A post on behalf of a work colleague who has been offered a job in the tweed valley, galashields base so moving from NW England.

So apart from the mountain biking, and I have advocated they move solely on this fact even though they do mountain bike or undertake sport. So what is it like for living, culture and residing there???

Do they like rugby?

no…..complete sports phobic.

If he/she moves to Gala, be prepared for everyone else in the borders looking down their long noses at them!. 😆

oh…where is a good place then……

If they don’t do mountain biking then there’s not much reason for moving to the borders.

It’s not that Gala isn’t a good place, more of a comment on the attitudes in the borders!. Peebles and Melrose are both nice places, and big enough to have stuff going on, dependant on where they are moving from, house prices ain’t cheap, as its full of edinburgh money.

My sister lives in Gattonside, which is pretty much joined onto Melrose, used to live in redpath, a tiny wee hamlet, but had to move as the kids got older and didn’t appreciate being so far from their friends during school hols.

Worth also checking out where they fancy moving in relation to the new rail link, would be an advantage only being a hop on the train to edinburgh.

If they don’t do mountain biking then there’s not much reason for moving to the borders.

Pish.

I live in Peebles. It is a lovely town. Plenty to do outside mountain biking. Gala is about 30 mins away. Still handy for Edinburgh.

I live in Galashiels, born and bred in Peebles, the Tweed valley is a lovely place to live, I spent ten years in Leeds and have never regretted moving back up.
People are friendly, lovely countryside, low crime rates, good community spirit.
Galashiels is a regional centre so has large supermarkets etc, although the town centre is a bit lacking. Edinburgh only a short journey away if you need a city fix and with the new train line opening to Tweedbank it will be even easier to get into the city.
Melrose and Peebles are lovely towns, good vibe to them, Innerleithen also a nice wee place if they would like to live somewhere smaller.
Houses are cheap in the central borders, not so much in Peebles which is a lot closer to Edinburgh

We moved to the Borders nearly 3 y/o, from the deep south.

What’s it like?

– cheap property, if you stay outside of Melrose, Peebles and a couple of the more expensive villages (but often dirt cheap as there are many places with no public transport, outside of the school bus)
– you can still buy stuff for less than £100k, and there are loads of places with ‘character’ and/or land at decent prices
– very, very low crime, except for a couple of areas in Gala, Selkirk and Hawick – where compared to a city, it’s pretty much negligible. The big story a couple of years ago was a pair of Quads going missing.
– shop-wise, still lots of local/family stores – especially Butchers

MTBing is brilliant, and there is a big local scene and lots of informal ‘clubs’ plus events (XC, Enduro and DH).

And as a local said to me “it’s not that we just know everyone, it’s that we’re all related”. Feels very much like when I was a kid.

Only but, is work. There isn’t a lot, not the best paid and the only employers of any size are the council and the NHS.

Thanks they will be working for the council, slightly worried as cuts not happened yet
…also are the locals welcoming of incomers? Not meant as a slight but rural communities here nw England can be er a tad cold to new folk who have not lived here for twenty years

It’s a lovely area and I’ve been mulling over moving to Peebles for a while. I think there are a lot of incomers in Peebles so I doubt you would stand out like a sore thumb. Not sure about Gala or other places though.

The big story a couple of years ago was a pair of Quads going missing.

Hmm I don’t think that is true about being a big story, theft from farms is rife and more or less constant in the Borders and Midlothian, there are various facebook groups sharing news of thefts and suspicious people/vehicles seen lurking on farms.

Can someone give me a job there? I’d be there in a shot.

Thanks they will be working for the council, slightly worried as cuts not happened yet

At least they’ll have loads of time for riding (35 hour week, flexitime and loads of hols) 🙂

But they are looking at outsourcing IT, not sure of the other depts. but you would/should expect something the same.

Hmm – there is a sizeable drug problem in the borders. Probably higher per head of population than Edinburgh. Insurance rates are certainly more than they are in Edinburgh.

However, I loved the place and would move back in a heartbeat.

At least they’ll have loads of time for riding (35 hour week, flexitime and loads of hols)

When they told me and the terms and conditions I thought intresting

I have lived and worked here(teacher) all my life. Quality of living is excellent. Close to Edinburgh (40mins from Gala) Railway on the way – Sept I think.
Biking is as good as gets in the country. Many other sports available – lots for kids.
Schools are good – I work in a secondary school so maybe a bit biased!
Come with an open mind – you’ll love it.

Which area of the Council? IT are getting a 6mth reprieve until October.

Alas it I is not me but a genuine work college someone I manage…. Council policy/democratic services work.

No culture here http://www.traquair.co.uk/content/traquair-fair

Traquair Fair catches a lot of performers heading up to the Edinburgh festival.

I think the Borders is pretty open to incomers but like anywhere it takes time to get settled in.

Can someone give me a job there? I’d be there in a shot.

Lot’s of Head Teacher posts at the minute
(Teacher posts)

I grew up in the Borders so am biased. Grew up biking on the Eildons, then later taking trips to Glentress when there was only one trail and no cafe, helped build one of the first berms at Inners and saw Hemmings/Peaty/Page/Team Animal then ride it, rode Tom from Bikesport’s GT LTS on the Scottish Downhill course behind inners.

Anyway great place, wonderful countryside, lots of different towns and villages with their own particular character. I would prefer Gattonside/Gala to higher up the Tweed valley, as that way you’re more in the middle of the border towns of Gala/Selkirk/Melrose/Kelso.

tiggs121 – Member
I have lived and worked here(teacher) all my life. Quality of living is excellent. Close to Edinburgh (40mins from Gala) Railway on the way – Sept I think.
Biking is as good as gets in the country. Many other sports available – lots for kids.
Schools are good – I work in a secondary school so maybe a bit biased!
Come with an open mind – you’ll love it.

Which school do you work in, not Gala Academy? If so you’d know my kids!

Couldn’t possibly comment….except to say I don’t teach at the Academy.

I live in Melrose and have done so for the past 10 years. Always made to feel very welcome and very much part of the community.

I moved here for the biking and quickly started riding with locals to get to know both them and the trails. Social / community now revolves around the kids. Towns like Peebles / Melrose and perhaps Kelso are a little more ‘cosmopolitan’ in the way that they do not expect you to be 6th generation before you are regarded as a local!

The railway will make a big difference to how the area feels, in a positive way.

Crime is very low and although the comment above about drugs may be true, I can honestly say that in the 10 years I have lived here I have not been aware of, or impacted by, any drug issues.
BR is right though, employment is the big question mark for most people but again, the railway will make the commute to Edinburgh much more realistic for anyone wanting to work there.

We lack some of the city ammenities like choice of resturants, larger shops but you will not hear any complaint from me about that. There are masses of sports clubs, festivals, sports events and, where I live, a genuine sense of community. The schools are good and Council and Health services also generally pretty good

I love the Borders. I think the balance of rural yet not remote is perfect. The biking is world class, it feels like an outdoors /healthy place and I am glad my kids are growing up here.

At least they’ll have loads of time for riding (35 hour week, flexitime and loads of hols)

and time to post on STW…….

Is he moving with his family or on his own ?

Small towns are very family oriented. Peebles is the ultimate middle class family with two kids territory. And the neighbours keep a good eye on you. It is also very very white, like most of rural Scotland. My neighbour gets very snidy about the Polish family living in our stair.

All that aside, if you like outdoor life the hills are very accessible and there is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to bike trails and events. Commute to Edinburgh in 40 mins.

We moved to just outside Peebles a decade ago. Never regretted the move, love living in the Borders. It has it’s drawbacks (long drive to Edinburgh for work, not the best infrastructure, silly new Borders railway) but TBH living there is fantastic. Scenery is superb, so rich and varied in places to bike, run, walk. I’ve lived in a few places before, major cities and small towns and the Borders beats them all. And I get to ride my bike everyday as I drive to the outskirts of Edinburgh and cycle the rest of the way to work.

silly new Borders railway

I live in Darnick so only a 5 minute walk to the station in Tweedbank. I will soon be ble to go out drinking in Edinburgh and get the train home. What is silly about that?

(obvioulsy no use to you whatsoever in Peebles)

thanks discussed it with them today, they are single, sport phobic but like rambling, just discovered that in discussion today, really moving as it is a niche position and one that is under threat in England.

Thanks for all the replies.

really moving as it is a niche position and one that is under threat in England.

so not the kinda job I’d like my council tax to pay? 😉

I moved to Innerleithen in 2004 and then to Peebles in 2008. I love it here and wouldn’t live anywhere else now. It is easy to settle in as long as you are prepared to put yourself out there and get involved in whatever interests you. The MTB community is huge but that is far from the only thing to do round here.