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Although Edinburgh may be Scotland’s most popular location to invest in a house, Glasgow has quickly become a much-desired city to live in. Just like Edinburgh, the house prices are expected to soar by a whopping 22% by 2022. So if you are thinking about buying a house, now is the time.

When people talk about nice places to live in Glasgow you can guarantee that the west end will be one of the first areas mentioned in conversation, and rightly so. The trendy bars, cute cafes and crowded restaurants and the general vibe of this city hums with exuberance. However, Finnieston of all places has slowly become an attractive place to live and buy property, so let me tell you why. With over 20 years removal experience in Glasgow we have seen the revival of Finnieston and we defiantly recommend this as an area to look at if you are moving to Glasgow.

The Finnieston transformation

Wedged in between the city centre and the west end, Finnieston is located just north bank of the river Clyde. Previously an industrial wasteland that was only a port of call for dockworkers, Finnieston has enjoyed a major transformation in recent times.

The low cost of rent and price of property has attracted an influx of younger blood, that’s resulted in giving birth to the Argyle Street’s new name, ‘the strip.’ Argyle Street has given new life into the area with its edgy bars, eclectic restaurants and the number of artistic outlets that it attracts. This part of Glasgow is a typical example of the gentrification that is starting to spread throughout the city and its rather hipster and creative like image is owed to the Glaswegian graduates of the art school.

This lineage of graduates won a number of Turner Prize awards and by that point Glasgow was starting to change its perceived image of a hard and rough city, which started to pull people from London in. As a result, the cheaper areas of the city started to fill up with young startups and artists moving in for some studio space. Others soon followed and like a chain reaction, Finnieston was changing character.

Finnieston today has actually been voted by The Times as the most hipster part of the UK. A simple café experience will tell you why. Expect your food to be served on a food board instead of plates, jam jars to be used as candle holders and now it’s cool to use bare lightbulbs without a lampshade. For a part of town that was simply an area where dockworkers would socialise and enjoy their fish supper together, the transformation has been remarkable.

What has Finnieston got for it?

Location

To begin with, one of the main advantages of buying a house in Finnieston is its location. You are very close to the town centre, Kelvingrove Park is your front garden, the west end is within walking distance and you aren’t too far from either of the train stations either. Quite literally, you are in the heart of everything.

Schools

Settling down in Finnieston to raise a family isn’t a bad idea either since the number of schools nearby leaves you with a favourable list to choose from. The two main primary schools in the area the Glasgow Gaelic School and Anderston. After graduating from primary, your child can choose between the Glasgow Gaelic School, Notre Dam (for girls) or from one of Scotland’s best state schools, Hillhead.

The Social Scene 

Striking a happy balance between the west end and the centre of Glasgow, Finnieston has an enjoyable pocket of nightlife to socialise in. Hidden bars and restaurants seem to be the norm of any hipster in that of which Finnieston has plenty of. The king of crafts, Brew Dog, is only one of a number of edgy bars feeding the hipster population their beloved IPAs and the restaurants are pretty cool as well.

The Gannet is a great place to get some grub, since the style and ambience of the place is a little different to what you would get in the west end or city centre. A derelict building, that has massive floor-to-ceiling windows along with a lovely intimate stone and wood dining room upstairs. Opting to buy a house in this part of town will make it difficult for anyone to avoid taking full advantage of the nightlife available to them.

What are the house prices like in Finnieston?

Finnieston is catching many peoples’ attention so if you are looking to buy a house, you better get into the property market soon because house prices in Glasgow are rising. Last year we saw Finnieston come third the UK for property price rises, where the cost to buy a house had increased by 14%! Below is a breakdown of the costs to help give you a rough idea:

• Three bedroom flat, £175,000 – £250,000
• Two bedroom flat, £140,000 – £300,000
• One bedroom flat, £100,000 – 150,000

Comparing this to the average cost for a flat in Glasgow sitting at around £180,000, Finnieston makes it an attractive area to buy property. House prices are constantly rising so see it as an investment for the future.

Edinburgh, a city that manages to uniquely intertwine its gruesome history with its beauty. A city of almost two halves. On one side you have the urban and raw elements of the Old Town that preserves its medieval aura through the gothic architecture and dark cobbled lanes, where you will find locals drinking brilliant ales in the haunted pubs. On the other half, we have the grander of the two brothers, where the architecture neatly transitions into the grand Georgian buildings that exuberate elegance and wealth.

Edinburgh’s beauty and quality of living have made it become the UK’s most desirable city to live in, making it an expensive place to buy a house. With house prices expected to rise by a ridiculous 23% over the next three years, it is important to try and get into the Edinburgh property market as soon as you can. Despite the existing high house prices in Edinburgh, through careful planning and prudency, investing in property in the right areas will pay dividends for you in the future. It is certainly possible, as I will show you below. With over 20 years experience carrying out removals in Edinburgh, we have a good idea of where the best up and coming suburbs are, so grab a cup of tea and read our complete guide.

Buying a house in Leith

Leith is without a doubt one of the best places you should think to buy a house. Anybody that knows a little bit about Edinburgh will also know that Leith only became formally part of the city in 1920. To this day, traditional Leithers haven’t forgiven Edinburgh for the takeover and still think of themselves as coming from a different place. Its solid working class and maritime character was by the 1960s blighted by the death of traditional industries, which led to unemployment and a wave of drug abuse in later years, thus providing the background of the iconic novel Trainspotting.

If you have read or seen Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting then you will be all too aware that Leith didn’t tend to top the list of many things except for class As, drug addiction and violence. However, like an addict trying hard to escape a life of drugs and crime, Leith has turned over a new leaf in recent times by slowly but surely becoming more gentrified. This location undoubtedly has a lot of potential to be something a bit special in the future, since it has the core foundations in place. Currently, due to its lower prices compared to other parts of the city, Leith is an excellent place to begin investing in property.

Leith Walk has the size and capabilities to become an attractive high street and there are already signs of its transformation due to the number of trendy bars and restaurants appearing towards the top. Down the bottom of Leith Walk, we come across the Water of Leith, where people have the freedom to gently lean away from the urbanism of the city into a more scenic and tranquil experience that nature has to offer.

As pretty a picture I am painting for you right now, it is important to acknowledge that Leith still has a darker side to it, where crime still occurs. The rule is the further you go down on Leith Walk the scruffier it gets and that’s why house prices are cheaper here than in other neighbourhoods. For those of you interested in buying a house here, the average begins at £170,462

South Side

The Edinburgh Southside, as you can imagine, is located just south of Princess Street, but the specific location I am referring to is the older area surrounding Nicholson Street. This area enjoys having a rather colourful personality, with a whole range of contrasting characters residing in the neighbourhood. Expect to see more pit bulls than Labradors, more cottons than chinos, more Adidas than Jack Wills, more lager than fancy IPAs, more bacon rolls than avacados on toast for breakfast, and definitely a lot more cigarettes than fruity vapes. This isn’t Wester Hailes but it certainly isn’t the New Town either, which is why the price for a house here sits at a happy medium. The potential for this neighbourhood is easy to see, due to its geographical location. Definitely a place where you should think about buying a house as I will explain.

To begin with, it sits very comfortably next to the High Street, making it merely a 15-minute walk to heart of the city, Princes Street. Next to Nicholson Street is the famous Meadows – a large public park that hosts many festivals during the summer and where people from all backgrounds come to play sport and socialise.

In terms of food and pubs, Southside will often pose a dilemma about where to grab a drink or some grub due to the endless amount of restaurants and bars. The more upmarket Peartree and the special gin bar – 56 North – symbolise the gentrification of the area, whilst perhaps the more ‘local’ pubs, shall we say, will still serve you a pint of Tennants for around £3.50 instead of a fancy cocktail.

Southside residents come from all backgrounds. Due to its location, you will see many ordinary people passing through and out of town. The location has become a lot more studenty, thanks to the University buildings, the fantastic Pleasance Gym and their favoured social hub, the Peartree. The Edinburgh Southside also accommodates a diverse and multicultural community that is symbolised by the Mosque as well as an impressive variety of authentic Middle Eastern restaurants.

However, the darker and more impoverished side is still represented by the number of drug addicts that typically tend to socialise in Nicholson Street Gardens, where their neglect reminds us of the city’s failures in addressing its dire homeless situation. The rule in this part of town is simple: mind your manners, don’t be rude and you’ll certainly be alright.

Getting into the Edinburgh property market is not as difficult as you think since a one-bedroom apartment in this part of town can begin at around £135,000. See it as an investment for the future.

Canonmills 

Canonmills sits next to Stockbridge and although it isn’t quite as upmarket and lavish as its neighbour, it certainly isn’t too far off it. Definitely the most expensive out of the 3 neighbourhoods in this blog, the price of property in Canonmillis is on the rise. The area is located by the Water of Leith, offering residents the opportunity to walk its banks as far as Leith or, in the other direction, the approaches to the Pentland Hills.

Indeed, the option for residents to seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city in a more tranquil environment has made Canonmills a much-desired location to invest in a house. Taking its name from the mills owned by the medieval monks of Holyrood Abbey, Canonmills still reflects a solidly traditional character.

The area’s cafes, bars and shops are reminiscent of the New Town but rather less grand. It is important to point out that Canonmills has more of a family feel to it than most other areas of the city. Typically, the bars are fairly upmarket and offer a wide range of real ales and malt whiskies. If you are still interested in being in a neighbourhood that offers a vibrant nightlife, this will probably not be your first choice. Canonmills, however, provides an opportunity for peaceful domestic existence.

To buy a house here expect prices to begin at around £175,000.

So you and your family will most likely be excited of the idea of moving house. The thought of settling into your new surroundings signifies an end of one era and the fresh beginnings of a new one. However, quite naturally, it is only the moving process that blunts the excitement, with the inevitability of having to go through this tedious and tiring process slowly hovers closer towards you like an ominous cloud.

When moving house, it is essential that you plan prudently to make the whole process as efficient as possible. Having an effective moving checklist can do wonders by reducing the amount of emotional stress that you can put yourself under. We have prepared a special house moving guide of the absolute essentials for what we believe cannot be overlooked up to 2 weeks before the big day!

2 months before moving house

Approximately two months prior to moving is a good time to start going through your checklist. During this process, you need to focus on sorting out all of the legalities to help make moving from point A to point B as smooth as possible. Most importantly, begin by selecting your favoured conveyancing solicitor after reviewing multiple quotes and reviews

• Get a conveyance solicitor
• Arrange your mortgage
• Take time out to research on your new area about the local news and facilities
• If you are currently renting, notify your moving-out date with your landlord
• Check to see whether if your possessions are covered by insurance

 6 weeks before moving house

Six weeks prior to your move is a good time to start thinking about the logistical side. As well as it being a great opportunity to dispose of any unwanted items, you should make a full checklist of all your most valuable items so that you will know what you are transferring to your new home.

• Begin with purging. Moving home is an excellent opportunity to try and get rid of all the belongings that you don’t want or need anymore. Before packing, rummage through all of your stuff and dispose of everything that you want to throw away or donate. A good rule of thumb would be to allow yourself at least one day per room to throw away any unwanted items. As well as clearing up space in your new home, it will lower the cost of your move. Removal companies charge you by volume, so the less you have the cheaper it will be.
• Purchase packaging materials. Your removal company may provide you with some.
• Stack up on the boxes. Just like you need a toothbrush or brushing your teeth, moving boxes are essential when moving home. Expect to have around 100 boxes for a three bedroom home. Moving home isn’t cheap, so try and reduce your costs by asking shops in your area to see if they can give you packing boxes for free. A very green approach would be to purchase recycled boxes.
• Measure the space. Perhaps not the most obvious pointer on the house-move checklist is taking new measurements of the new space that you’re moving into. There will be nothing more frustrating than going through all the effort of moving your furniture only to realise that the new living room doesn’t have enough space to accommodate it all. Plan in advance to save time, money and effort.
• Get five quotes from different removal companies.

Check the parking situation at your new home for big vehicles.  This will prevent any unnecessary parking restrictions that will likely leave you with a headache. Your removal firm may need to apply to the council for a permit.

2 Weeks Before the Moving Date

By this point, you should have been informed on the structural condition of your new property by your Chartered Surveyor. Assuming that there isn’t anything wrong with the condition of your home, you can now discuss with your lawyer about exchanging contracts and finalising your moving date. This will then allow you to decide on your removal company and to make special parking arrangements and permits for the removal vans. It is also advised to figure out what route is best to your new home to ensure that it is suitable for a large removals van.

• Finalising details with your solicitor about your moving date as well as exchanging contracts.
• Select and confirm your removals company.
• Plan the route that you will take to your new home.
• Organise your new home to get cleaned before your moving date.
• Inform relevant utility companies of your transfer
• Make sure that your car has enough space for everything that you are taking with you

Plan Your Packing

This is possibly the biggest obstacle to overcome when moving house since many things can go wrong if you do not plan accordingly. Plan prudently and expect to have a smooth transfer into your new home.

• Start packing with the rooms you least need.
• Pack one room at a time. Having this systematic approach will help keep you more organised as well as being able to think more linearly.
• Label every box. Make sure to label on the sides of each box to make it easier to recognise them when you stack them.
• Packing heavier boxes. When packing heavier items, make sure that you place them into smaller boxes. Also, make sure that you place heavier boxes at the bottom when stacking to prevent damaging or breaking any of your possessions.

To many of us, it will feel like we have hardly even begun the new year, making it harder to believe that we have once again reached another summer. Here at AMC Removals we have had many a team day out in glasgow, over our 20 years providing removal services here. Although Glasgow certainly isn’t famous for its sunshine and blue skies, it is still a grand city that offers numerous activities to do in the summer. A very family friendly city, our list will leave you with a headache that can help to be cleared up from one of the excellent locations below!

Glasgow Green Park

As you can guess from the name of the park, there is a vast amount of grassy space which as a result attracts friends and family to escape from the chaos of the city to a more serene location. Glasgow Green was officially the first public park to open during the 19th century and provided residents with an opportunity to gain some fresher air in the overpopulated and polluted second city of the empire. Located just east of the city centre, Glasgow Green is an ideal place to relax and wind down for a while from the main tourist attractions in the city.

The World Pipe Band Championships

If you are in town in Glasgow during August, then you should place this near the top of your summer activities to-do list! Delving right into the heart of Scottish culture, expect to see bagpipes, kilts, haggis and plenty of beer. This grand summer event is the pinnacle of Glasgow’s summer, where this two-day competition showcases the supreme talents of around 8000 pipers and drummers from around the world. The World Pipe Band Championships stretches back to 1930, with it currently being located near the very heart of the city, Glasgow Green. A summer event that attracts people of all kinds: from tourists intrigued to see first-hand that some men really do wear skirts, to friends eager to soak in the vibrant atmosphere with a few beers in the sun, through to families sharing a very Scottish experience with their children. This is an event you don’t want to miss.

A day out with the kids with Jurassic Parr Adventure Golf

If your child has shown early signs of competitiveness, then why not battle it out over some adventure golf? The reality is that neither you or your child has to be a real fan of golf to enjoy this summer activity. Located just out of town in the north west of Glasgow, this crazy golf course will play with your children’s imagination due to the fantastic interactive dinosaurs that stand majestically in a well-designed tropical jungle. Such a fantastic setting adds a real sparkle to the crazy golf experience, providing a grand family activity for the summer. After your round of golf, the course has a well-favoured restaurant and café where friends and family can extend the family outing over some tasty food and coffee.

Botanic Gardens & Kibble Palace

No matter the weather, a trip down to the Botanic Gardens and Kibble Palace should be high on your list for things to do in Glasgow. The Glasgow Botanic Gardens are situated in the trendy west end that offers a stunning collage of bright colours through its diversity in plant collections, woodland copses and riverside walks.
The Botanic Gardens is home to several glasshouses, with its crown jewel being the Victorian Kibble Palace. Arguably the main attraction of the trip, this magnificent curvilinear glasshouse is home to a vast number of different plants as well as accommodating the national collection of tree ferns. A summer activity that also offers the opportunity for children to learn more about plants and preserving the environment.

Picnic Paradise In Glasgow

The sun is shining, the weather is warm and the clouds have been whisked away for the time being. What better summer activity is there to do than go for a picnic? Glasgow’s number of parks leaves us truly spoilt for choice. An ideal family day out and a couple’s delight. These different picnic spots each offer something unique that all ultimately provide an excellent opportunity to socialise and wind down together. Here’s our list:
Glasgow Green
Glasgow’s oldest park offers 55 hectares of green space, providing plenty of space for your picnic. The location may make it all the more appealing since it sits very near Glasgow’s centre, the Merchant City.
Kelvingrove Park
Situated in Glasgow’s beloved West End, Kelvingrove Park is beautifully Victorian styled Park that bestows a feeling of grandness. This is echoed from the number of traditionally upper-class games of croquet and bowls that take place there. Fancy a game?
Pollock Country Park
If you have ever seen the Lord of the Rings, then you will understand me when I say that Pollock Country Park echoes the beautiful and tranquil environment of the Shire. Sitting peacefully in Glasgow’s southside, this park has a number of specific picnic spots, beautiful gardens and even a maze to let your kids run loose! A perfect summer activity for those of you that truly appreciate green an tranquil environments.
Queen’s Park
A key enhancer to any picnic, of course, is feeding the ducks and that is exactly what you can do if you choose to go to Queen’s Park. The highest point of the park also offers picnickers a beautiful view of the city, making it the perfect way to spend the afternoon with the family.

Moving house is one of the most exciting yet laborious activities anyone will go through in their lifetime, especially if they have a family. It generates an intriguing set of contrasting emotions that leaves you unsure as to whether you should be excited by or apprehensive of the process. It is even more difficult if you have children, since they may not initially understand the benefits of moving and might even resist the idea of it. Thankfully, we have created a small guide to help soften the blow for your child and to also help get you out of a sticky situation if your child has reacted badly.

Talking to your children

Our children come first and so it is important that we sit down and have a chat with them about the whole experience. Seeing what their opinion is will help them feel valued. Telling them early on that you are thinking of moving house will give them time to get used to the idea whether they enjoy the thought or not. You might be lucky – your child might even be excited about the move! It might finally be their opportunity to stop sharing a room with their sibling(s) and get their own space.

My child has reacted badly to moving home. What do I do?

Your child may be perfectly content with where they are just now and be totally against the idea of moving home. It is important to remember that this is a natural reaction and that their opinion can be swayed over time through a number of different methods. What you first have to do is find out what it is they are worried about, then you can try to solve it:

Tell them all of the advantages of moving home

Think of all the positive things that your child will enjoy about their new home and remind them every day how much better the new home will be. For example, you can tell them about how much bigger and better your new garden will be for hide and seek, or the amazing new play park that is around the corner from the house. Try to be creative with your words and make sure to reinforce them with some enthusiasm.

Get your children involved

I know this may actually be a bit of a hinderance to the moving process but involving your children will help prevent them from feeling left out or behind. Moving home is a family process so make them feel part of the process and so that they know what is happening. Getting them to help you with the logistical side by making lists and stacking boxes is one of their many opportunities to get involved.

Integrate fun activities

When you move house, expect to see a lot of cardboard boxes. This is an excellent opportunity to help make moving a fun process for your children. Kids love drawing and colouring in and so what better way to help reduce the stress of moving? Give your kids a cardboard box each to decorate and personalise. Refer to it as ‘the special box’ for them to pack all of their prized possessions, such as teddy bears, toys, books, etc.

Ensure that they stay in touch with their friends  

Friends play a big part in a child’s life and help them to grow and develop special interpersonal skills that they will need when they are an adult. Re-assure your kids that just because they are moving house, it doesn’t mean that they have to say goodbye to their friends. Maintain ties with their old life and everything in it by organising special play dates and sleepovers.

Even though it is a daunting thought for your children, being the new kid on the block will also help develop them as a person. Just make sure that they aren’t thrown into the deep end by providing them with a lot of support and bridges for them to cross. Perhaps your next-door neighbour has a child around the same age? Talk to your neighbour and organise days where your children can meet and socialise. Another way could be to keep an eye on the local clubs of the area and send them to ones that they are most interested in.

Plan packing with prudence

‘Where do I even begin?’ A line that will inevitably go through your mind as you meekly stare up that steep mountain that you have to climb. Just like any other monumental task, you need to plan effectively by scaling the workload down into small tasks. See this as a great opportunity to get rid of belongings that don’t have a place in your new home. We recommend that you start packing around three months in advance. Here is a bullet checklist that will help scale down your work into smaller tasks:

• Designate a special room in your house for you to place your packed boxes to avoid a cluttered house leading up to your move.
• Pack one room at a time. A logical and systematic approach will prevent a cluttered mind as well as a cluttered room, allowing you to plan linearly.
• Pack boxes of off-season objects in your house way in advance to reduce the workload just before your move. This can include Christmas décor, skiing equipment, etc.
• Fill empty gaps. Look for old newspapers or magazines to fill in the empty spaces in your boxes. This will help save your belongings from damage during the transfer between houses.
• Label your boxes. Write the contents of each box on each side with a black marker. Do not write on the top since you will be stacking the boxes on top of each other.

A lot of us are guilty of just going through the motions, day in and day out, focusing on every obstacle that gets in our way and eventually we kind of slump into a pit of monotony and boredom, leading to asking ourselves ‘why?’ One way to break out of this monotony is to re-vamp the interior design of you house, through a number of different (and cheap) ways, as we have highlighted below.

No matter how active we are, we spend a lot of our time in our homes eating, socialising, working and of course to sleeping. Our house can be seen as a business: it needs attention and investment to prevent it from becoming stale. Just like a breath of fresh air, a change in the interior design can really freshen up the vibe of your home and you would be surprised little money you need to spend to achieve this. Outlined below are a few home decorating ideas that requires more thinking than spending.

Changing the scent of your home through ‘smudging’

Smudging is an ancient ritual that was taken from the Indigenous American tradition known as the Sacred Smoke Bowl Blessing. It’s a ritual used to cleanse the body from any negative energies, a ritual to bridge us to higher realms and a ritual that has inevitably received much scepticism. I consider myself as one of these people that tend to categorise ‘spiritual’ practices and products as a bit wishy-washy and a load of nonsense. However, I am also a man of science, which has made me think again about the benefits of smudging after reading about the proven health benefits.

As it turns out, the smoke from the sage does actually change the ionic composition of the air, which as a result helps to reduce stress. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2007) concluded that, in addition to health benefits, smudging was a powerful antiseptic.

So, choosing the practice of smudging as part of your re-décor plan can help freshen the house up a bit. The sense of smell is a powerful one for humans, which can help associate the powerful and relaxing effects of this herbal smoke with a home full of serenity.

Living Room Ideas

Our team at AMC removals have seen a fair few living rooms over the years and we think we have a pretty good knowledge when it comes to decorating living rooms. A living room or a lounge or whatever you like to call it is often the main focal point in everyone’s home. When we invite friends, family or guests to our homes to socialise we all tend to congregate in the living room. Therefore, it is important that we create a comfortable space that allows everyone to relax and even to admire the design of your lounge. Whether you are looking for some inspiration or a few home décor ideas to tease your brain, we have a few suggestions that will certainly leave you food for thought.

Colour is Everything

Adding the right colours into your living room can help improve the mood and ambiance. Opting to have dark and dreary colours will only act as an anchor to your emotions, whilst a plain white canvas will offer absolutely nothing in terms of life or character. Remember, the character and mood of your living room is often a reflection of your personality so be expected to be judged on it.

We have chosen the colour turquoise to be our preferred decor design due to the number of different ways in which we can blend it into our living room. The colour often resonates with relaxing emotions and happiness. Travel agents will often try to sell you a holiday to a location that has turquoise blue waters, helping to lure you into a state of serenity and – guess what, you can do the same with your living room. Choosing to paint your walls light turquoise will boldly present a feeling of tranquillity, whilst darker shades can help add lively sophistication.

An alternative interior design would be to add turquoise touches around the living room by integrating it into your furniture. When using turquoise as an accent colour, it is important to make sure to balance it out. This can be done by using turquoise pillows, vases and glassware that are placed sporadically across the room.

How to Hang Wall Art

This in itself can be seen as an art since so many people tend to get it wrong. The most basic rule is to hang it at your sight line, so that you don’t have to make an effort to move your vision up or down the wall. This means that the centre of your wall art area should be about five feet from the ground. When trying to place it around furniture, like a sofa or table, hang the artwork so that is about half a foot from where the furniture ends.

Wall Décor Ideas

Wall décor comes in a number of different forms that offer their own unique feel to the room. These can range from metal wall sculptures, large-scale art, object collages and many more.

Metal Wall Art

When people first think about decorating their house, paint and wallpaper are often the first choices that come into mind. Steering away from a traditional approach, this form of contemporary art will certainly help to modernise the interior design of your house. Artisanti’s fantastic range of etched wall art can provide some cool and sharp touches to help your home become the perfect living and working environment.

Large Scale Art

Placing a large painting or photograph on your wall can really help re-vamp the design and character of your room due to its ability to command attention and set the tone in a small space. This also gives you a great opportunity to present a grand painting or photograph that helps to encapsulate your personality. If you choose to present this in your living room, guests will immediately gain an understanding of what you are all about.

Summer has snuck up on us yet again and we’re left wondering what activities we should involve ourselves in. Thankfully, no matter what the weather in Edinburgh is, there are a number of summer activities to do in the UK’s most beautiful city. Think of Edinburgh as one massive playground that is waiting to be utilised.

Edinburgh’s hilly landscape, hidden parks and haunted places give a tremendous amount of depth and material for kids to play with in their imagination. Understandably, museums might not be on the top of every child’s list of fun things to do, but there is so much more to this city than pretty buildings and historical sites to visit. The amount of summer leisure activities to be involved in matches the number of museums that Edinburgh has to offer, so read on and pick from our list!

Dynamic Earth

Dynamic Earth truly is a remarkable museum that maximises the creative potential of conveying the prehistoric age to young children. The building itself immediately sparks a child’s imagination through its mysterious spaceship-like shape. Through the use of advanced technology, interactive exhibits, and a 4D experience, guests are given a very vivid tour that will live long in the memory. Expect your children to come out with a buzz of excitement due to what they seem to think was a very real and close encounter with dinosaurs. Having Dynamic Earth placed next to the wide green spaces of Arthur Seat offers the opportunity for the kids to socialise and release the excitement that has been bottled up inside of them from the interactive tours.

Have a picnic

Arguably one of the best things to do in Edinburgh is to go for a picnic in the variety of different spots to choose from. So pack your sandwiches and juices, bring your picnic rug and go for an adventure with the family. Edinburgh’s most famous hill, Arthur’s Seat, is a common favourite since it offers a lovely walk with fantastic views of the city from different vantage points, a tranquil environment that is accompanied by wildlife, not to mention the interesting volcanic geology. An alternative to Arthur Seat would be Blackford Hill, which offers arguably a better view of Edinburgh since it is located in the south instead of the centre of the city.

A visit to the Meadows is always high up on the summer activities list when the weather is warm since this wide green park since gives people the freedom to be involved in any leisure activity that pleases them. For families with restless children, the Meadows is an excellent choice since it will provide them with the freedom of running around to their hearts’ content. Below are some ideal spots to go for a picnic:

• Arthur’s Seat
• Blackford Hill
• Inverleith Park
• The Meadows
• Calton Hill

 Georgie City Farm

Do your kids love wildlife? Have they shown an appreciation of what wildlife can offer them at an early age? If so, a visit to Gorgie City Farm is one of the most enjoyable activities for family members during the summer in Edinburgh. You may have already realised a unique quality that Edinburgh has is the number of green parks that it has so close to the centre, so much so that it has a farm that isn’t out in the countryside.

Visitors to Gorgie Farm are given a hands-on experience of taking care of the farm animals, and also the opportunity to pet and even cuddle some of the farm animals. This is a very intimate experience that will really help your children to learn more about animals. The farm also has a lovely café where family members can relax and socialise with some nibbles, whilst the children can set themselves free in the play park outside.

Berry Picking at Craigie’s Farm

Situated just north-west of the city, Craigie’s Farm offers an excellent family activity for both the parents and the kids in the summer. A family outing provides a unique learning experience for children about where food comes from and an early idea of the importance of hard work, by having to invest a lot of time picking the berries before eating them.

The farm itself has a serene setting where children are also given the freedom of wide open fields that will guarantee to burn out even the most restless of kids. An ideal summer activity if it isn’t raining and an unmissable one if it is sunny.

Edinburgh Zoo 

A guaranteed fun day out with the family is to take a trip to Edinburgh Zoo, especially if the sun is shining. For family occasions, this should be high up on your list of things to do in Edinburgh during the summer. Edinburgh Zoo is packed full of wildlife that not many other zoos in the UK can match. The famous pandas in their new leafy home have a wide appeal to many visitors, and let’s not forget the zoo’s infamous battalion of penguins. As though they are mimicking, the penguins parade up and down a special route where visitors can get a perfect view from a special vantage point. Edinburgh Zoo also offers special grassy green areas for groups to sit and socialise, which are perfect to stop and unwind for a while in the sun. A fantastic summer activity for family and friends.

Or pop in and see us at our Edinburgh removal office based in the centre of the capital. We love visitors and we always provide tea, coffee and of-course biscuits.

Looking for a top primary school for your child but still haven’t decided yet? If so, you are in the right place. Searching for the best possible education for your child can be an arduous task for any parent, especially in Edinburgh, where the city is littered with an array of prestigious schools. Wrapping your child in the cotton wool of a private school for an easier path towards university is desired by many parents, whilst others may think differently and would rather their child stay more in touch with ‘the real world’ through a state school. Either way, quality schools in Edinburgh come in abundance and often pose a favourable headache for parents having choose which they think is best. With over 20 years experience in removals around the capital and helping many new family’s find their feet in the city, we have a pretty solid knowledge of where the best primary schools are located.

School ethos, an emphasis on sport and extracurricular activities are also high on the checklist for many parents. Below we have compiled a shortlist of what we believe are the best primary schools in Edinburgh that may help to sway your decision.

Sciennes Primary School

Located in the south side of Edinburgh, on the fringes of Marchmont, is Sciennes Primary School. For those of you wondering, it is pronounced ‘sheens,’ after the small area that it resides in, just off the Meadows. Anyway, this school is officially the largest primary school in Edinburgh, with classes being slightly on the larger side. You’ll be glad to know however that this doesn’t detract from the excellent standard of teaching. Sciennes Primary School is seen as being in a well-educated catchment area since the parents of many students come from academic backgrounds themselves.

Although sport isn’t too greatly emphasised in the school, it does have a number of excellent after-school activities along with many parent-run clubs. Students typically then move on to one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious state schools, James Gillespie’s High School. Below are some stats and figures to help give you a better idea of the school:

• Has around 640 pupils,
• 76% of students achieve the expected level in reading nationally at the end of p7,
• 70% of students achieve the expected level in numeracy by the end of p7.

Stockbridge Primary School

Situated in the ever-so-grand and trendy neighbourhood of Edinburgh is Stockbridge Primary School. As well as providing an excellent standard of education for children, the state school places a great emphasis on the importance of kids participating in after-school clubs.. Not every child was born for university or the life of an academic and so engaging them in a range of activities at a young age may help your child discover an early passion or talent that could lead to greater things in the future. Children graduating from this primary school tend to move on to either Broughton High School or one of Edinburgh’s elite private secondary schools, Edinburgh Academy. Here are some of the numbers:

• 268 pupils,
• 76% of students achieve the expected national level of reading by p7,
• 70% of students achieve the expected level in numeracy by the end of p7.

James Gillespie’s Primary School

Approximately ten minutes up the road from Sciennes, next to Bruntsfield Links in the South Side of Edinburgh is where you will find James Gillespie’s Primary School. Alongside their neighbours Sciennes, James Gillespie’s Primary School is also seen as one of Edinburgh’s finest public primary schools. Their teaching is centred around four key values:

• Integrity: be honest in all that you do,
• Equality: treat everyone fairly,
• Respect: treat everyone well,
• Diligence: work hard and rewards will come your way.

The principles of their teaching are summarised by their school motto, ‘Fidelis et Fortes,’ meaning ‘strength and loyalty.’ Below are some figures to help draw a comparison with other schools:

• 557 pupils,
• 76% of students achieve the expected level in reading nationally at the end of p7,
• 70% of students achieve the expected level in numeracy by the end of p7.

Fettes College

If you are wealthy enough for Fettes College to be a financially viable option, then choosing to send your child here will help them onto a path of success. Fettes College takes in children from the age of 7 upwards. Throughout the years, Fettes College has been considered to be amongst the absolute elite private schools in Scotland. The most famous graduate to come out of Fettes College in recent years is the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Along with possibly providing the highest quality of education in Scotland, Fettes offer students an endless amount of extra-curricular activities. Here is a summary of some of the fees:

• Boarders – £8,070 per term
• Day Pupils – £5,500 per term

All fees include the cost of all meals taken at school.

George Heriot’s School

A less expensive option is George Heriot’s School. Unlike Fettes, Heriot’s won’t bleed you dry of cash and it will provide your child an excellent education. Heriot’s has a history like no other. Upon his death, George Heriot left the equivalent of tens of millions of pounds to be invested in a school to care for the ‘puir, faitherless bairns,’ (Scots for poor fatherless children). In 1628 this was founded but was soon seized by the English army and turned into a barracks. In 1837 it became a state school but then started to charge fees in the 1880s. However, the school maintains its philanthropic roots by providing free education to the children of widows and widowers.

On a more academic note, Heriots provide an excellent quality of education in both their primary and secondary schools. They seem to have struck the winning formula by consistently being among the top five schools in Scotland based on exam performance. Here are the figures:

• P1-P2 costs £8,349 per year
• P3-P7 costs £10,134 per year