Are English Families Welcomed when relocating to the highlands???

[bangersandmash]

Hello, we where thinking of moving to Portree, from south east england my family consists of me (english), my wife (irish) and 2 children, aged 8 and 11.
We have our own online business and work from home, we where looking at buying/renting a house in portree or possibly elsewhere on the isle of skye.
We have heard that there could be some prejudice towards English people moving up there, and where worried mainly for our our children who maybe affected by this at their new school, in the form of bullying etc.
Two news articles that we read recently online are at below links.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...401594,00.html

http://scot.altermedia.info/insecuri...ialist_87.html

I was just wondering how seriously i should take those 2 examples and if anyone on here could give us some honest advice?

[justine]

We moved up to wick 4 years ago, and have not had any problems.Although when we first got here my kids did have a few problems but that soon went.High schools can be pretty harsh, but aslong as they dont let it get to them it should be ok.This is only a small % that goes as far as those in the two links you added..Good luck and enjoy, scotland is fantastic, hope you enjoy your time.....

[bluelady]

I and my family moved up here 5 1/2 years ago from England and apart from the odd light hearted banter from both parties, we've had no problems. The majority of Caithnasians are warm and friendly people and as long as you dont try to impose any Southern ways on them, they remain that way. They enjoy a good craic and we have made many good and close friends. My kids were already passed school age but have no problems in their workplaces and other English kids in the village are fine at school so far as I know. There is always prejudice somewhere and it will never change, but I think you will find up here you will be fine. Ideally rent out somewhere for a while and see how you get on.

[Sapphire2803]

Ooh! Almost snap...

We moved here 2 years ago from Portsmouth, my husband (English), Me (Irish) and our 3 children.

In two years, the only one who's had anything said to him was my son at school, he was called an English bar steward to which he replied "Get it right, I'm an Irish bar steward"
I wouldn't take any notice of that though, children will usually fall out with someone sooner or later at school and I think the child in question just went for the easiest insult.

I think the people who cause bad feeling are those who move here and then try to change things to their liking. That's bound to annoy the "natives"

I can't speak for Skye, but Caithness is the friendliest place I've lived since leaving Ireland 13 years ago. Ooh, I'm gettin' old.

[porshiepoo]

We've been up a few years now and have no real problems to speak of.
My daughters attend Wick High and have no probs there at all, in fact it's a much better school and education than they ever got in England.
There are so many people from England settled up here now anyway.

The only things I have found is that there can tend to be alot more made of the Scotland v England thing up here than there is England.
I never, ever came across the negative attitude toward Scotland while I lived in England but up here there is definately a negative attitude toward the English in a few Scots and what makes it worse IMO, is that it almost seems acceptable to be openly antagonistic toward English.

However, as i said at the start, this is a fantastic place to live and is brilliant for kids. The locals for the most part are cheery, helpful and very very nice people. I definately wouldn't even consider going back now.

Good Luck.

[NickInTheNorth]

Since moving from England firstly to the west coast, and now to Caithness I have had nothing but friendliness from all the "natives"

I have however witnessed people that have had a less than whole hearted welcome. In general anyone that arrives and tries to change the local community into a "little england" seems to struggle. But move up here with an open mind, accept the differences in culture between england and scotland, accept the good natured banter, and you'll love it.

As for the children, well bullying happens all over the place for all sorts of reasons, but I suspect it will be less of a problem moving up here than it could be moving within England. The schools are excellent and on the whole do treat bullying seriously, should any occur.

[Cattach]

There are many English families in the Highlands a few have any problems with the local populatrion. In fact, they are probably made more welcome than they might be in other areas of England if they moved there.

Remember Caithness, and especially Thurso, has a high proportion of families with English roots. Dounreay brought in a huge influx of English families and they settled well.

Quite a lot of our English residents are Scottish nationalists!!

[cuddlepop]

Hello, we where thinking of moving to Portree, from south east england my family consists of me (english), my wife (irish) and 2 children, aged 8 and 11.
We have our own online business and work from home, we where looking at buying/renting a house in portree or possibly elsewhere on the isle of skye.
We have heard that there could be some prejudice towards English people moving up there, and where worried mainly for our our children who maybe affected by this at their new school, in the form of bullying etc.
Two news articles that we read recently online are at below links.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,200-2401594,00.html

http://scot.altermedia.info/insecurity-ethnic-mixing/fury-as-sir-iain-noble-admits-im-a-racialist_87.html

I was just wondering how seriously i should take those 2 examples and if anyone on here could give us some honest advice?

The articles you mention refer to Lewis in the Outer Isles.
Skye's/Portree is in the Inner Isles.
As such if you come with the attitude that you'll listen to local opinion and not try to tell them how to do things,you'll be fine.
Bullying unfortunatly is found in every school.

[mr do dar]

firstlyi would like to say that me and my partner have been here near on 3 years now and not yet had problems and secondly id like to say if ypu want to move to portree then go for it if they have a problem thats up to them at the end of the day its a FREE country so be where you think you will be happiest and good luck to you all

[bobandag16]

Hello, we where thinking of moving to Portree, from south east england my family consists of me (english), my wife (irish) and 2 children, aged 8 and 11.
We have our own online business and work from home, we where looking at buying/renting a house in portree or possibly elsewhere on the isle of skye.
We have heard that there could be some prejudice towards English people moving up there, and where worried mainly for our our children who maybe affected by this at their new school, in the form of bullying etc.
Two news articles that we read recently online are at below links.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,200-2401594,00.html

http://scot.altermedia.info/insecurity-ethnic-mixing/fury-as-sir-iain-noble-admits-im-a-racialist_87.html

I was just wondering how seriously i should take those 2 examples and if anyone on here could give us some honest advice?

we came to scotland to work and live in1960. enjoyed the people . place there tribal ways . like being called many names thin

king they were speaking gaelic but no it was caithness dialect, iam now acceptted as an english b . as i am scot by marriage. after48 years no change. proud of thurso and its people.

[sphinx]

nah people are not like that up here were all pretty freindly mate so you will have no probz fitting in like

[northener]

Regarding schools, I was brought up in Yorkshire and we would waste no time expoiting chinks in the 'new kids' armour - so that's a kid thing, really

Caithnessians are very nice, laid back people. As more than a few have pointed out here (and in other threads), if you make the effort to fit in and 'go with the flow' you'll do just fine.

.

[Kenn]

I mind asking this question of a very special acquaintance of mine on the east coast of Caithness.

"What do you feel about people moving up here, do you accept them or do you feel that they are intruders?"

He pondered for a while and then replied,

"Weel when you move up here, we will call on you each day and bring simple gifts.Then after a few weeks when we think we know all about you, you'll be left in peace."

I have often laughed about his sentiments but know they were given with genuine honesty.

All the people we have met on our numerous trips north have extended such warmth,generosity and courtesy that we too are hoping to head up there on a permanent basis.

[DeHaviLand]

You wont get any adverse reaction from Scots in Portree or anywhere else in the Highlands, mainly because there are none left

[orkneylass]

Are English people "welcomed" if they move to the highlands...well no, if you expect to be treated as special and aren't they lucky to have you, and can't you teach them a thing or to...then forget it. And it is amazing how many folk move north wanting to change everything and thinking they are doing the locals a favour...not welcome! Will you be accepted if you give more than you take, respect local people and local ways, give people time to get to judge you by what you do rather than what you say?? Probably.

[emb123]

I'd say it varies greatly.

On balance I would say you are likely to be pleasantly treated by much more than half of the people you meet but there are a few die-hard Braveheart fans who blame the English for everything. But I'd also say that the majority of anti-English sentiment is much further down south.

Being English, you're likely to be treated like you're an idiot, which can be quite amusing if you aren't.

In Wick, I have found the folks to be exceptionally friendly and welcoming, whereas in Thurso everyone is a bit deadpan and dour (whether you are English or not) until they recognise your face and then they are fine.

The villages take much longer to get used to people but that would be true even if you moved to a village 5 miles away from where you are currently living.

Kids will always pick an easy target, but they move on if they don't get the desired result.

I would also agree, if you try and be 'better' than the folks around you then you shouldn't be too surprised if they become a little chilly.

The pace of life and the way of doing things is very different from many places in England and it up to you how you cope.

Sooner or later all of you WILL encounter anti-English racism. How you react to it is important.

I personally think it is offensive to despise someone by reason of the accidental of their birth location, or because their great grandmother bought clogs from an English trader in 1678 thereby blighting the bloodline forever, and I rather feel that the holding of a grudge for hundreds of years is pushing it. You'll find that most folks here will agree. But there is always the odd one, or the odd person who you are simply not fated to get on with who might use Englishness as a reason to be nasty to you.

There is also the "did you come here to make money off the Scottish highlanders ?" or "You'd have no problem in Inverness, there are loads of Polish and English living there now", "why do think you have a right to come a live here - were you born here ? was your family from here?". Etc. People will be blunt.

It can be hurtful but such people can be ignored. You usually find that when they realise that you're still a nice person even if you are English, they will be fine, eventually!

I'm afraid I'm somewhat of the opinion that God gave the WHOLE world to everyone and little portions of territory is a rather animalistic mindset. However the idea bears some thought even for atheists.

Unless you are delicate by disposition I wouldn't be put off. The odd little jibe when you are least expecting it can catch you out, but I can honestly say that I am quite content here in Wick. I like the town and I like the people, in fact I very much like the people. They are a great bunch of folks actually.

You can only suck it and see - who knows - you could get on wonderfully with absolutely everyone except the English folks next door!

[bekisman]

We came up decades ago, and took on a house that had been empty for three years and was in deed of big refurbishment - well what do you expect for £8,000, our next door neighbour; a hundred yards away, we were told disliked the English immensely.
We had moved in and were busy working on repairs when a knock on the door and there stood our neighbour, scowl on his face, I reached out to shake his hand and introduce ourselves. This resulted in a stony stare and not a movement of his arm "where you from" he demanded, I said "Falmouth", "where's that?" he asked. "Cornwall" I replied. "Are you Cornish then?" he queried "yep, born and bred".. "Well that's all right then, you're Celtic" he says, extending a hand and warmly inviting us back to his house "for a cup of tea"!
Must admit in later years he was not too anti-English to sell his house to an English couple..

If you come up you'll have to get used to the sometimes 'laid-back' way of life.. We wanted our oil boiler serviced and so approached a plumbing company in Thurso - this was in early December "Won't be able to get out west til after Christmas" we are told.. No problem we say..
Come July and no sign so we get another plumber out who does an excellent job.. two weeks later, beginning of August the original plumber turns up and is a bit miffed that we had some one else in to do the job!, so eight months is not too long!
My daughter-in-law's from the Black Isle (living in England,) the other daughter-in-law (Scottish) lives in Canada, my own bloodline has a Robertson (Perth) there too.. A majority of Scots can say they have relations living 'south of the border' it's a certainly a mixing-pot..

Like anyone coming to live in the Far North it's a different life entirely 'keep your head down for the first 25 years' is good advice.. ok so you know there's a salmon poaching going on; so what, so Jimmy's fiddling the sick whilst he's fishing; so what.
Think 'why are you coming up here'? yes, that's right, because you like it.. so leave it as it is!

[Rie]

we moved up here 3 years ago from lincolnshire and its the best move we could have made, no bullying tollerated in school, kids love it up here and most people are very friendly and welcoming. more relaxed way of life, its great.

[Riffman]

Don't forget that you will get eaten alive in Skye, and that's just the locals (midges.......................)


Yup, nice place in theory, but rubbish in reality. Try somewhere like Pitlochry (awesome place!) or the highlands.

Problem with skye is that is still for all intents and purposes an island, and it is a long way away from the rest of the Uk...... and cheap airports.

[porshiepoo]

we moved up here 3 years ago from lincolnshire and its the best move we could have made, no bullying tollerated in school, kids love it up here and most people are very friendly and welcoming. more relaxed way of life, its great.

Hey, we moved from Lincs too.