And, I'm not the only willing settler in this great country. The Scotsman newspaper recently reported that immigrants 'accounted for 68 per cent of population growth in Scotland between 1991 and 2001'. At the time of the 2001 census, 168,142 people living in Scotland had been born abroad. This figure, of course, does not include people like me who were born in another part of the UK.

Of those born abroad, Americans, Pakistanis and even Spaniards comprise a significant proportion of recent immigrants, many of them highly skilled. 37 per cent of those moving here hold a higher level qualification and the number falling into the 'high earner' bracket is almost twice the UK average, says the report.

"Can you explain this?" I asked my wife.

"Easy," she said, "it's just a great place to live!"

And here are her 8 reasons why it is such a great place:

1 There is elbow room. With less than 6 million people, and an area of 30,420 sq. miles, there is room to breathe. Its population is about one tenth of the population of England and Wales, yet the mainland comprises over half the area of Great Britain.

2 House prices are considerably lower than in many other parts of the UK. In Edinburgh, the average is £170,342; in Glasgow it is £120,361; and in the Highlands it is £111,693. In Greater London, the average is £293,363.

4 The driving is easier, if not necessarily cheaper! Apart from the major city centres (and even they aren't in the same league as London for congestion), driving is almost a pleasure because of the fewer number of vehicles on the road. Travel south on the M6 until you get to Preston, and then compare!

5 The education system is far superior to England's. We know, first hand. Our sons have thrived here in Scotland, from juniorschool right through to university.

6 The environment is clean. The scenery is magnificent. The wildlife is plentiful and not endangered. Take a tour by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, visit Wester Ross or the Outer Isles, the Grampians or the Borders and tell me these things aren't true!

7 And along with the healthy environment there is a full range of recreational activities - Munro-bagging, walking, sailing, fishing, stalking, to name just a few. And none of the usual sports are neglected. Even the tiniest of Highland villages contributes players to the local soccer team.

8 But, most importantly, the people are wonderful. They are, by and large, friendly and civilised and cultured and welcoming of 'incomers', no matter what the occasional bad press says. I have only one complaint: how on earth can nybody understand a Glasgow east end accent?

About the Author