Partner works in Blackburn, I work in Hebden Bridge – looking for somewhere to live suitable for both.
Was initially looking at Cliviger/Towneley Park but have realised we can move a bit further out and still have a reasonable commute.

Have looked at Oakworth, Haworth, Colne and Trawden, all of which seem very pleasant. Nelson looked OK but a bit uninspiring. Migh consider Skipton area if commutable.

Any residents or locals have any tips on areas to look for or avoid?

Also, is Skipton to Hebden a reasonable commute? Would love to hear if anyone drives it regularly.

My partner is from Burnley & i'm from Halifax/Bradford and we are both based in Leeds/Bradford with work – When we were looking for somewhere in-between we decided upon Oxenhope.

We have lived here for 3 years & its ace – when you work in a big city there is nothing like the feeling of getting away from it all. We both fly with our jobs so having the airport 40mins away is a big plus & on a good day we can be in the centre of Leeds in 40mins & Manchester in 50mins.

There are some of the best MTB routes in Yorkshire/Lancashire within riding distance of my front door & there is a diverse selection of 'normal' pubs & 'Gasto' pubs within walking distance.

Its slightly different from Oakworth/Haworth IMO as its a small village with plenty of open space/farms but it has all the amenities within walking distance from anywhere within Oxenhope.

The only issue with Oxenhope is that from a housing perspective you seem the either live in a cottage or a 7 bedroomed house (not much in-between) and you'll pay a premium for living here.

Keighley is not very nice. Outlying areas are but if you have kids you might want to consider where the schools are.

Hi Rusty

I live in Carleton-in-Craven which is just outside Skipton, over the hill from Colne. Here and Elslack are nice villages, both quiet. We have the benefit of a small Post Office, village shop and Farm Shop. Both Elslack and Carleton have a pub – can highly recommend The Tempest at Elslack. Other villages to consider would be Lothersdale, Cononley, Cowling.

From here to Hebden Bridge takes 40 mins or thereabouts – drove over on Friday to go riding. There are a few different routes you can take, I imagine one of them via Stanbury would be interesting in winter but going via Keighley would be more sensable then. I think it would be a doable commute on a daily basis.

I don't need to tell you that living near Skipton you can get into the Dales without needing to drive to ride – MTB or road is great.

Mail me if you want more info.

Avoid Nelson like the plague. It has nothing to recommend it except the view of Pendle Hill, IMHO. (I spent the first 33 years of my life there).

Im in Trawden and absolutely love it up here. Colne is a nice enough place, the town centre is much nicer than places like Nelson. As for mountain biking, I can easily do a 30 mile loop off road from my doorstep. If you need any more information give me a shout.

Trawden is nice. Some parts of Colne are nice.
Nelson? Avoid! No really!The houses are really cheap mind, but then that's because it's such a hole!

Oxenhope is nice too but the commute from there to Blackburn will be an hour cos of the meandering roads. Great for Hebden though.
Trawden/Colne would be half an hour drive from both Hebden and Blackburn.

I live in Colne BTW

Keighley not so great but all the surrounding villages are nice

I live in Silsden and like it .
Agree with failedengineer nelson is a bit like keighley

Skipton is good and even got this nice little 2 bedroomed bungalow for sale http://www.harrison-boothman.co.uk/cgi-bin/propertydetails/EPC-5Pictures.cgi?propertyref=4020503552128048

mother in laws

probably an hour for the commute to either blackburn or Hebdenbridge

Land of HOPE (Barnoldswick) is OK

Live in Hebden? Partner could get train to Blackburn.

My auntie lives in Skipton, it's a lovely place. Seems quite middle class from what I can tell.. some nice hills around too but whenever I've explored on my bike I seem to end up on grouse moors in season 🙁

I can confirm that where Domino lives is lovely

Blacko; Barrowford; Wheatley Lane; Fence; Higham – all nice enough places to live with good road connections and far enough away from Nelson!

We live in Skipton, well 1 mile outside. As previously said, great place, perfect riding location, good road connections although on the increasingly snowy days we are having may make the commute to Hebden interesting. Road better from Keighley to HB as it's a bus route, Trawden road would be very dicey yet scenic. Bridleway from Trawden to HB is wonderful if that's a plan.

If you have kids tho' beware of the Skipton school system, it's 11+ area and only 28% of the local kids get places on passing the exam making it populated by out-of-area kids so not a local school. There is talk, and some early plans I believe, to open reinstate the railway from Skipton to East Lancs.

I personally wouldn't live in Nelson, Colne or Keighley altho' you get more for your money property wise.

Brother in-law and family got a work transfer to Skipton 3 or 4 years ago. They looked at houses in Skipton but they were very expensive. In the end they settled on Barnoldswick. Big house on a newish estate – much more than they would have got in Skipton. His wife does a commute the other way to Burnley. It seems to be about as central as they can get for both locations.

I live in Whalley in the Ribble Valley near Clitheroe. Easy to commute to Hebden and Blackburn from here. Quality of life is excellent with good riding on the doorstep. Schools are some of the top in the area if not the country including my alma mater Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. Can be pricey though.

Second recommendation for The Tempest at Elslack, brilliant country pub!
Nelson, Colne, Barnolswick are a bit 'back of beyond'. I'd rather live anywhere else but there! Local Clitheroe folk lore would have you believe that residents of these towns invariably have webbed feet, six fingers etc due to the amount of inbreeding! 😉 (no offense meant btw, just local banter)!

typed loads but gave up…summary Keighley area isn't that bad. I grew up there (didn't do me no harm etc etc…) Snobs will dismiss it but I guess it keeps the prices down.

I'd avoid Colne, although the outlying areas of the town and a bit further out Foulridge, barrowford etc can be pretty nice. Its a long time since I lived in Colne, I hated it.

Don't write off Cliviger / Townley, it's not a bad area and really good for riding from the doorstep. I live on top of the crags up from Cliviger just into Rossendale, best of both worlds really, can still get everywhere fairly easily and have riding on the doorstep. North of the M65 corridor is nice though, I just can't afford to live in the Ribble Valley, just work there. As the others have said avoid the town centres of Colne and Nelson, downside is as you go further out it gets nicer but more expensive.

I used to commute to near Blackburn from Bingley, it took about 45-60mins depending on traffic at Colne and Blackburn, it's a reasonable drive with the Airevalley trunk road and the M65. HB is probably about 40mins over the tops. Bingley area has the best local riding in the Airevalley IMO.

😕

Bingley area has the best local riding in the Airevalley IMO.

it's alright. Baildon's better 😉

only joking, Bingley area has some fantastic trails – apart from the one with the arsey horsey landowner on Harden Moor, which is a poor trail anyway, IMO

I did a similar commute – Baildon to Haslingden in the Rossendale valley – probably the same route as far as Rose Grove. Colne was a bit of a bottleneck but otherwise a nice run

We have friends in Steeton (like Silsdens poorer relative!). It's a loveley part of the world.

Clitheroe folk calling Colners inbred? That's a cheek. Colne is good, bit rough in parts, but a 'proper' town. So is Barlick (Barnoldswick). Somewhat more gentrified than it used to be when I was a lad, when Barnoldswick and Earby were known locally as 'Sodom and Gomorrah'.

Worsthorne is nice!

Two decent pubs, shop, nice chippy & plenty of cracking riding/walking on your doorstep – also has its own MTB club who ride out weekly on a tuesday night! New members always welcome

Why not Halifax/Hebden area itself? Direct train services to Blackburn, 50 mins from HX and 35 mins or so from HB direct to Blackburn. Just a thought 🙂

Wow, thanks to everyone for the replies. Everyone who lives in the area seems to like some bits of it, so we must be on the right track.

Have spent far too many hours this week driving and riding round, getting a feel for the area. It all looks good TBH :-).

Thanks for all the suggestions – Hebden is more expensive than the alternatives & Ms S needs to drive to work in Rishton, so that's out, sadly.
I live in Walsden at the mo and have done for ages – I love it, but need to live somewhere with a bit more light (am on the shady side of the valley) and really fancy a change.

Once again thanks for all the advice – much appreciated.