UKC

Currently thinking of applying for a job that would involve spending a year in Elgin. How is it as a place to live? Specifically curious about the indoor climbing wall, running/biking opportunities, local cragging, access to the hills - it seems fairly close to the cairngorms and not too far from the NW? And also if anybody has worked at the hospital there? Thanks.

I think the climbing wall has just closed.

Don't hesitate, its an amazing place to live, Moray is one of the driest and sunniest parts of the whole UK, so you'll get plenty of good weather to enjoy the outdoors. I used to say living in Moray was like being on holiday everyday.

The mountain biking is excellent, so good I quit rock climbing about 2 months after I moved there. Get in touch with the Moray Mountain bike club to show you around. 

Logie Head

You have the fantastic Logie Head nearby plus Covesea and Cummingston. The Elgin area is where everyone from surrounding areas heads to when it rains, its exceptionally dry. The Cairngorms aren't too far away either. 

Not to mention the fact that you are in Speyside, and walking distance of around 845,6754,540 distilleries

A lot has already been covered by other posters. Its traditionally a dry and sunny place due to being in the rain shadow of the cairngorms.  Aviemore is about 45 mins away by road, Inverness about the same. Closest cragging would be on the coast at Logie Head, and Cummingston (Sandstone - cummingston is pretty soft rock in places) Some cragging in land in places like Huntly's cave near Grantown on Spey.

Good forestry trails for running and biking (Roseisle, Fochabers, Torrieston, etc)

Hospital is right on the A96 on the Western side of the town - bus stop right outside and has got car parking. 10 min walk from bus station to hospital, about 15 min walk from train station.

....but Wikipedia says Elgin has a terrible problem with traffic, being on the main road from Aberdeen to Inverness.

Like that old Malibu advert  where it is "Total Gridlock" the kind of  traffic folk in Elgin complain about is when there is actually another a car in front of you.

Its not that bad. Bypass (Controversial) is being planned however

I used to work in Elgin, although I lived further south-east in Aberdeenshire.    Given the opportunity, I wouldn't hesitate to move to Moray.

As others have said, sea-cliff after work cragging at Logie Head and Cummingston.  Inland at Huntley's Cave.  Small indoor wall in central Elgin closed a few weeks ago, nearest other would be Inverness or a school wall at Aberlour which I believe has some limited public access.  

It's not far from the Cairngorms at all and there are loads of good forestry tracks easily available for running and biking.

Enjoy......

It’s fine as long as you don’t need to use the A96.

Its a fair way of the driest AND sunniest in the UK annually. Sheffield is both drier and sunnier for example and that's not top at all, in scotland so is Abroath. If you were to take either stat in isolation then again many places top it but not on both stats. For example in scotland Dundee is sunnier

The odd thing with the Moray firth is that for the UK the Summer months are not at all top of the list, with June, July and August typically being outclassed by many places including quite a few in Scotland. However the rest of the year is good for the UK and great for Scotland especially Nov - Feb.

I don't especially know the town but I've visited the area quite a few times and really like the country side and local cragging, although non midgey stuff in the summer is quite limited. Its relatively close to the NW too which is a real plus, which is one of the best areas in the UK IMO.