10+ years in Leeds and may be high-time for a move... if we can get our heads round some of the pragmatics. Commute from somewhere south of Summerbridge/just north of A59 to North of North Leeds will be about 15 miles/35 mins each way not bad. Getting closer to the detail, the big worry is childcare around school. Can anyone comment on how they manage living/schooling out of town with working in town? We are talking hamlet/village rather than towns like Otley or Pateley. We are currently spoilt with great nursery and childminder, and some flexibility with both of our hours.
Also, 3 kids 2,4 and 7 - we both believe a muddy upbringing will be far better than the current situation of running knife fights at the bottom of the hill... but what steps do you take to keep them engaged with society as they get older? Or are we running the risk of them leaving home at 8, 10 and 12? Whilst it has been a bit stabby near us of late, there is a lot in the way of community and wholesome activities for kids on the doorstep.
Be great to hear real world experiences!
We nearly moved to a village outside Harrogate but decided that as the children get older it would mean we would be continual taxis and the girls would feel isolated from their friends in town.
And I am not sure just where you will be commuting to, but trying to get around Harrogate at peak hours is a bloody nightmare so a 5 minute journey can take 20+ minutes.
Darley Primary is meant to be good though - but unfortunately my much-loved (by the children) auntie has just retired from her job there
We moved back towards town for the children’s benefit.
More children around, more things to do, can walk to friends easily.
Edge of town though, so they can still ride out easily enough.
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Different locale though. There is a relatively small period when a village location is worth having IMHO.
Commuting time is incorrect, I’d revisit that by doing the journey during rush hour there and back to get a feel.
Commute from cardale park to Leeds (via Otley) takes an hour in the morning....
What about moving to Otley/Ilkley ?
We live in Ilkley and commute to work in Leeds full time, kids are 10 (twins) and this is only manageable due to very flexible employer and great in school before and after school clubs.
I would have though anything more remote would be difficult to manage, especially with younger kids.
I would say we have the best of both worlds here on the edge of town with the ability to walk into town to do swimming and gymnastics or shopping and the ability to walk through the woods to the moor from the door. Otley, Skipton etc all have similar benefits that you can be on Skipton moor or the Chevin or in town quickly.
I was going to recommend Guiseley/Menston but then I remembered what a dog the A65 is in rush hour; I have no idea what the Wharfedale line trains are like in rush hour but in a couple of years Mrs_D will be doing just that.
We’re in Baildon, no direct trains to Leeds so a change at Guiseley or Shipley. Lovely place and, as it’s Bradford, houses etc are cheaper than Leeds. Still a pain getting into/out of Leeds in rush hour though
about 15 miles/35 mins
As bikebouy, that sounds very optimistic, from hampswaite to hornbeam park is 35-40 mins in a morning for my colleague.
My last run to Leeds in the am was 40 minutes from the office on Hornbeam to sandmoor to arrive for quarter to 8 and that's about as North Leeds as you can manage, the week before the same run took me an hour and 30, arriving at half nine.
Thanks all - good injection of reality! Just for clarity on the commute, we're talking somewhere near Darley to Bramhope, to arrive at 0745, leave at 5 so potential for wife's journey home to be a bit longer. I do the drive a fair bit already for various reasons, but outside of peak. I'm city centre, flexible hours, but also all over the country and scope to wfh. It does look like we can maintain existing school and childcare arrangements, but this will add up to more time in the car. Whilst we won't be short of things to do as a family if we do make the move, I am hearing massive impact on kids' social activities which could be the rub. We both have enjoyed childhood out of town, but there was also a bus...
Bramhope to Darley? At some point in rush hour, you have to cross Pool Bank. I can't imagine that being a pleasant experience.
Rachel
Plenty of kids around Darley, Summerbridge and Pately Bridge so no reason for them to be bored. A change of surroundings for sure but still stuff going on. Doesn’t seem to have done my friends kids any harm.
Pateley to Leeds (Meanwood) commuter here. I set off 7am and get in about 8am. Leaving much later can exponentially increase journey time but I think as long as I get away about 7 its acceptable. Wouldn't want to commute to the south side of the city though!
Bit too far (for me) to cycle.
Kids not old enough to be bored in fact if anything its all good - as stated above, plenty of other kids about.
Not known of any stabbings at the bottom of the road either so I know what I would prefer.
Sounds like an OK commute. The worst bit will be either crossing the bridge in Otley and getting up through town or finding your way through Pool.
As for rural stuff, it's a good life for kids of that age, you'll just have to be prepared for a bit of chauffering later on.
Darley/Dacre/Summerbridge all nice places, small hamlet apart from Summerbridge which is a bit bigger.. Pateley is really nice, I like it there. An hour into Leads before 8 seems about do-able for a commute but yeah, forgot about Pool Bank.
Unless you’d head over Skipton to get into Ilkley (longer commute and Skipton to navigate) or you’d pop past Menwith and over the moor to Otley, from there on i’m sketchy and depending on where you work etc. is the decision between Otley to Leeds or Skipton because you can’t go over the moors direct.
I was thinking about the Harrogate to Otley/Pool route whereby you’d catch the traffic in/out of Harrogate along the Leeds road, but yeah there are other routes, limited routes though.
Flexiable and WFH sounds good, you could work that in easy enough.
All in know about schools in nephews school at Beckwithshaw juniors and that’s a very small 35max school whereby you know everyone. That’s been a blessing for my nephews, plenty of friends and everyone knows/looks out for everyone else.. I’d hazard a guess most schools a similar, if a bit bigger (dunno)
Lovely area... well worth the move if it fits with work IMO.