[bloomer]

if i had the pennys id be off to scotland within a month!!!

but at a push anywhere with a couple of acres so i could raise a few pigs and a couple of sheep each year plus eggs and veg and i'd be well happy...

where ever you decide if you can afford it im sure you'll be happier than somewhere that finances are stretched, good hunting!!!

[Helencus]

Thanks Jackie Lins is probably the most sensible as not too far from family in Birmingham. Rob is happy to go to Lincs. Got to sell ours first and that won't be quick as it's an expensive place. I'm hoping having added stables tack room and barn will help the sale but suspect we've spent a lot and made nothing :-((

[Fleecewife]

Not all of Scotland is in the Highlands.  South of the Forth/Clyde is very beautiful, few tourists in most areas and small farms are available.  It's just a quick zap down the M74/M6 to Birmingham, and the bright lights of Edinburgh and Glasgow are under an hour from most parts, whilst the Highlands themselves are a couple of hours away to the north.  The climate in the western side is mild, if rather wet, and we only have severe winters because we chose to live on top of a draughty hill, swapping comfort for beauty. Have a look at our website to get an idea of the views www.scothebs.co.uk .  I grew up in Norfolk but now find it very full, since first Thetford then Peterborough became The place to move to a while back.  Still plenty of little farms though and good weather - mostly !

[Daisy]

The Scottish Borders are great, this is the view from my front door






and this is from the bottom of the field
we are an hour from Edinburgh and about an hour and a half from Newcastle, four miles to the nearest town with a spar, coop, chip shop, chinese, bakers, butcher and three pubs    twelve miles from Asda and Tesco not isolated but away from all the hustle of a town 

[Daveravey]

Nice views, but i've never heard of a chinese baker before   

[Daisy]

LOL forgot the comma 

[jacob and Georgina]

i dont think you could do much better than down ere in devon, with two glorious coastlines, dartmoor and exmoor national parks, numerous colleges for your son and a very laid back lifesyle what more could you ask for?? there are some lovely properties for sale on the market at the moment worth look! 

[Brucklay]

I'm sure you can still get a wee small holding if you look 20mins/30mins from Aberdeen - that may suit you both - we're about 30mins/40mins away from Aberdeen and there's quite a few about. Good Luck

[Helencus]

Thanks all. Daisy your view is superb I am so jealous. I'm very open minded on where we go and Scottish Borders would suit me fine. Devon would be lovely but suspect too pricey.
Any suggestions for websites to trawl? Looked at rural scene, greenshifters, smallholdings-Wales any others?

[Rosemary]

For Aberdeenshire / NE Scotland, try Aberdeen and Northern Marts Estates and Aberdien Considine. Baird Lumsden does country properties too, as do the nationals like CKD Galbraith, Savills.

[Anke]

Not sure about your circumstances though, but if you were prepared to buy a building plot that comes with land? will take a long time to sort/get started, but that's what we have done. Got the house we wanted, designed to our specifications, fairly future proof and do the outbuildings etc slowly... again exaclty how we want them.

Oh yes Scottish Borders are lovely, but for me not always remote enough... compromise bewteen OH and myself - his job pays for it all and the schools are good.

[lachlanandmarcus]

In Aberdeenshire you can get a smallholding which has either a finished property attached, or very often a big stone barn with PP for conversion into a lovely house, for not much money.

NOT rainy in eastern scotland, one of the drier places in the UK believe it or not. The hard winters arent nearly as terrible as people think, because up here it happens every winter and so the council and people are geared up for it. AND roads are very quiet so if you do slide a bit, you end up in a verge not in 3 peoples parked cars, which helps a lot!

[Jackie]

Helencus look up Brown and co estate agents and follow the lincolnshre link

[doganjo]

Just had an email about this one - http://www.uklanddirectory.org.uk/land-for-sale.asp?id=13209  Perhaps another website to try?

[BlueDaisy]

 
this one looks like a real bargain!!!
http://www.uklanddirectory.org.uk/land-for-sale.asp?id=13211