Nice places to live around Edinburgh
Discussion
Potentially moving to Edinburgh and looking for guidance on where to live and where to avoid. Looking for a 4 bed detached with separate garage or something similar in a nice area. Not fussed on schools etc just want somewhere with good restaurants and nice places to walk the dogs. Only used the internet to search so far and Liberton, Dalkeith, Straiton, Loanhead, Fairmiliehead and Colinton look possibilities. Any views on these or other areas within an area up to 3 miles outside the ring Road with approx 30 minute max commute to the city centre for an 8 to 6 working day. Thanks in advance.
Edinburgh traffic is pretty miserable. It depends what you're used to though? Heriots is probably one of the worst targets though unfortunately, it's right in the centre of the old town which can be a nightmare to navigate even once you get used to it. Couple that with there are two particularly bad times for Heriots and I'd imagine you'll be joining those (when parents are dropping off kids). Parking around Heriots is also pretty hard - you can read stories like this: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15021573.Top_pr...__selfish__parents_over_illegal_parking/ !
You'll need off-road parking at your place of work. Driving to Heriot's within half an hour probably limits you to Liberton or Fairmilehead. Neither are particularly strong re restaurants, but are nice enough areas to live and have green space to walk your dogs. Maybe look nearer the centre - Greenside, Morningside, Mayfield, Newington (Colinton and Duddingston at a push) - where restaurants become more accessible, and green space just as abundant. House prices go up significantly, though, as you get nearer the centre, and detached four-beds with garage much scarcer. Travelling to Heriot's, I'd stay south-side to avoid crossing the city centre or trying to negotiate the traffic from the west and north.
Dalkeith - forget it. Unless you want to get acquainted with the Sheriffhall roundabout.
Liberton, Straiton and Loanhead are very busy commuter routes, and none of those names fill me with enthusiasm.
Fairmilehead and Colinton are the two I would pick.
(caveat - not lived in Edinburgh for a while; things may have changed)
To be honest, I'd park the car and buy a Lothian bus season ticket.
Liberton, Straiton and Loanhead are very busy commuter routes, and none of those names fill me with enthusiasm.
Fairmilehead and Colinton are the two I would pick.
(caveat - not lived in Edinburgh for a while; things may have changed)
To be honest, I'd park the car and buy a Lothian bus season ticket.
This topic covers it pretty comprehensively, OP looking for similar to you.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
ps this was one of my replies:-
We're in the Borders, and love it and would recommend it to anyone but if you want to be in the city, anything just off Comiston Road. Buckstone/Swanstone/Fairmilehead give you a really good compromise and reasonable prices. Minutes from the bypass, plenty of family sized houses and easy access to the countryside or city centre.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
ps this was one of my replies:-
We're in the Borders, and love it and would recommend it to anyone but if you want to be in the city, anything just off Comiston Road. Buckstone/Swanstone/Fairmilehead give you a really good compromise and reasonable prices. Minutes from the bypass, plenty of family sized houses and easy access to the countryside or city centre.
If possible I would try to get somewhere in Edinburgh, lots of green space, walkways etc and easy access to all the restaurants.
Bus to get you to work.
We moved back in this year to Murrayfield from 10 years in East Lothian loving it even though some of the places mentioned are close you still feel a bit remote and can be a pain having to use the car more often.
Bus to get you to work.
We moved back in this year to Murrayfield from 10 years in East Lothian loving it even though some of the places mentioned are close you still feel a bit remote and can be a pain having to use the car more often.
Patch1875 said:
If possible I would try to get somewhere in Edinburgh, lots of green space, walkways etc and easy access to all the restaurants.
Bus to get you to work.
We moved back in this year to Murrayfield from 10 years in East Lothian loving it even though some of the places mentioned are close you still feel a bit remote and can be a pain having to use the car more often.
I have done a bit of research and found identical houses - one in Liberton (3.2 miles from the city centre) at £575k and the other 5 minutes walk from Eskbank railway station (7.2 miles from the city centre) for £460k. Does moving 4 miles closer really justify a 25% or £115k increase? Bus to get you to work.
We moved back in this year to Murrayfield from 10 years in East Lothian loving it even though some of the places mentioned are close you still feel a bit remote and can be a pain having to use the car more often.
brrapp said:
BubblesNW said:
Does moving 4 miles closer really justify a 25% or £115k increase?
Try asking that of someone who lives in Kensington or St Johns Wood or similar.brrapp said:
BubblesNW said:
Does moving 4 miles closer really justify a 25% or £115k increase?
Try asking that of someone who lives in Kensington or St Johns Wood or similar.
shambles.OP, the thread you have been referred to was started by me, so I can chime in here. I've lived in Edinburgh before, and now we are relocating as a family from the south east of England back up there.
Reasons: New baby, teenager, Labrador, sick of London.
I have friends all over Edinburgh, with different lives and requirements. Your side of things sounds similar to mine - need a decent sized house, decent greenery for dogs, not impossible to commute into the city.
We're about to offer on a house in Eskbank, and if it doesn't get accepted we have one lined up in Bonnyrigg. To be honest, neither are towns we will really "use" that much - there's big retail parks and shopping centres on the outskirts, and I need the bypass / borders railway for transport depending on which company I am working for as a contractor. I never fail to smile when people complain about commuting around Edinburgh, they know not the horrors of the home counties into London.
Places like Colinton, Baberton, Currie, Juniper Green are probably more villagey/homely, and there is a premium for that, but anything on the south of the bypass is going to be cheaper than inside (which is crazy considering the benefits of peace, space & room to breathe).
If I could afford a 4 bed period house near Braid Hills I would, but the premium on something like that is crazy, and you arguably get less house/garage/parking, albeit a property with much more character.
Don't rule out maybe Sth Queensferry/Dalmeny/Musselburgh for the trains in. I wouldn't go further out as it would feel alien for my family but may be acceptable for you.
Any info you want/advice feel free to PM.
Reasons: New baby, teenager, Labrador, sick of London.
I have friends all over Edinburgh, with different lives and requirements. Your side of things sounds similar to mine - need a decent sized house, decent greenery for dogs, not impossible to commute into the city.
We're about to offer on a house in Eskbank, and if it doesn't get accepted we have one lined up in Bonnyrigg. To be honest, neither are towns we will really "use" that much - there's big retail parks and shopping centres on the outskirts, and I need the bypass / borders railway for transport depending on which company I am working for as a contractor. I never fail to smile when people complain about commuting around Edinburgh, they know not the horrors of the home counties into London.
Places like Colinton, Baberton, Currie, Juniper Green are probably more villagey/homely, and there is a premium for that, but anything on the south of the bypass is going to be cheaper than inside (which is crazy considering the benefits of peace, space & room to breathe).
If I could afford a 4 bed period house near Braid Hills I would, but the premium on something like that is crazy, and you arguably get less house/garage/parking, albeit a property with much more character.
Don't rule out maybe Sth Queensferry/Dalmeny/Musselburgh for the trains in. I wouldn't go further out as it would feel alien for my family but may be acceptable for you.
Any info you want/advice feel free to PM.
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