‘Best place to live’ accolade for Dunkeld
THE Perthshire village of Dunkeld has been named as the ‘best place to live in Scotland’ – in an annual guide published by The Sunday Times newspaper.
Says the newspaper: “A winning combination of stunning Highland scenery and chic Scandi-style sophistication are what you get in Dunkeld. Top shops include Aran Bakery and Lon – possibly the hippest general store in Scotland – both run by ex-Great British Bake-off contestant, Flora Shedden.
“You can get close to nature with countless walks, with the mighty Hermitage Forest a highlight, while community spirit comes to the fore at the Field, an inspiring community organic veg garden.”
Six other locations in Scotland are featured in a guide that includes 72 locations across the UK.
An abridged version will be published as a magazine supplement in this coming weekend’s edition of the newspaper.
Adds the paper: “This year’s guide – the 11th – features more new entries than ever before. The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors: from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.”
This year’s UK winner is Wadhurst, in East Sussex.
Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in the UK title are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013); Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Newnham, Cambridge (2015); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham, Cheshire (2020) Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021) and Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022).
The regions and nations winners are:
- East of England: Saffron Walden, Essex
- London: Crouch End
- Midlands: Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
- Northern Ireland: Donaghadee, Co Down
- North and North-east: Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
- North-west: Liverpool
- Scotland: Dunkeld, Perthshire
- South-wast: Chichester, West Sussex
- South-west: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- Wales: Ruthin, Denbighshire
The full list in The Sunday Times list can be found, here.
The Scots entries:
Winner: Dunkeld, Perthshire
A winning combination of stunning Highland scenery and chic, Scandi-style sophistication are what you get in Dunkeld. Top shops include Aran Bakery and Lon – possibly the hippest general store in Scotland — both run by ex-Great British Bake-off contestant Flora Shedden.
You can get close to nature with countless walks, with the mighty Hermitage Forest a highlight, while community spirit comes to the fore at the Field, an inspiring community organic veg garden.
East Linton, East Lothian
Thanks both to its impressive environmental credentials and its wide, leafy streets, this attractive, this affluent commuter spot fully deserves its reputation as Scotland’s greenest town. An impressive roster of shops includes a brilliant bookshop, butcher and the Bostock Bakery, and a new station, due to open later this year, will make getting to Edinburgh even easier.
Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello Edinburgh’s seaside suburb has a free-spirited atmosphere that’s a refreshing contrast to the stuffier corners of the Scottish capital. With interesting shops – a bookshop, artisan baker and a branch of Bross Bagels – it’s no wonder that it is now the location of choice for artists, authors, foodies and cool young families.
Shawlands, Glasgow
There’s an unbeatable coffee culture in this creative, multicultural corner of the Southside, and much more besides. There’s a strong network of independent businesses — especially at busy Park Lane market – arty pop-ups, good. sports facilities and rapid rail links to central Glasgow.
Newport-on-Tay, Fife
Spectacular sunsets and a grandstand view of the Tay Bridge are the most visible highlights of this buzzing suburb of Dundee. It also has a high street that’s as good as it gets, a notably friendly community and fast, regular buses to the city.
Orkney
The wonderful wildlife and dramatic landscapes make living in this remote location worthwhile, but this collection of 70 islands is also notable for a lively population that displays an impressive entrepreneurial spirit and supports local businesses with gusto.
Tighnabruaich, Argyll and Bute
Once a holiday-home hotspot for wealthy merchants, this tiny village is now worth celebrating for its outstanding natural beauty, but also for its thriving independent businesses and a busy community keen to get involved in activities from veg-growing, drama and art to sailing and shinty.
Picture credit: The Sunday Times
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