@ceept - forgot about the station at Gleneagles, good shout. Yeah, Dollar probably attracts a premium for houses.
@nobeerinthefridge Aye, I was wondering about Cambusbarron, easy enough to get into Stirling too.
@athgray - someone at work left flyers for a festival in Biggar, always thought that was miles away but maybe not. I'll have a look at it and West Linton on the map, see how that fits.
@maccruiskeen - interesting to hear that about Lochwinnoch. Iainc gave me some lowdown, looks like getting a house there could be tricky. And yes, I'd be on the wrong side of the river but I'd put up with it or try to manage my hours to avoid the worst traffic.
@stevemuzzy - Strathblane/Blanefield was on the top of my list when we were still a couple, Killearn too but you're right, it's expensive. Even more so now that there's 2 of us needing to buy separate places.
@ratherbeintobago - noted, will take a closer look on Google maps now.
@postierich - the town centre was a bit down in the dumps last time I was there, which seemed at odds with some of the nice (expensive) houses up the hill. That was a couple of years ago though.
noted, will take a closer look on Google maps now.
There are likely to be nice bits of Gourock too, but I don’t know it so well.
righto, thanks.
If anywhere exists that meets all your other criteria it will almost certainly be expensive. The only way you might push that down is to move towards the limit of your travel plans; but you need to be just as far from Edinburgh too.
Does anyone have any connection to Lochwinnoch? I’d heard there was a good wee community going there too.
I grew up there and my parents were there till recently. There's a decent pub and nice countryside round about. I don't think it's pricey based on what my folks got for their place but it is increasingly a dormitory town.
Auchterarder or Perth
@poly - indeed, too far over and you're into Edinburgh commuter belt.
@oldtennisshoes - do you have any local knowledge of Auchterarder? Even with the train Perth might be too much of a stretch for Glasgow but I'll take a look at journey times.
@spin - hmm, I suppose places can change over time, might be vibrant now but in 10-15 years time? I reckon it would be worth me taking a trip out to Lochwinnoch to get a feel for the place. Might take a nosey in that pub. 🙂
<p>West Kilbride, Fairlie and Prestwick are about the only 3 places in the whole of Ayrshire I’d consider (I’m obviously bias, living in Prestwick!) Access to the mountains being a 55 minute ferry ride, or 90 mins to Arrochar Alps.</p>
<p>Fairlie fails at the first hurdle - devoid of any shops barring the Pier Garage, an is it open/is it shut pub and a couple of here today gone tomorrow businesses that never last thanks to the fact the village is bisected by the A78 with just about nowhere to safely walk along it in parts (I did this summer with my 5 year old, never again). Community spirit also seems to centre around campaigning against anything that may look as if it could provide jobs outside of seasonal tourist nonsense.</p><p>West Kilbride suffers from a "local" mentality, if you move in you are and always will be an outsider. Everyone knows everyone elses business. Nice enough place though if you can avoid the arseholes. North coast also suffers from being geographically close to a lot of places but with limited roads and rail making journeys long and often detoured in winter or when the frequent road works are on. Rail is a single line that is first to be cancelled when something goes wrong at Glasgow, the waves are battering the line at Saltcoats or there is an 'R' in the month.</p><p>Prestwick is the one out the three I'd pick. Ayr has some nice properties let down by a ghost of a town centre, not as bad as Kilmarnock by a long shot but still not great. I grew up in Troon and would happily move back there.</p><p>Moving East I'd look at Stewarton and Kilmaurs, fancied Stewarton myself if I can ever get out of Largs.</p>
<p>Oh, I will say Stirling is nice, if I could I'd happily move up there.</p>
@squirrelking - thanks for your lowdown on Ayrshire. I'll take a closer look at what Troon and Ayr have to offer.
