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201 days is a nonsense, must be an incredibly low bar for amount in a day at that!teamhurtmore - Member
Plus 201 rainy days in Glasgow (same source)
I know stats and experts - who needs then 😉
Maybe so, but they still need to qualify their results, what the minimum mm for a day classed as having precipitation? Genuinely interested.
I wouldn't be going to Scotland, all they seem to do is argue about the weather and whose stats are the best. 🙄
No idea 😉
Probably says on the site somewhere
Ok - not scientific, however I have homes in Edinburgh and London and have done for a few years. I'd have said London gets less rain, but not by much - and neither gets a stupid amount of rain. London is a bit warmer on average though.
Do you know what- If you are [i]that[/i] bothered about a bit of rain I don't think Scotland is for you. I love the place but it's not for the scorchio weather.
Terrahawk has probably lost the will to [s]live[/s] move
thanks for all the responses so far.
Anyone live in or near New Galloway? 😉
I used to.
Nice little spot, the drive down the loch back to Castle Douglas or Trool way is a pain after a while, but there are worse and further roads to travel. Going north from there really was a long old way from memory. A good few 'off-comers' who made the place a little less local/inward looking than some of the other places locally.
Pub is ace, infamous for it's lock in's. I may stop for tea tonight there...
I used to work at the Sailing Centre - great folk and lovely spot.
sounds ideal. cheers.
anyone on here live in Newton Stewart?
Looking possibly - likely - ish.
Hmmmm... I wouldn't, it's a bit backwatery/wickerman/duelling banjos...
Hmmmm... I wouldn't, it's a bit backwatery/wickerman/duelling banjos...
Oooft!
It must be REALLY bad if the Ayrshire big team are accusing you of being inbred hillbillys.
😆
anyone on here live in Newton Stewart?
Again, know of the place after living at Kirkcudbright.
I was also there on Friday....
As said, it still feels like a locals place rather than tourist led. Like Kirkcudbright and a little like Castle Douglas, it has a few resources/supermarket/places/amenities there which helps.
Careful where you live there - the river floods to a frankly unbelievable level at times.
Being further out west, its a looooong drive north on Ayrshire coast of A75 back East to civilisation.
If I was looking in the area again, Kirkcudbright would be top of my list. Mainly as the Masonic on Friday night was just ace to sit and sink a pint in again...
"Woohoo!......... High six, Uncle Dad!!"
😀
Nah, that is Stranraer.
"Woohoo!......... High six, Uncle Dad!!"
The Shire riviera, where you manky bastards go yer holidays! 8)
We canny afford holidays*......on account of being manky bastards. 😉
*not strictly true. As you well know, I choose to spend my holidays in rural Dumfries and Galloway.
Better class of slack jawed yokel down there dontcha' know.
So which is the more banjo-y rural backwater-y? Newton Stewart or Stranraer?
My mate (another manc) lives in Stranraer and absolutely loves the lifestyle.
I don't think anyone's tried to eat him or owt.
Wooooaahhhh, hold on a minute, I may have misled you somewhat earlier, aye it's a wee bit 'Land that time forgot' in Newton Stewart, but Stranraer is bloody horrible!.
There are lots of nice little villages that are rural, nice, but aren't too far out the way. Around Symington/Biggar area, Straiton at the very North edge of the Galloways is lovely, As I said before Castle Douglas is ace, lots of nice little places around there too.
My mate (another manc) lives in Stranraer and absolutely loves the lifestyle
Blimey....I wandered into Stranraer a few years back and I'm struggling to imagine exactly what 'type' of lifestyle he leads!
Wooooaahhhh, hold on a minute, I may have misled you somewhat earlier, aye it's a wee bit 'Land that time forgot' in Newton Stewart,
ok, but....
Hmmmm... I wouldn't, it's a bit backwatery/wickerman/duelling banjos...
...sounded more of a warning than a description. But thanks for the feedback 🙂
Now then, can't speak personally about Newton Stewart/Castle Douglas but I've English mates who've moved there nearly 10 years ago and wouldn't move back. I'm rather envious of their lifestyle, but I think that's more down to their lack of children. They're both outdoors types and work in the cycling 'industry'. Will point him in the direction of this thread....
Incidentally, as an Englishman in Scotland I can confirm, it's ace. My biggest issue is since I've been here I've almost ditched the mtb for cx/gravel bike as the ground turns into one almighty great sponge/peat bog and I spend far too long hike a biking. I know there's hard-packed trails but they're few and far between, especially in the southern uplands.
does one of them own the bike shop in Newton Stewart? I was chatting to him last year and noted that he wasn't a Scot.
We were in NS at the weekend and noted that we spoke to 5 non-Scots, in fact.
The Scots that move down to London are often the most aggressive, chip-on-their-shoulder nationalistic ones.
I'm surprised by contrast how pleasant the Scots in Scotland are.
Wouldn't ever want to live there though.
I moved up here almost 12yrs ago now - living on the coast and commuting into Glasgow.
First year or so I had most issues with some anti-english sentiment - mostly when travelling by train, or interestingly from one suited guy who asked for directions, turns out he wanted the crown courts and didn't like getting directions from somebody who didn't speak with much of a scottish twang.
Nice enough place to live, some good cycling on the roads around Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, good choice of cycling clubs, reasonable access to trail centres and moors for MTB.
Compared to down south it's generally a long way to anywhere - with most big purchases requiring a trip up to town to get a better range of choice. Less crowded, pubs that do a good job with food are the exception, a decent beer garden a rarity
Positives - some great beaches, lovely islands, great hills, some nice folk, lower costs generally, Scottish school holidays kick out before the prices hit peak season as the English and Welsh schools break up - so you get to holiday down south without the crowds.
We don't travel up to the Highlands as much as we could - mostly because in the summer the midges are really really bad at times, barbecue at your own risk and in the winter it's cold and closed! (e.g. Tyndrum tourist information opens for 5months of the year).
I was brought up with good access to the Lakes and North Wales - loved it as a kid - now it can be too busy at times - less of an issue up here so swings and roundabouts.
If I could live anywhere and survive then I'd be heading for somewhere around Chester / North Wales, but work (and family) keeps me here. Places in Scotland I would look at are places like Troon, Stirling and Fife.. Whilst Dumfries and Galloway is lovely - it seems a long way from anywhere, even Ayrshire
If I could live anywhere and survive then I'd be heading for somewhere around Chester / North Wales,
+1
I'm going to be controversial and say I don't much rate the mtbing in Scotland, for the following reasons: gloopy summer mud, midges, hike a bike and water bars. I find walking / trail running is preferable in a lot of places.
I don't MTB in summer for some reason, never have. Used to ride a Motorbike on greenlanes around Wilts - again a winter sport - never wanted to hit the chalk when it was solid..
I'm going to be controversial and say I don't much rate the mtbing in Scotland, for the following reasons: gloopy summer mud, midges, hike a bike and water bars. I find walking / trail running is preferable in a lot of places.
Haha! Mr Taylforth is hacking some amount of accounts today! Quality trolling! 😆
Thanks for all the advice 3 months ago. We've since ummed and aahhed, sold our house in Manchester and we're going through the process of buying a place in Newton Stewart. Schools, work, etc all sorted.
Cheers!
P.S. Anyone on here doing 10@Kirroughtree? Will be nice to ride a couple of miles back home after that one.
Cracking part of the world terrahawk!
I miss the beaches and hills - and the fact it is still lacking in tourism, so quieter for days out 🙂
Aw man, it's lovely up there.
🙂
The riding and walking is just so good, friendly people too.
Beautiful too.
And this place is just down the road:
Thought Glentrool was so much fun, the short stuff is a laugh the big purple route is a great afternoon (hour or two for you) out.
Be a shame not to to see your big daft grinning head out and about locally though.
😀
Nice one fella.
Be a shame not to to see your big daft grinning head out and about locally though.
I'll still be in Manchester a few days each month. Keeping the same job, just doing most of it remotely.
Do they still do 10@K? I thought that had stopped....
yep, last weekend of August this year. http://gallowayhillbillies.org/index.php/10-kirroughtree
Ah, couldn't see it on Nofuss website. Good stuff, always fancied 10 hours pootling around the lovely off piste tracks round Kirro.
best of luck!
Our current incumbent bishop (not a euphemism) relates when he visited a church down that way, they all stared at him as if he'd trodden in something (wasn't a bishop back then so not in garb). Out of town very evident. I said jokingly that the Wicker Man was part filmed down that way. "I know" he replied quite solemnly 🙂
If it helps I came from North Wales into England.
In 1992.
I'm *still* waiting for the sheep jokes to stop.... <sigh> 🙂
Our current incumbent bishop (not a euphemism) relates when he visited a church down that way, they all stared at him as if he'd trodden in something (wasn't a bishop back then so not in garb). Out of town very evident.
Our experience so far has been quite the opposite. But then to move anywhere without checking this sort of thing first would be reckless wouldn't it?
Maybe your bish was being a bit paranoid.
quite possibly! also - must have been quite a while ago now come to mention it 😉
[ edit: also - my post probably sounded a bit meh - apologies - glad you've taken the plunge, any move is pretty tough. best of luck 🙂 ]
Lots of big days training potential for you around there Terra, I recall years ago doing the black at Kirro from Clatteringshaws loch, along the old edinburgh road (more of a stream bed than a road) was an ace day, even with a snapped chain and subsequent singlespeed before half way!.
Rode what will be your new local big hill on saturday Terra! Cairnsmore of fleet - the big lump you see from the cafe at Kirro.
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the big lump you see from the cafe at Kirro.
never mind the caff, you can see it from my lounge window 🙂