Considering applying for a job in the Skipton/Keighley area and would appreciate your thoughts before I do anything rash. Nice area to live/work/ride? (The idea of escaping to the Dales of a weekend is definitely attractive)

You’d be best speaking to troutie, he lives in silsden just on the outskirts of keighley. But great place to live and so handily placed for days out biking. My outlaws live in a small village in keighley lovely friendly people, and they still leave their front doors open!

I’ve lived and worked in the Keighley area for the last 22 years (sigh). Its tremendously varied. Keighley town has lots of less well off areas in it, and its not the sort of place I would want to spend too much time in late at night, but some of the villages around are really nice. Airedale is very much part of the Leeds/Bradford commuter belt – so lots of money around as well. (But Silsden is a bit boring if truth be told). Skipton calls itself the gateway to the dales – a nice market town. I live on the edge of Shipley Glen and have natural riding outside my door of the type that people travel hours to find.
Pick your spot to live and you’ll like it.

Colin

As Gowrie says, the surrounding villages are quite nice, but certain areas of Keighley are a bit down market. There always ssems to be traffic holdups getting into the centre but there is a dual carriageway down the airevalley or towards Skipton to speed you on your way. Aire Valley Cycles are a good outfit too.

I live in Shipley, otherside of the valley from Gowrie, have loads of trails from the door. And as you say, the dales are nearby 🙂

Skipton seems much nicer than Keighley in my limited experience. Lots of good riding near there too – only ridden much around Settle/Clapham area but there’s some nice stuff there.

I live in a village just outside Skipton. I can ride from my front door into the Dales, often do rides over to Weets Top and Mastiles Lane area, over Barden Moor towards Bolton Abbey etc. There is The Bike Shop in Skipton who seem pretty friendly, though to be honest I don’t go in that often as I go back to my old LBS in Ilkley JD Cycles as they know us.

I haden’t lived in a village before but everyone seems pretty friendly – we have fairly good local amenities – pub, shop, school etc. Skipton is alright for a few drinks, it seems to lack any decent places to eat in the centre but there are some good pubs that do fab food nearby.

If I want a big night out or to go shopping (I do this much less these days), I head into Leeds (last train home is just after 11pm).

I live on the outskirts of Skipton & it’s a great place to live. Can be a little busy in summer with tourists but you get used to that.

Great cycling from my doorstep and easy access to the dales & only 1:30 hours I can be in the lakes.

Some good pubs too especially if you like your real ales.

If you are in the area let me know and I’d be happy to take you out on a couple of local routes.

With regards to living in the Aire valley, I think it’s pretty decent. Bingley and Skipton are probably the nicest towns and have good access for all directions (apart from getting thru Bradford at rush hour). Crime is quite low (apart from Keighley centre maybe) and not too many Chavs. There’s good bus and railway access up and down the valley and into Bradford/Leeds. Lots of nice local countryside and in under 1 1/2 hours you can be in Peaks,Lakes,Dales,NY Moors. It’s only 2hrs to the scottish border and 2 hrs to Nth Wales.

For Riding, In Bingley, local doorstep riding must be one of the best in England and certainly there are lots of additinal places to ride only a short drive away in nearby valleys (calderdale/wharfedale). Stainburn is nearby for improving your skills.

As above, good area to live (apart from central Keighley) however if you have kids I would recommend Skipton because in general, Bradford secondary schools are very poor.

I live in Steeton, between keighley and skipton. It’s quiet but nice enough. Skipton is nice and has shops etc but is more expensive than most of the villages towards the Keighley end.
I’d avoid Keighley itself probably (although there are some nice places on the edges of town backing onto the moors). It’s a bit rough and crime ridden (I know someone who tried to open a bike shop theer recently but has had to close down as it got robbed and cleared out 3 or 4 times in a couple of months).

If you have a bit more money and don’t mind a little bit of extra travel (depending where you are working) Ilkley over the hill in wharfedale is great – nice town, good bike shop and top riding on the doorstep.

Brown, with a leg at each corner.

Like this:

^^^was tempted to do this too! grew up with these, they truly are mans best friend!

And nearby Gisburn Forest (1/2 hr from Skipton) is going to be the next big FC trail centre, soon. Volunteer and contractor building is going on right now laying lots of new trail as part of the Adrenalin Gateway project.

I’m in Baildon – (Just outside Shipley). As mentioned above loads of good natural trails, good rides on the road. The thing I like is it is very easy to have nice steady valley type rides/play or ‘cough your lungs out’ type climbs and rides. Not too far from every major riding area in the North. And if you want nightlife/shopping Leeds is not too far. Plenty of bike shops around.

The only downside about living in the Aire valley corridor is trafic. There are a couple of bottle necks that cause huge jams.

Can’t go too wrong!

Matthew

Stay away from Keighley, its a horrible place, other than that the Aire valley is a great place to live. Shipley/Saltaire is a complete bottle neck for traffic.

IMO the riding in the Aire valley is better than The Yorkshire Dales up the road.

Where abouts is the job? ie location

I agree with what others have said about Keighley town centre. Have a look around the area though as there are some nice villages about.
I live in Oxenhope about 10-15 mins drive from Keighley so close enough for shops but far enough away to be quiet. There’s some great places to ride too.

Brown, with a leg at each corner.

Like this:

Goddawful dogs, avoid at all costs!!!!!

Crikey! Kinda forgot to check back on this and didn’t expect so many replies – thanks everyone. I don’t think I’d let the odd rough area put me off (what town doesn’t have the odd crap estate?). From a brief scan on Rightmove the property prices look pretty good compared to where I am currently (darn sarf but not exactly stockbroker belt) – will have a more detailed look shortly.

riding is stunning – place is a step back in time of about forty years, with all the good and bad that brings

place is a step back in time of about forty years, with all the good and bad that brings

That’s complete bollocks of course, it’s absolutely no different to anywhere else in the country, and I should know, I’ve been to Leeds!, there’s no novelty in them airships and canal barges now.

place is a step back in time of about forty years

I think you may be thinking of Rossendale, over t’hill 😉

as said above, avoid Keighley town centre, but outlying villages & most areas up & down the Aire valley are fine.

And a train to that there Leeds only takes half an hour or so. They got rid of steam a while back, but forgot to do Keighley & the Worth Valley…

Yeah, them diesel/electric trains are really amazing technology. It’s the future, altho I don’t really see it catching on in certain parts of the valley.