Just wondering what the town is like as i may have to move there for a while for a new job?

Typical big town in England really . Crap for MTB as it’s pretty flat . Central location so good for getting to other places . Football league team , Top rugby team , county cricket team . Ok for pubs , restaurants etc . Some shitty areas but some really nice villages around the area . I moved away 18 years ago but have been back a few times and was born and raised there . Most people will probably tell you it’s a bit of a shithole .

Most people will probably tell you it’s a bit of a shithole .

I’d have said that but then I’m originally from Redditch which is far from being the cultural or economical centre of the UK. Northampton was the first place I ever went to Nando’s, so it’s not all bad.

And it’s handy for Silverstone.

Hateful place……to drive around anyway.
Living within the place it depends which area as with most places.
Mtb wise theres
Harlestone firs for a quick pootle which is located just outside to the north on the rugby road.
Salcey forest which is to the south west near the m1
Woburn sands is better but a 25min drive.

Choose your area carefully. Multiple occupancy makes parking a headache in Central areas. The Firs are a hoot followed by a pint in the Queen Adelaide (best beer in town). Alternatively check out Moulton, Boughton or Pitsford.

Nothing to add, but bookmarking this thread. What are the good / bad areas?

On your own or are you bringing a family with you? Education is very very variable! Big road and MTB scene in MK and Woburn. If you can stand a 10 mile commute then some great options open up.

Yeah, we need more info really.

Where’s the job would be a good start, if you’re somewhere like Brackmills then you’ve got much better commuting options as you’re just off the M1. That makes MK/Woburn much easier etc.

There are some jumps and stuff in the woods between Brackmills and delapre abbey somewhere

Great road riding in all directions, lovely villages and lanes from Rutland through to the Chilterns.

My childhood/6th Form sweetheart still lives there. I’ve not been there for 27 years since we split up. But I’ve ridden near it quite a bit.

Lived just outside and worked in schools around Northampton for the last 10 years until Christmas. Some nice bits- decent road riding once outside of the town itself.

Northants is full of nice villages but as soon as the towns start getting sizeable they’re best avoided- Northampton, Wellingborough, Rushden… lots of unemployment and an increasing amount of individuals with ever decreasing amounts of respect or awareness of others.

some decent bike shops within reach Wellingborough cycles and AJs are competent, Gorilla ( bit further to drive) is mainly road but full of pimp stuff and Grafham cycles have a decent range and mechanic.
if your mtbing as people have said – head to Woburn, Chicksands, Aston or Cannock- all 30 mins-60 mins drive.

I lived and worked within shouting distance of Northampton for years, never went there.

Ever.

It’s OK, but as above, you need to pick location well. If you need to stay central Semilong, St James’s and The Mounts are best avoided, Kingsley was always OK as was most of Kingsthorpe.

However, I’d agree with what has been said above, if you don’t need to be central, there are lots of really nice villages around that are worth looking at, Northamptonshire in general is really nice though I gather the nice villages are not cheap.

Oh, and avoid Wellingborough, Corby, Rushden, etc. not good at all.

The area is an MTB desert, great road riding around the local lanes and villages though!

Northampton is neither better or worse than any other comparable sized town in the UK – it’s got some good bits and all the bad bits of modern towns.
The surrounding area is relatively flat, but there’s loads of great countryside/bridleways and there is a thriving MTB scene with many formal and informal clubs that make the best of what’s available. The FNSS starts in a couple of months if social racing interests you, and if nothing else it’s well located for getting pretty much anywhere!

Defo agree with the sentiment that if you don’t need to be in Northampton Town centre, aim for the villages. Much nicer environment, if you’re looking up the A45 then there’s loads of nice places, I was living in Finedon when I worked in Northampton, and if I never visited the place again it’ll be too soon. Moved to Oundle so we were closer to my wifes family & childcare and its like night and day. The commute is longer but defo worth it.
Northampton as a large town is pretty good – Decent transport links, decent rugby team, ok footy team etc. If you want shopping MK is just down the road. The road riding is great, MTB is 1hr in the car for anything worth talking about (Except the FNSS which is ace of course…)

in one word?

average.

(it’s not a shithole, but neither does it have much/anything to brag about)

Where are you coming from? That might help us to judge your standards!

There’s a sustrans ex-railway track from Boughton to Market Harborough, a very pleasant ride. 7 mile cycle path around Pitsford reservoir. In town, probably Abingdon is a good area. Schools are a bit of a lottery. You will be blessed with excellent shoe factory shops (Crockett and Jones, Church’s, Cheaney’s) and the Richardson brothers put on some good live music in their various pubs and lots of other events in e.g. the Picturedrome. Avoid the eastern districts and be ready for some aggressive driving, there are some very wound-up people who own cars there.

IF you can afford to buy in one of the many small surrounds villages then it’s fine. I’ve lived on the east of northampton for 15 years and it’s ok. Don’t really every actually go into town. The best part for a MTBer is it’s very central, so within 2 hrs you can be in mid wales, the Peaks, Surrey Hills etc.

Great riding hidden away in the Woburn Backwoods just south of MK.

Like everywhere there are a few rough bits, but tbh, the Town has improved beyond all recognition since the late 1990’s, when parts were VERY rough indeed. I excpect house prices on the East side (welly, corby etc) to climb if they ever get the intended MK rail link in….)