Irish Guinness

You sound so very happy and content, how wonderful not many of us ever find that, we all try but not all succeed.well done you

scot47

I must be entering my second childhood. I find myself marvelling over things like this -https://www.calmac.co.uk/press/suppo...rry-lego-model
Living on an island can do strange things to you.

Perth

That is very cool.

scot47

It is a man thing. I cannot imagine wife or daughters getting into this.

isleofmanmike

[QUOTE=scot47;11607200]I live in the main town on the island. Within 400 meters of my flat I have library, shops, health centre and ferry terminal. Nice gardens and parks, including the front which is just a stroll away If I need the big city, Glasgow is only 2 hours away by ferry and train. I hardly ever go there now.

Lots of nice gentle walks for the dog. A bus run to one of the nice beaches at the north end of the island - using my Bus Pass. Dogs go free.

I live a car-free life. Local supermarket will deliver orders over £25. Living without a car is for me liberating.

The island has, like all the islands in Scotland, its own character. Since its development as a Victorian holiday resort it had had many incomers, from Scotland and elsewhere. English accents are not unusual among the residents. For its size it has a rich cultural life, especially in winter. Next month we have the Jazz Festival. there are other music events through the year.

Isle of Bute Jazz Festival 2015 - eFestivals.co.uk

Visit Bute |

ButeFest, 3 days of music,food & fun

Housing is reasonably priced compared to the Deep South of England. Or you can rent. PM me if you want to ask any questions.

I hope this is not cosidered "advertising" ! Let us call it "Public Information" ![/QU

Very interesting post. I have lived in Australia for 15 years and Isle of Man for ten years. I now live in a cheshirectown but miss living near the sea. We were considering moving to Isle of Wight in a couple of years but your post interested me. Property prices seam very reasonable. My wife is an artist. Is there much of an art scene on bute? Also what are the winters like. Isle of Man was in Gulf Stream so wasn't too bad. Hope you can give me some info as it looks a stunning place to live.

scot47

Best to visit. Come and judge for yourself. There is an Art scene and some people doing Crafts. We had two boom times. Circa 1910 and then 1940-1955. Nostalgia is a major industry as we watch our population dwindle and decine !
I like the place and am very pleased that I moved here in 2010 and retired in 2011. I still get bemused locals asking "Why did you come here ?". Come and judge for yourselves.

scot47

Arran and Cumbrae are the other inhabited islands in the Clyde Estuary. Arran is full of wealthy "white settlers" from the South. Cumbrae and Bute, which are smaller, are a bit more run-down. Property is more affordable. I am still astonished that I made it here for my retirement. I had no family links here and had never even visited the place untiI was looking for a place to rest my weary expat bones. One of my colleagues in Saudi had been looking at property in the UK on the web and he came across Rothesay. He told me and than I started researching it.
For me part of the charm was the fact that it is "different". Scottish, but, for me alien, because it is "Westcoast" rather than "Eastcoast". Urban but surrounded by beautiful countryside. No need for a car. Good transport links. Health Centre 500 meters from my place. Library. Live music. A cinema. Two fishmongers, two butchers, a baker. We even have a candlestickmaker !

BEVS

It sounds charming Scot47. A little bit of everything on the doorstep.

scot47

I like it but the wet, dark and windy winter is difficult.

not2old

Is it really all that difficult?

Sounds like when we lived in the NW of England back in the 60's, even winter in Wellington NZ, or other places such as the [wet] west coast of British Columbia, or the East Coast of Canada.

One thing for sure, dark & dreary is not good for the mood [Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)], but I reckon, especially for an older person it beats months on months of having to shovel snow or to be 12 months year round in the blazing sun and high temperatures of Saudi or other similar places.

I wonder if some of Bute's residents get away in the dark winters for a sunny fix to places in southern Europe?. For those with a few 'bob to spare', I saw on the web a few decent cheap getaways to Portugal & Spain.

scot47

Lots of the better-off here have winter holidays in the sun. Cruises are very popular, but are not for me. You would have to pay me to get me on one of those ! No snow here. We had hail today but it is gone. We can now see snow on the hills of the Cowal Peninsula on the other side of Rothesay Bay. Snow does not usually lie for long here. It is too mild. Canada this is not !

Perth

You've probably already seen this but Bute is in the news! Sounds like a wonderful community there, scot:

'People want to help': Scottish town prepares to host Syrian refugees | UK news | The Guardian

It’s a wonderful life: Scotland’s holiday isle prepares to greet its first Syrian refugees | UK news | The Guardian

scot47

Here is an older piece by Ian Jack. He is prejudiced because he has a holiday home here -
Could rebranding Bute as a middle-class holiday haven halt its decline? | Ian Jack | Comment is free | The Guardian

scot47

When I came to live here permanently I had forgotten about Scottish winters. Not cold like in Canada or the deserts of Arabee in the winter, but dark at 4 in the afternoon. Daybreak at 9, but days on end with no sun. There are a lot of positives though and I could not live in a city - north or South of Tweed and Solway. Monday today so the public library is closed. Oh, the privation ! But I do have the internet, and the paperboy will deliver "The Herald" soon. Discussion group at the United Church tonight. Literary Society on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning I get to do my rant on local radio......................................

not2old

I suppose this is one way to keep the declining Bute population up, then again, maybe once they get their 'UK residence cards' together with the rest of the benefits paraphernalia, the Bute winters may send them to the warmer populated places of the UK?

Will the refugees integrate into Scottish life, even go to the United Church gatherings, or have their first mosque?