North Berwick named the best place to live in Scotland by The Sunday Times

It has been placed top of a list of eight locations across Scotland chosen to represent the best of Britain in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The guide was released online today (Friday) and will be available in print this weekend.

The judges said of the East Lothian town: “Maybe it’s the energy radiating from North Berwick Law, a 300 million-year-old volcanic plug that stands brooding over the town, or the profusion of yoga teachers practising downward-facing dogs at the Barefoot Sanctuary event space near Milsey Bay beach. Either way, there’s no denying the spiritual aura of North Berwick.”

They went on to describe the town as an “elegant seaside resort that has been luring jaded urbanities from Edinburgh and beyond for decades”.

Its shoreline and the nearby Bass Rock (pictured below) were also mentioned, alongside North Berwick High School, considered one of the best in the country – in The Sunday Times’ Scottish school league table last year it was ranked 13th out of 343 schools for pupils achieving five or more Highers.

But it was not just the school’s academic achievements – pupils were praised for their sense of social justice and charity work, and the school prioritising pupils’ mental health, such as with the launch of its new wellbeing microsite.

The judges also said that the town’s “altruistic attitude is contagious”, making a mention of the local stores that offered home delivery services during lockdown and the vast array of coffee shops on offer to visitors.

The average house price was listed as £355,000, with the average rent price £1,200 per month, the second highest of all places on the shortlist.

North Berwick Harbour

Joining the popular seaside town on the list of eight are (in alphabetical, not ranking order):

• Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire;
• Broughty Ferry, Tayside;
• Dennistoun, Glasgow;
• Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross;
• Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides;
• Melrose, Scottish Borders;
• Portobello, Edinburgh.

To view the list in full, visit thetimes.co.uk/best-places-to-Live

The Sunday Times’ team of expert judges behind the guide assess a range of factors, from schools, air quality, transport and broadband speeds to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.

The judges look for improving towns, villages or city centres, for attractive, well-designed homes and locations that are bursting with community spirit – something proven to be vital during the coronavirus pandemic.

A detailed breakdown of house prices was supplied by data specialists TwentyCi and information on internet speeds from thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband.

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times property editor, said: “This guide has never been so important.

“The pandemic has taught us just how much we rely on our homes, our communities and our surroundings.

“With working from home now common, it’s no surprise that many of us are reassessing our priorities and thinking hard about where we really want to live.

“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: big enough to have everything you need within walking distance and small enough for everyone to feel connected.

“North Berwick is our winner in Scotland because it is one place that really does have it all: heavenly beaches, jaw-dropping views from North Berwick Law, a successful secondary school and a lively high street.”

Stroud in Gloucestershire was named as the Best Place to Live in Britain.