.

I don't think you'd like it.

Your two favourite things are touring, which we have loads of! And good country pub beer stops, which I'm sad to say, we don't.... Our pubs in general are way behind those found in the likes of Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northumberland. Scots Indy brewers have came on leaps and bounds in the last few years, but you'll still walk into the majority of pubs and be faced with a choice of cooking lager or the likes of bloody belhaven.

😥

Edit - I'm sure some folks will disagree, but that's just my two bobs worth.

Cannae move in Aviemore for pubs selling bloody Cairngorm beers. Thankfully, there are a few more smaller breweries kicking off. My favourite is in the midst of a big expansion scheme.

http://speyvalleybrewery.co.uk/

Most of the good options are bottled though and, as nobber says, most pubs and hotel bars have a very limited choice.

a friend said pretty much the same, he said he wouldnt want to live somewhere that he wanted to explore on the bike. and like me he enjoys going to scotland for trips.

something to think about that..cheers

[quote=ton ]he said he wouldnt want to live somewhere that he wanted to explore on the bikeEh? That's exactly where I want to live. Saves all that tedious driving time 🙂

Ton, you know where you need to be, NORTH Yorkshire. 😉