Best Places to Live in Scotland

Is Scotland a Good Place to Live?

Clockwork was founded in Edinburgh in 1996 and now has four branches in the four major cities in Scotland. Our branches cover the whole of Scotland and our crew’s local expertise navigating around some of the beautiful rural landscapes is second to none.

With this in mind we thought we would take a look at some nice places to live in Scotland; their location, accessibility and amenities.

The Isle of Bute, Argyll and Bute

Named the best place to live in Scotland 2022 by The Times, Bute has island charm with an excellent location. Nestled within the Firth of Clyde, Bute is very accessible, only 90 mins from the City of Glasgow. At 15 miles long and with a population of 6,500, Bute is small but what is lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. From the lush rolling hills in the centre to the craggy, heather-covered moorlands of the north and the stunning sandy beaches around the coastline, the island is a haven for walking, cycling and fishing.

Braemar, Aberdeenshire

A favourite amongst Royals, Braemar is a sophisticated little village in the heart of beautiful Aberdeenshire. Located within the Cairngorms National Park, the UK’s largest National Park, you can expect stunning scenery around the village. Close to the famous River Dee and due to the areas close bond with the Royal Family, since Queen Victoria’s reign, the region is commonly known as Royal Deeside.

Perth, Perthshire

Perth, located in the centre of Scotland was ranked as one of the happiest places to live in the UK for the past two years. Just 20 mins from Dundee and just over an hour to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Perth has old fashioned rural charm but with good transport links to bigger cities. Known as the Fair City, it is certainly beautiful with plenty of smart historic buildings set on the banks of the River Tay.

Culross, Fife

Walking into Culross is like stepping back in time, in fact it is Scotland’s finest example of a burgh in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its cobbled streets and narrow closes wind up the hillside where the views across the Firth of Forth to the three bridges are spectacular. It is even featured in historical dramas, most notably the hit series Outlander. Situated 40 minutes from Edinburgh and an hour from Glasgow with Stirling only 20 minutes away, it is in a fantastic location for commuters right across the Central Belt.

Dunblane, Stirlingshire

Built on the banks of the Allan Water Dunblane is another family friendly gem located in Scotland’s Central Belt. This super well connected Stirlingshire town has a station with regular trains to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling. The schools are also fantastic, with Dunblane High (Andy Murray’s alma mater) consistently featuring in the top 20 secondary schools in Scotland.

Inverness, Highlands

Another city which always features high on the Happiness surveys is Inverness, widely regarded as the capital of the Highlands. For individuals and families seeking the great outdoors there are endless reasons to move to Inverness and the wider area, including the infamous Loch Ness! Inverness has a number of good Primary and Secondary Schools as well as the University of the Highlands and Islands. Inverness has numerous rail links to the south including the Caledonian Sleeper service which departs six times a week for London Euston.

Melrose, Scottish Borders

Melrose is a quaint town located in the Scottish Borders and is famously the birth place of Rugby Sevens. It is certainly an active little town, not only does it have a thriving rugby team (for obvious reasons) but it also has cricket club and a nine hole golf course at the foot of the Eildon Hills. For those less interested in sporting credentials Melrose plays host to the annual Borders Book Festival in June when the town is overrun with literary lovers.

Wherever you are looking to move in Scotland give us a call for a free quotation.