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).

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.

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).

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…

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 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. 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 – Member

Linlithgo 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 😀
[video]https://youtu.be/G1tJJO_pVvQ[/video]

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.

@geoffj
It depends how the outcomes you expect from education…. 😉

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 – Member 

bigjim  » 
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.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/forcing-pupils-learn-welsh-keep-9256782