Fancy a bit of a change (currently in Lancaster) plus I would like to be able to go biking from the door which i cant currently. I have friends in Hebden Bridge, and being a card carrying Guardianista 😉 it would seem to suit me, plus I think I can find work in Manchester/Leeds etc.

What’s it like to live there? I know my friends really like it.

Hebden Bridge has a lot going for it. Travel links are good, particularly with a car, and it has some great mountain biking, which is more important really! Ed Oxley, Great Rock tuition, Mojo Trail Diaries etc. lives in Hebden and Ragley do testing around here. Blazing Saddles is a really friendly shop, with good mechanics (insert cake based bribery) and decent prices for a LBS. Hebden as a non bike place is really good to live in, mixed crowd but mostly outdoorsy/artsy types. Some great pubs as well, all within reach of the Dales on the way home! Sounds like a good fit for you!

Thanks, kind of what I thought but nice to hear more views. Outdoorsy/artsy sounds good.

What are surrounding places like Tod like if I can’t afford to buy in Hebden Bridge itself?

most houses are tall on multi levels and the place is damp central.. parking is a mare very few places have off street parking . Tod stands out as the alternative .. far cheaper to buy exactly the same train links and mancs that bit closer has a proper supermarket/s and a cracking market..

Cheers, any downsides to Tod – bit less yoghurt weaver ish? 🙂

Any downsides? Hmmmmmmmmmmm…….

LOL.

Lesbian capital of the UK isn’t it.

And…

If you can find work in Leeds what about looking in the Saltair/Bingley area? Direct train links to Leeds in 15 mins or so, and fantastic riding from your door step.

… and seen as though its been mentioned above, Saltaire is has more than its fair share of Lesbians and gay men if that sort of thing floats your boat.

Oh and Hebden is witch capital too.

it rains, a lot and then some (though I was miles away in the next valley) and it’s full of ******* guardian readers.

Watch this first??

What’s it like to live there? I know my friends really like it.

Ask your friends ?

Hold on,ignore that .
Try asking a load of randoms on the interweb 😉

grum………you could become a ‘sweary northerner’……. 😆

Cheers folks. Will look into Bingley as well.

ton, I don’t have an Orange 5, would I still be welcome? 🙂

Ask your friends ?

Hold on,ignore that .
Try asking a load of randoms on the interweb

Well I’ve already talked to them about it obviously, just looking at other opinions.

Saltaire is nicer than Bingley…

you may have to grow a beard to fit in. 😉

great riding though!

grum – consider Brighouse too. Train links to Leeds & Manchester (and a direct service to London) and 5 mins to the M62. A bit rough round the edges in places (where isn’t!), but cheaper than Hebden if you’re looking to buy. Good pubs, some decent places to eat and some good riding all around.

Saltaire is nicer much more expensive than Bingley…

Personally I’d move more ‘inbetween’ to a location that offers close links to a motorway etc etc for future employment prospects.

I like Heptonstall however if I was to move ‘closeby’ it’d be to Outlane where I have family and there isn’t as much crime or grumpy **** locals. Plus its next to the M62 for links to Leeds or Manchester etc.

Brighouse as mentioned above is also close to the motorway.

Personally I’d move more ‘inbetween’ to a location that offers close links to a motorway etc etc for future employment prospects.

I like Heptonstall however if I was to move ‘closeby’ it’d be to Outlane where I have family and there isn’t as much crime or grumpy **** locals. Plus its next to the M62 for links to Leeds or Manchester etc.

Brighouse as mentioned above is also close to the motorway.

As a resident of Hebden Bridge, I’m delighted to hear this.

Please take him back. Please. Its long overdue. We’ve done our stint. Its only fair

Tod & HB not too bad.

Downsides;
Lots of banjo players.
Town centre pubs are rough, one or two ok.
Lots of outdated, racist attititudes.
High levels of violence, alcoholism, depression, suicide & drug abuse, due to the climate, unemployment & lack of sunlight.
A virgin in Tod is a girl who can run faster than her brother.
Very insular.
People stare and point at planes.
Traffic can be bad.
Hebden is stupidly expensive.
Flooding.

Upsides.
Plenty to do, lots of clubs & societies etc.
Active theatre & live music scene.
Couple of decent pubs, bars & restaurants.
Decent markets, though limited for shopping and expensive.
Good healthcare services.
Train links.
It’s very beautiful.
You’re never more than five minutes away from superb riding.
Great bike shops.

I’ve been here 20 years, looking to move, but can’t find anywhere at the moment I’d rather be.

‘We’? Binners you come from Warrington not Manchester. You don’t even live in Manchester 😆

Brant, I’m not on the dole who pretends to be poet/artist so I’m out 😉

Hebden is an unusual and interesting place for many reasons and the off road cycling is superb, arguably the best in the country before even the North York Moors. However traffic is terrible especially in summer and on bank holidays and I wouldn’t fancy being a road rider and living in Hebden as you’d be confined almost entirely to the valley bottom roads, which are rat runs.

(By contrast the Ribble Valley where I live is almost entirely agricultural so poor for off road but excellent for road riding.)

hebden/tod are shitholes

Ramsbottom is far better with added binners, brewery for locals and the lounge bar thingy.

Its where I’d be if I had the choice

Plum

he off road cycling is superb, arguably the best in the country

That is, quite frankly, bollarks. Good certainly, but best in the country? Not by a long, long way!

Come on then, where’s the best off road riding?

(Excluding Wales and Scotland, which are obviously both far better than England)

I would argue the Lakes is the best but it’s not really practical from a work/house price point of view.

Thanks for all the comments folks, keep it coming. 🙂

Lakes, Peak District, Surrey Hills 🙂

Needs a thread of it’s own really though 🙂

Shall I suggest Marsden, again…. 🙂
Guardianista’s – yes.
lesbians – a few
gay guys – a handful
(just ticking the previously supplied reference points off the list…)

Riding from door – check
Transport links – Railway station – check. Right on the A62 – check
Good pubs (incl. microbrewery) – Check
Good eating – we ‘need’ a curry house but otherwise, check
Sensible house prices – I reckon so…

Downsides – I live here but, other than that…. 😉
Oh – local LBS’ – I don’t use either – have tried but my approach of trying a place for smaller items 1st resulted in my feeling like i’d ruined their days internet browsing. Others, i know, disagree…

Thanks marsdenman, Marsden seems nice, I played at the jazz festival there once. I’m a wedding photographer though, so if I moved to marsden we might have beef!

I wouldn’t fancy being a road rider and living in Hebden as you’d be confined almost entirely to the valley bottom roads, which are rat runs.

Road bikes can go uphill, no?

The Tod road from Littleborough to Hebden and beyond is one of the most used by roadies in that part of the world, seeing Sat and Sun rides, chain gangs, club runs etc.

It also leads to the climb of Cragg Vale, the climb over Cliviger, the climb over Cock Hill, the roads up onto the moors over to Saddleworth, the climb/descent of Blackstone Edge, and so on.

It’s bloody paradise for road riding!

Out of interest,does anyone drive to Leeds from Hebden? We’re thinking of moving there but because I use a van load of stuff I have to drive. How long’s it take to get there with the valley bottom traffic in a morning?

Didn’t/don’t like it

Few locals on gear rave about it but I feel they don’t get around much 😉

Whole area is grim and you’ll end up with webbed feet

Road bikes can go uphill, no?

Yeah I was a bit puzzled by this – the hills are pretty fierce but I thought roadies were into that kind of thing.

Houns – what don’t you like?

What’s it like to live there?

I used to particulary enjoy the abuse from the drunks (/druggies) in the park. I lived there for a while and wasn’t sad to leave.

Some interesting reading…
http://www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/forum/2010/098.html
http://hebdenbridge.co.uk/news/2010/070.html
http://www.markpiggott.com/lostboys.htm

Plenty of lefties …

Main bit of advice is probably to stay out of the valley bottoms, same advice goes for Hebden, Tod and Rossendale (which also worth consideration and easy enough to get to workwise as well giving you decent access to the M65 corridor).

I live in Rossendale on the Calderdale border high up and I love, riding from the door, dramtic weather (often above the clouds or snow line) and great views. Plus a lot of people think it’s backside of nowhere (Ramsbottomites for example) so housing is even cheaper.

I’d move there (hebden Bridge). Done a bit of riding and really rate the place.
Lancaster is currently turning into an accomdodation block of the University (I live there too)
..and it can’t rain anymore than here either.

Watched a documentary called “shed your tears and walk away” about some folk in Hebden Bridge. Utterly tragic but perhaps an unfair reflection on the entire town.

crikey – Member

The Tod road from Littleborough to Hebden and beyond is one of the most used by roadies in that part of the world, seeing Sat and Sun rides, chain gangs, club runs etc.

It also leads to the climb of Cragg Vale, the climb over Cliviger, the climb over Cock Hill, the roads up onto the moors over to Saddleworth, the climb/descent of Blackstone Edge, and so on.

It’s bloody paradise for road riding!

Yep, it’s superb for road riding:
So much to go at, great variety, wonderful scenery, nice caffs.
Unless you’re some sort of freak who finds proper hills a bit scary.

the climb over Cliviger

Climb?!?, call that a climb?
Heptonstall, now THAT’S a climb 😀

Houns – Member
Whole area is grim and you’ll end up with webbed feet

So go on, tell us where you live then.

plumber – Member

hebden/tod are shitholes

Ramsbottom is far better with added binners, brewery for locals and the lounge bar thingy.
Ramsbottom is a pretentious, overpriced suburb of Bury, populated entirely by people needing easy access to a hairdresser that does highlights.
It’s Cheshire for people who can’t afford to live in Cheshire.