Should I move to Coldstream?

When we moved up we rented for a bit in Newcastle. Not the same as testing whether you like living in Coldstream, but it was handy for being able to pop up to look at properties in a more leisurely way, and there were lots of lets available.

Did you win it then?

No, somebody outbid us by ‘a lot, not just a few 10000s’.
There’s another house we’re interested in. Very different, and not in Coldstream – I’ll add details later.

Worth checking the sepa flood maps  don’t let the tweed fool you. It might not look like much bit its a massive river.

Obviously not meant to be then fella, (although truthfully I wouldn’t live in Coldstream) . As others have said before though – you’re going to get a lot of house for your money up in the borders. Good luck finding the right one

Right, our next choice:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131811476?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=whatsapp#/?channel=RES_BUY

A bit further north. Doesn’t look as nice from the outside, but check the interior. Anybody know much about this area? Seems beautiful.

Nice houses but I find I live in about 2 rooms (and one of those I’m mostly asleep in). I’d be more concerned about location and then the nicest house you can find there.

Nice and quiet close to Valhalla.

The whole of the coast from Newcastle up to Edinburgh is beautiful.

St Abbs is absolutely stunning.

Back in the day, Coldingham always felt a bit rough mind.

I’ve been to Coldingham a few times over the years. The last time was two or three years ago and the beach was heaving. It looks like most of Coldingham consists of two caravan parks. I imagine in the winter it is deserted.

“…I find I live in about 2 rooms (and one of those I’m mostly asleep in).”

There will be four adults sharing this house.

Four bedrooms is the minimum. A few ‘living rooms’ is very much a priority.

We’ve put in an offer, but other suggestions of good places to live are welcome, not to mention any great houses you see. East coasts, borders preferred but anywhere considered.

For £100k less you could be my neighbour, and much closer to the Tweed Valley.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127642604#/?channel=RES_BUY

Coldstream 🤔

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85986087#/?channel=RES_BUY

or

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/137220569#/?channel=RES_BUY

Sorry if the second one is above the budget but couldn’t resist

These Victorian houses are fabulous grand buildings, however they are also cold as hell!

Especially with a back boiler on the fire for heating water and no central heating. Lighting fires every morning in winter gets old incredibly fast.

The house at Stow is on the A7, right on the A7.

Nope!

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148675910#/?channel=RES_BUY

@andrewh

It’s got a pool room and bar! 🙂

I keep on thinking about moving to east lothian / the borders.  I have a few pals there.  Its important to me not to have to drive to shops and pubs.  Peebles would be my first choice – property is not too expensive, town centre is halfway decent. good walking and cycling in the area.  Gala is a possible as in Dunbar – I was surprised with how nice Dunbar is and it has a fast train to Edinburgh  Melrose would be OK as well.  Just my 2p worth

Well you are moving into your brogues and tweed Tory years.

The Borders and is one of my favourite places but can be difficult to get about in the winter (my inlaws get snowed in at least once a year). I’d be looking to live a bit closer to the train line so at least you have options of commuting into Edinburgh.

Galashiels and Hawick can be a bit rough in places, my inlaws love to read the courts section in the local paper and nearly all the stories are from those two areas (they are also the largest towns in the borders so that would be a contributing factor).

Lolz @ steven

Offer for Coldingham house has been accepted. Looks like I’m moving to Valhalla*

Sprootlet: that second house was very, very tempting. Not that keen on Eyemouth for a few reasons.

Stevenmenmuir: what makes you believe I’m not already a brogue and tweed wearing Tory? We had a good, long, look at that house in Duns.

Coldingham is only three miles from the railway with a direct line to Berwick upon Tweed, so not quite as remote as it might first seem. I reckon it will do us just fine – it’s got a inglenook!
Thanks for all the ideas and info everyone. I still interested in first hand experiences of life and cycling in the borders if anybody feels like sharing.

* it took me a while to get that @onehundredthidiot

There are a few enduro trails at Penmanshiel about 10 miles away. Not been that far north myself, probably some sort of flat riding round there. Go south down Wooler way and you have hilly xc rides

St Abb’s lovely coastline to walk along

“https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148675910#/?channel=RES_BUY”

Bike in the bathroom! lol

These Victorian houses are fabulous grand buildings, however they are also cold as hell!

I live in a stone built house from around 1840.

It is extremely well insulated and energy efficient, to the point that we rarely turn any radiators on upstairs, it has to be below zero and even then I only put it on for a couple of hours before we go to bed.

We were lucky, in the fact that the people we had bought it from, had stripped it back to bare walls, reconfigured and insulated everything.

Galashiels and Hawick can be a bit rough in places

It’s all ‘relative’ and TBH you’d not know when driving/walking/cycling thru them, but then I do come from near Leeds…

And there is pretty high poverty (high school in Hawick has 40% in Simd 1&2) .

But then if I ask to borrow something someone will lend it and walking down the road I end up acknowledging what seems like every second car because they know me.

Hawick can be a bit rough in places

And not to add that you’d be living somewhere that sounds like your clearing your throat.

I was surprised with how nice Dunbar is

Dunbar has a couple of nice little community initiatives and cafes, and the harbour and swimming pool are nice, and the train is a big plus.

And actually – Haddington has some really nice streets and parks and libraries and there’s a couple of little microbreweries and bakeries. There’s no trains, true, but tons of buses to Edinburgh and elsewhere. I think (maybe like Howick?) it had a reputation in the past for being rough but maybe that’s exaggerated (esp if you discount the closing time pub fights…?)

https://www.rages.org.uk/Haddington.html

My grandmother’s old house can be seen in photo 2 (on the bay).

I wouldn’t want to live there – seemed a bit grim for cycling and the north sea coast in winter isn’t the most hospitable of places – but plenty think it’s beautiful.

“what makes you believe I’m not already a brogue and tweed wearing Tory?”

I assumed you were. Why else would you be looking where you’re looking?

what makes you believe I’m not already a brogue and tweed wearing Tory?

When you start poking around the houses on Rightmove and looking at the pictures; there’s quite a lot of very obviously ‘dead pensioner’ houses being sold off in these parts isn’t there.

“Why else would you be looking where you’re looking?”

because it’s beautiful and quiet?  we’ve always enjoyed visits to this part of the world. Our family is from Northumberland, and we’ve always planned to move back up that way(although admittedly we’ve gone a bit further).
is it an especially Tory brogue and tweed part of the country? Moving from Bucks I’d hoped for a bit less of that.

Anyway, must trot. The fox hunt is about to start, and Felicity and Giles won’t wait forever.

Lovely house, but dear god that decoration is hideous !!!

is it an especially Tory brogue and tweed part of the country?

for Scotland yes – very much so.  But only by Scottish Standards.

I was just pulling your leg but TJ is right. I lived in the Borders for my teenage years, Duns to be exact. Couldn’t wait to get away but to be fair it’s changed a lot in the last 30 years, they might even have a choice of coffee shops. My friend has a cafe in Kelso, she’s run it for over 20 years and she has said she’s surprised that they’ve been accepted considering they cook a lot of lentils. One problem with the Borders which I think still exists is the ” because it’s aye been” attitude.

great house buying, will done. Coldingham is  lovely all year round and you’ve got great transport links north and south. I think you’ve made a good decision.