Let’s move to Stirling: Edinburgh in miniature, with fewer stag parties

What’s going for it? There’s no getting around Stirling. Well, OK, pedants, these days you can take the M9 or the Kincardine Bridge, or wiggle your way on the A814 along Loch Long. But in times of yore, when Scotland was more like Game Of Thrones’ Westeros, most roads led through Stirling. This is where Scotland’s waist narrows to a few score miles, and is the lowest bridging point on the River Forth. No wonder they built a castle to end all castles, high on a crag, with a sheer, almost impregnable western slope. No wonder this is where Scotland’s royalty held court from the 16th century. “He who holds Stirling holds Scotland,” went the saying. Of course, these days you can take said M9, so Stirling has settled nicely into a comfortable later life as a mighty fine place to live, with half Scotland’s population within an hour’s drive. There are fewer battles here, and a lot less buckles to be swashed but, on the upside, it’s a gorgeous town, an Edinburgh in miniature, only with fewer bagpipe buskers and stag parties from Woking.

The case against Perhaps a little sedate; but Glasgow’s only up the road.

Well connected? Trains: to Glasgow (30-40 mins), Edinburgh (50-60 mins) and Perth (30-40 mins). Driving: right in the centre of things with the A9, M9 and M80 all about; 35 mins to central Glasgow, an hour to Edinburgh, 45 mins to Perth, 40 mins to the Trossachs or Loch Lomond.

Schools Primaries: there are no current inspection reports for Allan’s, Raploch or Bannockburn, but Riverside is excellent or very good, and Our Lady’s RC, Bridge of Allan and St Mary’s RC mostly very good, says Education Scotland. Secondaries: no current reports for the city’s St Modan’s RC High, Bannockburn High or Wallace High, alas.

Hang out at… I tell you, it’s all happening at the Tolbooth arts centre. I had a lovely cuppa at Darnley coffee house.

Where to buy The old town, or Top of the Town, is, as you’d expect, a jamboree of medieval stepped gables and stone turrets, winding down from the castle crag; pricey but gorg. The King’s Park conservation area south of Albert Place is a posh Victorian suburb of extremely fine (and quite costly) stone Victorian detached houses, often enormous. Look, too, south towards St Ninians, and north of the city by the university, where you’ll find some great homes in the small, attached spa town of Bridge of Allan. Large detacheds and townhouses, £400,000-£1.4m. Detacheds and smaller townhouses, £150,000-£400,000. Semis, £100,000-£600,000. Terraces and cottages, £90,000-£220,000. Flats, £60,000-£350,000. Rentals: a one-bedroom flat, £400-£700pcm; a three-bedroom house, £600-£1,400pcm.

Bargain of the week Four-bedroom detached house, needs refurbishment, £140,000, with allenandharris.co.uk.

From the streets

Steve Chinn “The Burgh Coffee House on King Street, and the MacRobert arthouse cinema on the university campus. Pet hate: the stalled riverside quarter on the wrong side of the railways tracks: an urban redevelopment scheme that could be anywhere.”

Alistair Richardson “Our Place (Murray Place) claims to serve the best homemade veg and lentil soup in Scotland. Absolutely right. And La Ciociara (Friars Street), an Italian shovelling out proper pizza and great house white for silly money. And as it’s family run, it’s resolutely shut on Sundays. And quite right too.”