Perthshire or Dumfries/Galloway
Hi
We are looking at different areas in Scotland to live.
At the moment researching Perthshire (around Blairgowrie/Pitlochry) and Dumfries and Galloway (around Castle Douglas)
Just looking for peoples opinions on what these areas are like to live in?
In particular what schooling is like (are there good secondary schools.)
We are looking at different areas in Scotland to live.
At the moment researching Perthshire (around Blairgowrie/Pitlochry) and Dumfries and Galloway (around Castle Douglas)
Just looking for peoples opinions on what these areas are like to live in?
In particular what schooling is like (are there good secondary schools.)
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Avoid Blairgowrie, it has a reputation and I know that from people who've left the police to avoid being stationed there!
If you have any questions, ask away
Hello thanks for reply.
I have to admit from my research Blairgowrie was an area that I wasn't sure about.
The HMIE report on the secondary wasn't as good as the secondary schools at Pitlochry and Aberfeldy (I think!)
The school is small by most standards (or was, when i attended there were 150 pupils (primary school and secondary) total, but I believe the figure to be higher now.
Primary runs 1 to 7 and secondary 1 to 4th year, 5th and 6th year are then taken up at Breadalbane academy in Aberfeldy, another good school.
Pitlochry itself, generally quiet, but over the past few years, the local council has moved problem families out of Perth and into the quieter area's (in the belief that they'll change instead of changing the area.. in this case the latter happened). But saying that it's still a safe place with minimal trouble. My girlfriend is surprised at how relaxed everyone is up there everytime we visit, life is at a very slow place!
Also, everyone knows everyone. When I do visit there, my mother knows I'm in town even before I get to her house/work.
Touristy place and a lot of shops/restaurants are geared for that. Couple of restaurants forget locals like to eat there occasionally and charge ridiculous prices. I can provide a list of places to avoid if required
Currently there's 1 supermarket (co-op) but another is being built (sainsburys).
Most people tend to shop in Perth (30mins away), reasonable choice of shops and more choices in supermarkets.
In regards to what there are for kids.. well if they like outdoors stuff then great! Plenty of choice there with all the walks. When I was growing up, a local youth club was started, but I don't know if it took off or has been killed with the recent budget. But most people just ran about outside
Transport links are reasonably good with the train station and regular buses.
Pubs.. again pricey but you can get a good night out.
You can have a good quality of life in Pitlochry, the area is rich in history and most people in the town are friendly.
There aren't exactly area's in Pitlochry to avoid, but there are a couple of streets I would avoid buying a property in
Personally Blairgowrie has some nice parts but whatever you do do not consider Alyth just down the road from it...
I think it's as someone else said a lot of rough people are being moved out to nicer parts and the noise and disrpution these folks cause...
Alyth is a living hell and i can well imagine that Blairgowrie might go the same way. Pitlochry is a nice area and some nice villages around there but do consider that it is absolutlely packed with tourists for a number of months a year....Dunkeld was always a nice area but not cheap, but there again Perthshire isn't cheap at all now and prices have gone up in terms of rent a lot in the last couple of years....
Thanks for the replies.
Really good to hear different perspectives on it.
JUst wanting to live somewhere peaceful and quiet for children.
I had seen a house in Alyth so was interesting to hear about that.
I worked in Perth recently [just starting a job at Scone], and found it to be quite a depressing town centre. The shopping is better at Dundee or Stirling. With the heavy snow this winter, the council were pants at keeping the paths clear and safe [I actually went over on my ankle outside Willows.] The town seems to be populated with older residents, the work-shy and young people desperate to escape but not knowing how. Off the highstreet it's pretty run down, and some pretty slummy residential areas.
I agree that Perth town centre isn't a pretty picture (it's improved somewhat over the past few years). But it's more than suitable for basic shopping, if your looking for anything special your better heading to Edinburgh/Glasgow (More likely Glasgow, as there's more choice).
As for the council, well truth be told, which council didn't do a good job this winter?! 6 of us in my street in Rosyth cleared the ice/snow over a weekend before the council turned up.
I think your stereotype of Perth is quite harsh, it has it's bad area's (as all towns/cities do), Dundee has way worse area's but it also has 2 universities on it's door step and a few colleges. Perth has a college.
But again, Perth isn't Pitlochry or Blairgowrie.
Alyth is a quaint town by day but by night it's a living hell. A good proportion of the residents get so drunk that falling over and not being able to get back up is a typical Friday night, fights follow and the noise by the drunkards is incredible meaning very little sleep on either fri, sat or sunday night....Their behaviour also makes you feel very unsafe and drugs i was told by the local community officer and a couple of residents are rife from one particular pub in the past and the practice seems to be continuing...so definately no if you want peace and quiet, leaving there was great
Aberfeldy's a lovely area but i don't know much about the town itself except it has a lovely bookshop and coffee place
As for Perth being a depressing city centre, trust me Dundee is no better and Dundee doesn't clear pavements either.....Dundee is very run down in places...
Don't let the cover fool you, at night time it gets bad..
It got the nickname of "Little dublin" a few years back by one of the local rags in reference to how violent it can get at weekends.
Kenmore which is just outside of Aberfeldy is a lovely place!
Sounds like Alyth, often the way isn't it?