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High 5 to zigzag and joshvegas.
Reflections
Aka Paps? All I ever knew it as on my single visit, once was enough!
Cumbernauld is getting an M&S Food dontchaknow, going up in the world, it's the next Dunblane. Has a decent 4x track as well.
Nah different dives. Papa docs was under the shopping centre and reflections was up at the top car park though my memory might be a bit sketchy on this.
Anyway to actually add something to the thread of relevance, I always thought Dunkeld would have been a nice place to stay. Most of your requirements would be met I'd say. Maybe a stretch to Gourock but it'd be bypass/motorway all the way.
Marvellous input all, thank you. A late surge from the Peebleshire massive in response to the Stirlingshire dwellers was also helpful.
If we are talking 'ride from the door and be on singletrack within 2miles', then I guess Peebles, or anything near the Ochils would be best?
Selfishly, I really need to be that close - whilst I also enjoy a 3-4hr+ outing at weekends, my sanity needs me to be able to take a break during the WFM day and immediately be out on the trails.
Great stuff, thanks!
I'm moving to Bonar Bridge first week of April from the Hampshire tropics.
I have friends there which make it an easy choice but the benefits for me are the Loch Migdale within eyeshot of the Croft for swimming, Balblair MTB trails at the edge of the village and Golspie trail centre 20 minutes drive away which also has a nice beach and a great chippy.
That and the peace and quiet
In terms of sheer amount of riding from the door, Peebles/inners would be head and shoulders above anywhere in the Stirling area, but I'd far rather actually live up round Stirling.
Nobeerinthefridge - why do you say that?
I'm thinking that for me, realistically with one teenager and 2 who will be soon, infrastructure is a wee bit lacking in Peebleshire?
If we are talking ‘ride from the door and be on singletrack within 2miles’, then I guess Peebles, or anything near the Ochils would be best?
Myself to first bit of single track is about 400-500m in three different directions.
Most of Bridge of Allan and Dunblane are within a km of off-road, a good proportion of the north and west of Stirling the same.
Ochils has routes, but IMO they are quite seasonal / boggy / traditional 'hill routes' for a lot of it. Get the West end (BofA again...) and suddenly there is more in the woodlands lower down.
Nobeerinthefridge – why do you say that?
I don't think it would matter where I lived, I'd want to ride other places, even if I lived in the best biking area possible, I'd still wanna go ride different stuff. Stirling area would be perfect for my needs, but also for access to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and also for Hill walking, you couldn't be better placed for all of that stuff really.
The biking around where Matt talks about is fairly decent, but there's everything you want within 90 minutes really, from Aviemore to the Borders, and millions in between.
I like the Borders, but I've always felt it's a bit insular, just my gut feeling though.
but there’s everything you want within 90 minutes really, from Aviemore to the Borders, and millions in between
This is so true of the area around Stirling - amazing hills, riding, canoeing and more all a straightforward and not that long a journey.
Wandering off topic - One thing I would say, no matter where you end up, prepare yourself for some reverse culture shock. We were abroad for 6 years, then came back and ended up in Falkirk. Nice house, nice street, good neighbours, but after a couple of months we were both looking to sell up and go back - thought we'd made the biggest mistake ever. Probably took us a good 6 months for life to start to feel normal and alright again. Daughter was only 6 at the time, so that wasn't too bad, but I'm thinking the older they are the harder it'll be for them.
This is so true of the area around Stirling – amazing hills, riding, canoeing and more all a straightforward and not that long a journey.
And good roads too, Borders roads would do my nut in.
You are not going to beat the Stirling area for all roundess. It's central location gives you easy access to all the different areas/landscapes Scotland has on offer for outdoor activities, plus plenty of it's own right on doorstep. You can be anywhere doing anything in a short amount of time. Easy access to the two main cities gives you all the options on offer there plus plenty enough on offer locally as well.
Peebles has better biking in the immediate vicinity, but that's about it really. Sure it's got decent access to Edinburgh on a good run, but getting anywhere else is a PITA.
If we are talking ‘ride from the door and be on singletrack within 2miles’, then I guess Peebles, or anything near the Ochils would be best?
Selfishly, I really need to be that close – whilst I also enjoy a 3-4hr+ outing at weekends, my sanity needs me to be able to take a break during the WFM day and immediately be out on the trails.
So if looking at Stirlingshire somewhere like Cambusbarron village, or Bridge of Allan, or the Torbrex / Kings park area of Stirling itself would see you out the door and on proper mtb trails within 15mins easy.
The hillfoots villages (e.g. that run along the base of the Ochils) can be hit or miss - there are nice houses, but some suffer from some acute deprivation issues (think old mining villages). You are also limiting your transport links to other places. Dollar is probably the exception to the rule as it is like someone picked up half of Stockbridge in Edinburgh, delicatessens and all, and launched it 25miles up the road.
I like the Borders, but I’ve always felt it’s a bit insular, just my gut feeling though.
you are right. it is very insular indeed.
All these best bits of Scotland, Dollar, BoA, Dunblane, Comrie, Dunkeld it's getting a wee bit middle class chuck in Gifford, Gullane maybe Aberlady all near Edinburgh not far from Peebles. Cumbernauld, Falkirk are needing Whitburn, Broxburn, High Valleyfield, Wallyford, Mayfield to balance it up a wee bit
In terms of sheer amount of riding from the door, Peebles/inners would be head and shoulders above anywhere in the Stirling area, but I’d far rather actually live up round Stirling.
Stirling has more as a town as it js four times the size.Peebles is not just about biking though nobeer. I can kayak with a short portage from my house and can also hill walk from the door. Peebles is better connected than many assume. If heading to the Highlands add no more than an hour than travel distance from Stirling. If Inverness is 2 hours from Stirling its 3 hours from Peebles. Pretty similar really. I can be at the edge of the Lake Disrtict in 90 mins and in Keswick in 2 hours. The real travel benefit comes if a lot of your travel is to Edinburgh or Glasgow. Edinburgh in 35 to 40 minutes and Glasgow in an hour. Yes you can get to Glasgow from Stirling quicker on motorways, but I feel I can get around the central belt by skirting the Moorfoot hills and the Pentlands. I think motorway driving and regular commutes past the likes of Hermiston Gate or Ineos refinery would depress me to tears.
I would echo matt_oab and the Stirling guys shout for their respective areas, and would be looking there if I were in your shoes.
Peebles seems to be a nice place, and I have not been for a few years but would I choose to live there if I had growing kids? I am sure they would love it, but Dunblane/BoA/Stirling/Falkirk have great services, facilities and connections, with local riding nearby.
I live in North Glasgow suburbia, Lenzie, so the road / rail connections are great but less so for trail riding on your doorstep. Albeit Lennox forest and Mugdock are 15 mins away and the road riding is great.
@athgay, I stand corrected and just showing my bias / ignorance.
The Port and Greenock are notably absent in this thread! Great sea and mountain views of course, and handy for Glasgow airport, Argyll, Millport and Bute ferries and more frequent cruise liners!
Dunblanatopia resident here:
Trail rides from the door go left or right, basically take your pick and a pretty active scene if you fancy it. - Aberfoyle and Callendar trails also only 20 minutes away by car - regularly go night riding there in the summer.
Well served for shops and Stirling/BofA is easy cycling or train ride away.
M9/A9 is minutes from my door plus you can bypass the bottle neck of the Keir Roundabout too.
Main Line train station to all Scottish cities - fancy a night out at Celtic Connections or Ed Fringe? Last train home easy peasy.
Choice of Primary school and large High School with good facilities.
Please come our way and do your bit for maintaining the stable housing market!
I do like Peebles in the south and Aberfeldy in the north also but the train line is the winner for me.
Athgray, just being honest, and objective as I don't live in either of the areas.
Tbh, I wouldn't leave Prestwick for Peebles, but I'd move to Stirling area no probs.
Thought I'd post a wee update - this is all now happening.
Families told, kids told (generally excited!), we are excited. And we have settled on... seems very hard to choose anywhere other than Stirling/Dunblane. (though Peebles still holding a close backup spot - house prices are less and it really is a nice place)
Currently house hunting (me and wife), meeting schools (wife - is a teacher, has strong opinions!), and sorting finances (me - argh!)
Turns out that being a UK citizen, but a current Swiss resident, new being employed out of Ireland but going to Live in Scotland is proving challenging for British banks to get their heads around. Mortgage process is... fun!
So, to the Stirling/Dunblane folks - in the coming months, if you see a huge dodgy looking bloke wandering aimlessly about your neighbourhoods - be nice to me, and tell me good things about biking 🙂
meeting schools (wife – is a teacher, has strong opinions!)
I know this won't help but I think you would struggle to find a genuinely bad school in those areas*, in fact there aren't really many genuinely bad schools across Scotland as a whole**. The reality is your wife might meet the head and think its great and has the right approach and ethos and then a particular class teacher is poor, or your kids might fit in really well in a particular department at a secondary and do great despite a school officially appearing outwardly less impressive.
*If the kids are, or will be in say the next few yes at secondary, then Peebles might be a poorer choice. I'm not sure how big the disruption is after the fire but thats more likely to be a frustration than any particular approach at an individual school.
**If you look beyond the headline stats the trend is affluent area = better outcomes for the child.
Welcome to Scotland, when the time comes.
Hopefully we can make you feel at home before too long.
Before you make any final decisions, the climate further east is a fair bit drier and sunnier, plus Dundee has good transport links with the central belt and with those south of the Wall...
The trails are more varied and extensive over here than around Stirling too: Dunkeld, the Angus Glens, Cairngorms, Braemar are all nearby.
Having been born in Bridge of Allan I would say "Bridge of Allan"
But I left Stirling when I was two ....
if you see a huge dodgy looking bloke wandering aimlessly about your neighbourhoods
Sounds like a typical day in Stirling. 😂
Move quickly on houses if you're looking at Dunblane. After being announced the best state secondary school in Scotland this year there has been an influx of 'outsiders' registering with estate agents (according to pal who owns estate agency locally). We've a new neighbour with a 3year old who moved from London to Dunblane just so they could get the kiddo in the secondary...
Be aware that there are some big developments about to happen in Dunblane and BofA. There's a few roads I wouldn't buy on, as that empty field next to it is about to be 200+ houses and the access road is the current quiet cul-de-sac that ends in a fence... Any field between Dunblane ana A9 has permission already (almost) and some more between Cornton and BofA.
As for your wife being strongly opinionated about schools, fair play. I assume she understands the difference in our education pedagogy and curriculum in Scotland? I'll also repeat, we don't really have 'bad' schools in Stirling area - and your kids will thrive in any of them imo.
Does she intended to teach here? If so, speak to GTCS now and check she meets requirements for registration. We faced a long and uphill battle for mrs_oab to be allowed to teach here, and it involved being on bottom of the payscale again....
oh, and OP, drop us a line when you come up. Happy to guide you round the trails and share a pint in the Tappit...
Timely thread resurrection for me as well, I'm just about to hit go on a move North, most probably Stirlingshire. Useful comments on the schools, that's somewhat put my mind at ease because it's been a big worry. Daughter loves her school here so the thought of messing that up is difficult. Also on the developments in Dunblane / BoA as those were areas we were looking at.
I’d take Bridge of Allan over Dunblane and the Kinnoull side of Perth over both of them. All three are nice though
I;ve just been looking east of Perth, houses are pretty cheap there, especially in Errol.
Why's that?
I’m surprised no-ones suggest the delights of upper Port Glasgow, or maybe New-Cumnock.
Spent the first twenty or so years of my life in Port Glasgow. Am in no hurry to rush back, to put it mildly.
OP given your various criteria Peebles, as you suggested, would be a pretty good bet.
Errol
I don’t know, it’s a bit isolated and a typical agricultural village. Good road connections to Dundee and reasonable to Edinburgh. A bit flat and too near the Tay maybe?
We've spent the last two years going through this and last Monday our builder started digging the foundations for our house near Callander, which is right on the Highland Fault where the Lowlands and Highlands meet.
The cons: No milkman, less choice of grocery delivery, no railway station 5 minutes walk away with Manchester an hour away.
The pros: 1 gig broadband self-installed by the villagers. Lochs Voil, Venachar and Earn a few minutes away. Great walking and cycling all around. Ski resorts around 2 hours drive. Glasgow & Edinburgh about 60-90 minutes drive. No traffic, no mill town scum racing around in blinged-up German sports saloons.
You could always buy a plot at the westerly end of a loch with stunning sea views but you have to recognise that as you get older you need to be close to GP surgeries, hospitals, neighbours and other facilities, which is what informed our choice of location. All the nearby towns like Comrie, Crieff, Dunblane are nice and roads are good.
I loved living in Stirling, it is on the list of possible places to go back to, along with Crieff, Comrie, Callander, Pitlochry, Dunkeld and Aberfeldy. Pitlochry/Dunkeld is currently winning but once we get an offer on the house we will come to a decision 😉
globalti, sounds awesome, nice work
matt - cheers, will do! When me and the missus were sniffing about before new year we went to the Riverside for a pint, then back to there for dinner which was very good. Never made it to the Tappit Hen. Also bought a Steak Pie for new year from the butcher's on the left hand side of the high street as you walk up (not the posh one at the end on the right) and it was f'ing epic!
highlandman - I hope you all let us back in, it's been 17 years since we lived in Inverurie (our last Scottish address), and according to NE pals unfortunately I now "sound like a ****ing American"
Highlandman - just posted about Pitlochry as a place to live regarding mountain bikers. Do you have any knowledge of groups around there?
Also bought a Steak Pie for new year from the butcher’s on the left hand side of the high street as you walk up (not the posh one at the end on the right) and it was f’ing epic!
I keep suggesting we have a mid-winter pie-off competition to some of the touristy folk here. I think it would be a winner.
And yes, pies on nom.
I had some good nights in the Tappit Hen! Lived in Cambuskenneth for a long while and Doune for a couple of years before heading south on a misrepresentation... but such is life! Don't think I ever sampled any pie based goodness though and feel I may have missed out now.
Can't wait to get back north!
As i mentioned earlier in the thread I was born and raised in the Hillfoots (going back this weekend to visit parents and can't wait). I find it funny reading the info on BofA and Dunblane being popular etc. Nothings changed since the 70s when my folks moved up. They always said they wanted to live Dunblane but couldnt afford the houses at £7k and had to move to the Hillfoots instead as the houses were only €6k. 🤣
For the Stirlingshire residents amongst us - what folks thoughts on Callander?
There some nice options in Stirling, very few in Dunblane (basically none!) of something suitable form price/size/location combinations.
Callander has been thrown at us, went to see a house, loved it, loved the town (spent time there as a youth walking so know it only a wee bit), seems that McLaren is a pretty good school etc etc
Callander? Good place to live? thoughts appreciated! its a curveball I didn't expect.
Kev
Callander is good.
Good school.
Gets a good dose of sun being such an open valley.
You will be heading to Stirling regularly, but the schools, supermarkets, leisure, doctors etc is all they're.
Great riding 😎
Blue rinse bus tours pack the place in summer and abandon it for the winter. Traffic queues can be bad in summer. Not huge employment. A bit run down around the edges still.
We nearly ended up there.
@matt_outandabout cheers again Matt, appreciate it. Getting closer!
What a great time to choose to move country, move all money. Get rid of a flat, buy a house, move house, move dog, move kids schools, move family...
Talk about crushing anxiety. Never in my life etc etc The issue was that our exit timelines were pretty fixed, and that happened before the big lockdown. Jesus H Christ what a stress.
Anyway, it somehow is all working out. I moved into the empty house in Stirling on Monday as advance party before the family arrive in July.
Travelling from CH, my goodness airports are strange places at the moment. Swiss air was fine, all luggage arrived in Heathrow. Then flying to Glasgow BA have managed to lose my ****ing bike. For ****ing week. And its still not ****ing here. FFS. I've been walking the trails nearby, saying hello to all the bikers!
Chances of it every arriving? Still, in the grand scheme of stresses, its minor. I can't believe we've managed to get it done.
Well done, and best of luck in the new place mate, Moving is stressful as f at the best of times without all this shit!