A Dundee suburb and a Perthshire town have been named among the top places in Scotland to live.
Broughty Ferry and Dunkeld featured among the eight strong list of Scottish contenders in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times property editor, said: “Our focus for this year has been community, countryside and convenience.
“It hasn’t been a year for big cities or small villages. Instead, it is small towns that have shone. They are big enough to have everything you need within walking distance. But small enough for everyone to feel connected.”
The Ferry shines
Dundee topped the Scottish list in 2019 when judges were wowed by the V&A Museum of Art and Design and wider regeneration work across the city.
How lucky are we to have such a beautiful beach on our doorstep 🏖☀️ #Dundee #BroughtyFerry #DailyExercise #MentalHealthMatters pic.twitter.com/64rSNYVOGY
— Helm (@HelmDundee) March 21, 2021
But it’s the city’s seaside suburb that has shone in 2021 with the judges impressed by its blend of rural and urban living.
The judging panel said the Ferry, which boasts an average house price of £215,000 and an average rental of £895 pcm, was an ideal spot to enjoy nature while “remaining close to the buzz of Dundee and its impressively revamped waterfront.”
“A golden sandy beach, coastal paths up to Arbroath and a thriving watersports scene are a big part of life in the Ferry,” the judges added.
“The beach forms part of the River Tay’s estuary, with open views out to the North Sea.”
Perthshire town is ‘a cut above’
The expert panel of homes and property writers were equally impressed with Dunkeld, on the edge of Highland Perthshire.
The team paid tribute to “a high street that’s a cut above”.
The “good deli, bakery, vintage shop, art gallery and cookware store” left them particularly impressed.
Again, the River Tay’s draw featured strongly in the conversations.
The judges said: “Dunkeld’s park benches must be the most strategically located in Scotland. To sit on one overlooking the mighty River Tay and its Escher-esque bridge by Thomas Telford, is to forget the world over the water.
“Come autumn, the trees on the riverbanks turn bonfire colours. In winter the river looks so flinty it could cut through butter. A cheddar and kimchi toastie from Scotland’s hippest rural bakery, just a short stroll away, completes the scene.”
Life in the Perthshire town doesn’t come cheap with the guide listing an average house price of £360,000 and an average rental of £1,780 pcm.
Lovely walk round Dunkeld and a sandwich from the @ScottishDeli. Beautiful day #dunkeld #perthshire @visitperthshire pic.twitter.com/crghOl6JWt
— Angus Forbes (@cllrangusforbes) March 21, 2021
The full Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2021: Scotland guide included North Berwick, East Lothian, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Broughty Ferry, Dennistoun, Glasgow, Dunkeld, Isle of Eigg, Melrose, the Borders and Portobello in Edinburgh.
North Berwick emerged the eventual Scottish winner in the publisher’s annual competition.
The town won the gong for its “heavenly beaches, jaw-dropping views from North Berwick Law, a successful secondary school and a lively high street”.