Why living in the North of Scotland will beat the Blue Monday blues
4 reasons why we live in the best part of the world
It’s hard to argue that the start of a new year is a bit of a come-down.
The weather is abysmal, the recent highs of Christmas are replaced by the lows of credit card bills and the days still seem too short.
January is a real emotional slump and it can be hard to pull yourself out of it, with New Year’s Resolutions falling by the wayside.
At MFR we always like to look on the bright side, so here are 4 reasons why you should turn your frown upside down on Blue Monday...
Inverness is the happiest place in Scotland
In the survey by property website Rightmove, more than 24,000 people were asked how proud they are of their home, whether they are satisfied with how it is decorated, how safe they feel in their community, whether they have enough living space, how friendly the neighbours are and if they worry about the value of their property.
The Highland Capital topped the poll 2 years in a row.
People in the north of Scotland live longer than elsewhere in the country
Life expectancy in the Highland and Moray council areas is around 79 for men and 83 for women which is higher than the national average and just behind Orkney, Shetland and the Scottish Borders.
Source: National Records of Scotland
It doesn't rain much
Photo: Findhorn Harbour
Areas around the inner Moray Firth and along parts of the Moray coast experience some of the lowest rainfall in the country. An average of 732mm of rain falls in Inverness every year compared to 1570mm for Scotland as a whole - that's less than half!
Source: Met Office
One of the Top 5 destinations in the world is on our doorstep
Photo: Stu Smith
Nairn was number 2 on Tripadvisor's list of top destinations for 2010 after Troncones in Mexico, known for its miles of white sandy beaches between the jungle and the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Nairn's elegant bandstand, popular Highland Games, low rainfall and championship golf course helped it to beat off competition in the worldwide poll.
So there you have it - 4 reasons not to let Blue Monday get you down!