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I’m a sassenach but have travelled widely in, and love bonnie Scotland. Don’t think you can fail but be impressed with Edinburgh. Glasgow city centre and the Clyde are good but as a whole the place has a harder edge to it than Edinburgh.
I’d recommend hunting around Perthshire and the East coast generally; Dundee, Perth city, St Andrews, Aberdeen are all worth checking out, though the latter’s buildings are generally a rather oppressive grey – the ‘granite city’ though the unitiated would be forgiven for thinking it was constructed of breeze blocks.
Further north Inverness has become something of a magnet for English ex-pats and is a fair town, but it is its geographical position that is its real strength.
The Borders shouldn’t be neglected either: Berwick, Coldstream, Kelso and Melrose are all very pleasant towns.
Of course the real boon of living in Scotland is having the Highlands and Islands on your doorstep; scenically the equal of anything our world can offer in my humble opinion.
Cormack / Drone, and everyone else,
thanks so much for your recent replies, interesting and very much appreciated
I have noticed the prices in Edinburgh…yes they are quite steep, almost as bad as down
here.
maybe there’s a little broom cupboard somewhere for us –
we won’t be needing acres.
We’ve whittled Glasgow down to a couple of areas and Edinburgh we are going to have to look more closely as never been there I’m ashamed to say, and by all accounts we are missing a lot if we leave it out, I think.As tourists we’ve travelled quite a bit Drone up the east coast there all the way to John O’Groats , and back down the other side. We holidayed in Sutherland the other year which was nice and bleak especially when it snowed heavily, and across to Fort William. I did manage to climb about 200 yards up Ben Nevis!
Should we go for it, this will be our 2nd attempt as we earlier aborted trying to buy a house in Stranraer….hmmm…maybe that was wise
Only just found this post (internet has been down at work so haven’t seen TRF for a week – withdrawal syptoms are almost abated!) so my reply is a bit late but…
I love Scotland. I was educated in Perth and live and work in Kinross now. However, I plan to be out of Scotland before/if independance arrives. I don’t believe the country can survive on its own for various resons that I won’t bore you with just now.
Having said that, Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries I know and the people are wonderful. The cities are vibrant and exciting and the rural parts are breathtaking. There is such a breadth and depth of culture – the Scots produce some of the most beautiful art and music in the world.
You lucky so and so Lekha. I love Perth ever since I went up with my parents and sister when I was about 8. Been up once or twice since and those houses on the Tay are the stuff of dreams (even if it floods)
I love Glasgow and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, fantastic place, fantastic people, fantastic football teams, fantastic nightclubs, fantastic culture but I can’t be ársed with politics so no comments from me on that score.
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and ought to be the capital, I’m not biased I just deal with facts.
" fantstic nightclubs" You going to those Grab A Granny nights then Jim
I love Scotland. I was educated in Perth and live and work in Kinross now. However, I plan to be out of Scotland before/if independance arrives. I don’t believe the country can survive on its own for various resons that I won’t bore you with just now.
hi lekha,
thanks for your reply. I would be interested to hear your various reasons should you have the time or inclination to post them
I’m English and I’ve lived in Scotland for 18 years .. love the place to bits.
I agree with Sue about the independance lark, I think I’ll be off if they go down that road .. but there’s no real support for it. Not down the SW where I stay. I think there would be a lot of trouble, proper trouble if they tried pulling that off.
I don’t particularly like either of Scotlands proper cities .. cosmopolitan shite-holes, Glasgow, cityaculture, gimme a break ..
I love Scotland. I was educated in Perth and live and work in Kinross now. However, I plan to be out of Scotland before/if independance arrives. I don’t believe the country can survive on its own for various resons that I won’t bore you with just now.
hi lekha,
thanks for your reply. I would be interested to hear your various reasons should you have the time or inclination to post themHmm…ok
I simply feel that the Scottish economy is not and will never be strong enough to support the country and its growing population. Tax rates and the cost of living would soar just to keep the country afloat. Also the Scottish government is so inexperienced and young that it will take a long time for it to get to grips with running a country and independance may come before the parliament is old and wise enough to make far more important decisions than it has to make at the moment.
I also think the country risks becoming so nationalist that not being Scottish or at least white (which I’m not) may start to prove a problem.
Then again I may be completely wrong and Scotland will thrive on independance…
You lucky so and so Lekha. I love Perth ever since I went up with my parents and sister when I was about 8. Been up once or twice since and those houses on the Tay are the stuff of dreams (even if it floods)
Yes Perth is lovely. Not as friendly a city as it was 5/6 yrs ago but still as beautiful as ever.
I also think the country risks becoming so nationalist that not being Scottish or at least white (which I’m not) may start to prove a problem
I think that would be the case, I would be worried and I am white. There are a great many people who are extremely opposed to independance. The only way the SNP will be able to get enough support for a ‘yes’ vote will be to polarise opinion and whip up nationalist anti-English sentiment. Not so good if your English and you live here.
You would think that the idiots in the SNP would learn from history.
hi lekha,
Thanks again for your interesting and candid response.
You’ve highlighted some of the concerns we have, along with Dave Jay’s comments, although we’re not overly worried I think at this point and it wouldn’t stop us from relocating there but it’s something we need to keep our eyes on.Personally, of concern might be the effect on property prices, as moving from the south east, it might not be easy to move back again should things get socially uncomfortable in some way, as you’ve both mentioned the possibility.
A Scottish lady from Paisley, Glasgow once told me, and I don’t know how true this is or whether it’s still current, as not having lived there I can’t really comment, but they are not concerned about where you come from, rather what your religion is, i.e. are you Protestant or Catholic.
As an arch secularist, staunch libertarian and anti-cleric, I shall fit in beautifully.I do appreciate everyone’s opinions.
Over the years I have come to realise that when you are English it is automatically assumed (by some) that you are a Unionist and a Protestant. If you decide on the west coast, be very careful where you buy .. a lot of the villages are really rough and you won’t be welcomed there. These places are cheap for a reason.
Well actually Dave in my experience that is B***ocks!
I live in a village just outside of Ayr for 7 years now and can honestly say that whilst some people who have no idea may consider the place "rough", and there is a huge Orange following, the people are very friendly and helpful. Indeed with all the new builds here we have a huge influx of people, many English, and their politics or religion is just not an issue. Much of the sectarianism which was a cancer in the west coast is now more of a Celtic/Rangers empty headed football bigotry. Indeed many Orange Unionist Ranger’s supporters will boo the national anthem at Scotland games and vote SNP. I have had no problems with anyone here. I think if you move anywhere and make an effort to get on with folk you will be fine.
I moved down from Glasgow in 1982. I lived in Prestwick for 10 years. Not really a violent place but I had my house broken into, my cars vandalised and witnessed a number of street fights. Since we moved here it has been great. Bigger house & land, real community spirit, little serious crime and a better standard of living. I have travelled all of the UK and really seen "rough". There is rough everywhere in the UK but not in the same league as in towns & cities.
As for cheap. Currently we have people queuing for a week just to get a ticket to view a property to potentially put in a bid. Property in the outlying villages is selling well. The prices they are paying are not cheap, just better value whilst they get a bigger & better property.
The West Coast of Scotland is a great place to stay. Especially outside of Ayr/Prestwick. However if you have any choice of where to stay in Scotland I would advise you to go as far north & west as you can. Preferably the islands. Skye is where I hope to end up. Fantastic pace of life up there and scenery to die for.
Drongan Dave!
Nothing wrong with New Cumnock either. OK it has a "rough" Council scheme area, but so does Ayr (Jabba).
Over the years I have come to realise that when you are English it is automatically assumed (by some) that you are a Unionist and a Protestant
That’s very much a west coast thing. This whole Protestant/catholic thing is pretty much non-existent in Edinburgh
I also think the country risks becoming so nationalist that not being Scottish or at least white (which I’m not) may start to prove a problem
Funny, I’d say the SNP play the race/immigration card far less often than Labour and the Tories.
They’re about the only party talking about attracting people to Scotland.
Because they’re UK-wide parties, the big 2 can’t come out and promote that … because being pro-immigration would lose them votes in England.
Steve
Drongan Dave!
Nothing wrong with New Cumnock either. OK it has a "rough" Council scheme area, but so does Ayr (Jabba).
I know your staying in Drogan from your first post, I even know where you stay .. if you think New Cumnock is ok, there’s nothing much left for me to say ..
The views I am expressing are that of an Englishman living in Scotland and the way I have found it.
maybe there’s a little broom cupboard somewhere for us – 
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