Moved from England to Scotland

[Andy Hamilton]

My girlfriend has been trying to convince me to move to scotland since we met and I always said nope due to the weather and especially as I get a touch of SAD, not good to have even less light! But I started to think what do I really want from a place to live, I decided that I could forgo light and more warmth and exchange it for wild country, mountains and mountain streams. In other words we are moving to scotland, even set a date now and that will be Spring next year. - It looks like somewhere between Edinburgh and Glasgow will be our choice as it means I have two big populations to come on my foraging walks and therefore could try and keep doing a simlar thing up there.

I know some of you here have made the exact same move, so how did you find it? I guess also for anyone has moved country or at least a friends, how did you find that?

[Cassiepod]

Well.. we moved when I was only 10 so I guess the upheaval etc is only a distant memory. on the SAD, again I can't comment but there has been a winter where I've struggled, but this winter was a breeze... I'm not sure what that is all about.

The only thingk I can comment on is having just recently visited dorking/Hungerford for my cousin's wedding, there is no way I could possibly live down thre or anywhere south of cumbria... the amount of people and cars was unbelieveable and the stress of having to be amongst it all was incredible. As we drove back north the relief at the approaching freedom was immense. If you like open spaces and not being able to see or hear people then there's no question but you should be up here.... further north if possible...! (but I'm biased )

[Silver Ether]

Lucky bugger ... SE wanders of to sulk

[oldfella]

Just do it Andy, because if you don' t then you will never know whether you should have, or should not have, should have, etc, etc

[Cligereen]

Well Andy, I'm from London, where I met my wife but Mrs. Clig is from Ireland...so same as you I was dragged kicking and screaming across the Irish Sea to pastures new. When I say 'pastures' that's exactly what I mean. We now live in a very rural part of the Irish Midlands, surrounded by pastures instead of buildings.

All that was 23 years ago, so I guess you could say I'm used to the way of life here now. It took a long time for the homesickness to pass but it did eventually. The only thing is...I'll never really settle here. It's not the change from city to country that causes me problems, in fact I love the countryside. I'll never live in a city again but this place just isn't home...and the rain!!

I plan on retiring at 60 and on my 60th birthday we will be on the first boat back to the UK for good! Mrs Clig agrees with this plan thankfully. I know Scotland is still part of the UK but it's different in many ways to England but probably still similar enough not to feel 'in exile', so you'll probably fit in just fine.

Good luck with the plans.

[Shirley]

You WILL love it Andy. I've moved up there twice now and I would go again like a shot if the opportunity arose.

What Cassiepod (hello you x) says is so true - I am hating every minute of being down here in Manchester. It's smelly, it's noisy, there are too many cars (I've not driven since I moved back in August!), too many people all caring about themselves and nobody else, the list goes on. Do you want a family of lodgers?

[pelmetman]

We moved from Essex to Lincolnshire to semi retire in 2004, we are in a very small hamlet, 3 tractors is considered a traffic jam I really notice the difference when I do my deliveries once a fortnight back down south just how bad the traffic is, and how bad tempered everyone on the road seems
But I think this is as far North as I can get Sue, as she seems to get the Sad thing in the winter, and when we retire proper we will probably end up back in Weymouth where she comes from. I have to admit the weather is definately a lot milder down there, and the growing season longer, and it will make a change to be able to walk to a pub again

[StripyPixieSocks]

Having moved from London to Cornwall and before that from Macclesfield to London all in the space of 4 years it's been a tad scary... however...

Yes (believe it or not) we have moved into a different country, Cornwall even though most people don't think of it as a different country... it is! The move itself was hard and tiring but we did it in January through all the heavy snow, our removals company messed us about no end and the car broke down but... I would go through it again if it meant I would be here right now.

It's a bit difficult at first, finding your way around and trying to be 'comfortable', there's a different structure of community and yes, it takes a bit of getting used to but if you have an open mind and a will to fit in, soon enough you will find your feet and it is really enjoyable when you do :)

It IS alot of stress though and even myself and OH were stressed out to the max sorting everything out, were short tempered and even felt downright poorly but again it was worth it but just remember that when your girlfriend yells at you... it's just the stress of moving ;)

The first night I got here I sat on the window ledge in the bedroom and burst into tears vowing we had made a HUGE mistake and I wanted to go 'home' (back to London) but in the morning it all looked very different and I haven't looked back since and I don't think you will either!

All I can say is good luck, make sure you plan for every eventuality and you can keep in touch with friends on the net, via e-mail and phone... I do so I wouldn't worry about that... good friends will always keep in tough even if it's not regularly!

Hope that ramble helped some... if you have any questions please ask away!

[MKG]

Errrmmmm ... Scotland has MORE light than Bristol in the summer.

Actually, Andy, you'll love it. The west coast of Scotland - even very near to Glasgow - is one of the country's best kept secrets. Just avoid Ardrossan like the plague.

Mike

[snapdragon]

good luck Andy hope it all goes well

[kit-e-kate]

More "White Settlers" eh?

Just teasing! Although I'm scottish, my husband is originally from manchester. He moved up to work in glasgow for six months- that was six years ago and he totally loves living up here.

I'd also agree with Cassiepod's statement that there is NO better feeling than coming home to the peace, quiet, and friendliness of the scottish countryside. Do think about your location very carefully, a lot of places between Edinburgh and Glasgow are just commuter towns and not very interesting to live in. Scotland isn't that big a place either, so you could probably afford to go a bit futher out. Rural Fife is very nice, and might be a bit more budget friendly... Also, have you considered looking south of the big cities? Lanarkshire has some really nice places too. I'm sure AnnPan could advise you there?

One last bit of advice; the best way of getting on with your new (presumably Scottish) neighbours is "keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut"! My mum used to tell me this all the time. She got the advice from an old lady when they moved from Dundee to Skye 35 years ago. (We were the "newcomers to the village" until another family moved in- about 25 years after us!) I think its still one of the best ways to get yourselves made welcome by us funny foreigners....

Good luck with the house hunting!

[pelmetman]

One other thing don't forget the traditional greeting to your neighbours is Hello Jock, they really appreciate that

[citizentwiglet]

I moved from London to Scotland (Central Belt too, Andy - we're 9 miles out of Glasgow) eight years ago. (I'd moved from Wales to London in 1995 after graduating, so upping sticks wasn't a new thing for me).

I must say, I think that moving from London to Scotland was more of a culture shock than moving from Wales to London. Like the fact they call swede turnip, have square sausages made from beef, and when they pop to the shop they are 'getting their messages'...when I first moved up I thought that email hadn't hit Scottish homes yet, and all these people were dashing off to the nearest library to pick up their messages.
I remember the first day I arrived in Bellshill, it was very dark and VERY cold and the first thing I noticed when we got out of the van was the smell of coal fires, it took me right back to my childhood.

We didn't stay in Bellshill long, only 2 years, and then we moved to another rented place in Bothwell - I think I settled in Bothwell must quicker than Bellshill which, to be honest, can be a bit scary after dark. There are more 'incomers' in Bothwell, too, so I don't stick out like a sore thumb by not having a Scottish accent.

We've been in Bothwell for 6 years now, our children are both settled here and it would take an awful lot to make me leave Scotland.

Andy, you'll settle in brilliantly. And if you move to the Central Belt there are plenty of us within easy travelling distance - we can all meet up at Ann Pan's and have massive raucous parties in her new hoose.......

[Green Aura]

Just get on with it!!!!

Why do you need to wait?

We found our place in April and I was living here in June - and we weren't even considering a move

You know you'll love it - come further north. Inverness is good, if you like living near other people

[fran]

Just remember your English/Scottish translation dictionary, you'll need it while you are learning the lingo!!!!!