19 Mar 2017
Sunday Times reveals 'best places to live in Scotland'
The Sunday Times has published its annual survey of the best places to live in Scotland. Has your town made the list?
North Berwick is a deserving winner of the 2017 title, according to the newspaper's annual survey, which was published this morning.
The seaside town, 30 minutes from Edinburgh by train, was commended for its thriving high street, high-performing secondary school and the gastronomic delights of its famous local restaurant, the Lobster Shack.
Twelve other locations make the list. Here are some of the highlights.
Shawlands, Glasgow
The guide is full of praise for Shawlands, citing its "real period lovliness" and high-performing academy as the main reasons for its inclusion.
It says: "There are lots of new bars and restaurants, among them the Butterfly and the Pig, a posh bar/tearoom; Soy Division, a vegan cafe; and Salt and Vinegar, a trendy chippie (haddock supper £7.95). There are cool little shops, too — try Young’s Interesting Books (accurately named) or rummage for vintage chic at Beautiful Cosmos.
"Then there’s Pollok Country Park, home to the Burrell Collection and a playground that’s bigger and better than anything north of the Clyde.
"Best of all, though, is the improvement at Shawlands Academy, which is offering a real alternative for parents who want to stay in the area, but don’t want to pay the fees at Hutchesons’ Grammar."
Killearn, Stirling
The judges said they loved the village for its perfect combination of "Community, countryside — and cakes".
The guide adds: "A proper rural idyll just 15 miles from Glasgow, this pretty-as-a-picture village is the definition of unspoilt.
"Narrowly bypassed by the main road across the Campsie Fells from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, and by the Victorian railway that now carries the West Highland Way footpath, it has been allowed to develop at its own gentle pace."
Nearby Dunblane also makes the list.
Edinburgh
The capital is described as "the most beautiful city in the land" by the guide.
It states: "You can’t leave Edinburgh out of a list like this. It’s the most beautiful city in Britain, with jaw-dropping views at every turn, fairy-tale architecture and all the cultural, dining and shopping opportunities you’d expect in a thriving capital and financial centre.
"There’s seaside on the doorstep and a mountain in the centre, and the traffic chaos associated with the shambolic construction of the controversial tram system is finally over. Then there’s the festival, the panto dame of all arts jamborees."
Cramond gets a separate mention for its village feel.
Banchory, Aberdeenshire
The Sunday Times said there was a reason the Queen likes to spend her summer holidays on Deeside.
It adds: "It has a beautiful river, splendid scenery and the Cairngorms just up the road. Lots of the neighbours have castles, too.
"Happily for residents of the more modest homes in this handsome Victorian town, the 40-minute commute to the Granite City is about to get easier thanks to the Western Peripheral Route, which should uncork the worst bottlenecks in the region on completion next year."
It also said few things compare to the thrill of watching salmon leap up the Falls of Feugh.
Scotland's property experts
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