Hey – i’m considering taking a job in the Peaks – In Bakewell to be precise. I don’t think I want to live in Bakewell itself, I’m thinking Matlock, chesterfield, or possibly out-skirts of sheffield.

Not neccasrily having to drive to trails is an attraction, as is having the road bike on real hills for a change!

Be good to have like minded riders nearby, few pubs, that sort of thing

Any suggestions?

hope i dont offend anyone by saying please avoid chesterfield! sheffield is nice, esp on the peaks side where it’s easy to get out of. nether edge, millhouses is easy to get out of town by road to bakewell, and add fulwood for easy bike access to the peaks, but a few more road twists to get to bakewell. where are you now? its ace up here!

Bakewell always looks OK to me. Live local and ride to work and then straight out the door after work and ride. Nice riding on and off road.

Few miles warm up and staedy climb up Beeley Moor from Beeley or do it from Rowsley. Used for National hill climb chamiponship in 2008.

A6 is slow and busy, or at least at weekend when I use it!

New Mills is where its at ! Great riding from your door, a 25 mins train ride into MCR and 35mins ish into Sheffield lots of friendly people I’d recommend it!

Sounds good so far – keep the suggestions coming!

I’ll be moving up from Surrey, so getting onto the hills from the front door certainly appeals

Sheffield side of the Peak rules, I’m 5 minutes from the hills on road or on muck.

If you’ve got kids, Bakewell has one of the best state schools in the country iirc.

I live in Nether Edge in Sheffield, but I’m moving in 2 weeks – to Nether Edge in Sheffield. You really can’t go wrong!

5 mins riding puts you on a trail right up into the peak

Buxton isn’t bad, has a bit more about it than most of the towns in & around the Peak.
I live in New Mills and (as dot says above ^^) it’s great for being easy access to Manchester, Buxton and Sheffield. Not sure I’d want to do the commute from here to Bakewell every day though…

South west corner of Sheffield takes some beating as suggested before. A lot of it is the pricy bit of the city so may be worth considering Woodseats, Meersbrook and Heeley as well, all still only a 20 minute ride from proper trails….

Bakewell has one of the best state schools in the country iirc

not since i left 8)

i’d look at s/w sheffield, especially Dore. Matlock is horrible, especially in summer when the tourists roll in.

there’s some nice villages and fairly isolated places to the SW of Bakewell

DO NOT live in Youlgrave though, odd place

and seconded to avoid Chesterfield, it’s an awful place

the way i suggest you think of ches vegas (chesterfield) is ex mining town. it’s not the worst but it’s not the best and it’ll be much cheaper than sheffield.
i’m n/w of sheffield (hillsborough) and bakewell is roughly 40 mins from the front door.
sheffield is a busy place with two universities and the associated students but the vibe is good and the number of students who come and then stay must say something about the place.
as for riding anywhere on the peak side of sheffield is spoiled by amazing natural trails, awesome road riding and then there’s wharncliffe too for man made gravity trails. (some of the natural stuff is better in my opinion).
sheffield also has some of the best sporting venues for things like climbing/bouldering/ice skating/athletics. i love the place, but hey i’m born and bred, strong int arm thick int ed (as me mother in law used to say)

Sheffield is indeed a king amongst cities

ta duck

Here’s good, I can vouch for it…

and seconded to avoid Chesterfield, it’s an awful place

Slightly harsh, I grew up in Chesterfield. Admittedly as a kid I couldn’t wait to leave, but that was largely just pining to go live in the mountains somewhere – which I still want! I miss it now. So ideally placed for some of the best riding I’ve ever done – slightly bias as local trails were our stomping ground as teenagers and have very fond memories, but you’re on the edge of the Peaks and can ride from your door for some epic Peak action or play trails. Bigger and better trails slightly further North around Sheffield, but never more than 30 mins away in the car or even epic-er epics.
There’s not a great deal happening in Chesterfield, but if you can afford to live in a decent area I’d say its a great spot to bring kids up. I would.

I don’t concure with crazy legs – Buxton is a poo hole – there’s nowt there though you are in the middle of some decent riding – I did actually live there for 26 years before going much further north. BUT if it was up to me – I’d plump for Bakewell or Sheffield – depends on how old you are.

Its a lovely place but I couldn’t live in Bakewell, its a **** nightmare to get in and out of on summer weekends. There are some nice enough villages to the west of Chesterfield. And Ashover south of Chesterfield is a nice village – good riding on the doorstep, yet close enough to the major amenities not to be a ball-ache.

Do you want village, town or city?

Cool, thanks all, this is giving me some good info for the recce 🙂

T-M-M, it’s the same conclusion i came too as well, i’ll want to be within 15 miles (ish) so riding in and out every day isn’t too much of a ballache. I’d say village or town, but outskirts of sheffield would be ok, don’t really want to go too far in though.

Cheers Jimmy, looks like just the type of place i’d like, but i’m not buying yet.

I work in the Peaks, connected to housing vaguely, know it fairly well.

I guess it depends where you are going to be working and/or commuting. Within the actual park boundary is expensive – especially Bakewell. And being in the Peak Park area can make any building/renovation planning approval a trifle awkward!

You also have to bear in mind that tourists clogging the place up at weekends and school holidays can take the edge of it a bit! Even quiet villages remoter villages can get chocka with walkers at weekends. And some of the villages are lacking in facilities. And there can be a lot of heavy quarry wagons around depending on where you are, which makes travelling slow, as well as very dirty!

New Mills itself is not a great place IMHO, though great places within easy reach of it. I’d prefer Chapel or Whaley Bridge, if you can afford it. Buxton is OK. I quite like Matlock. Glossop is decent enough if you are Manchester bound. Bakewell is too tourist prone. Within the National Park area itself, I love the Baslow/Curbar/Calver/Hathersage area, if you can afford it. I also like Youlgrave, though it can feel exposed up there.

Around the edges, Ashover is nice, as mentioned. There are some nice bits of Chesterfield on the Peak side, Dronfield is OK, but it gets rough on the M1 side in places. South of Matlock you are into the Derbyshire Dales – Belper is OK, nice villages nearby like Heage, the villages around Carsington, Crich. Duffield is nice but may be too far south for you.

All depends on budget, job location and commuting options – train or car or bike – and what facilities you want on your doorstep. Supermarkets don’t get planning permission in the National Park. (Not saying that’s a bad thing!)

FWIW, I live in a village near Ilkeston – 30 mins cycle to the centre of Nottingham or Derby, 1 hr road ride to Matlock, loads of bridleways on the doorstep. Great round here if you are a BNP supporter.

Happy to offer more opinions if you want them stephan dot wadey at virgin dot net

D’oh, just seen the job is in Bakewell…..

If you can afford it, that Baslow/Calver/Hathersage area will fit. Youlgrave is close. More or your money down towards Matlock and it’s not within the Peak Park boundary.

With any big relocation like that (we came up from Sussex) I’d suggest renting for a while to get a real feel for the area before you commit too soon.

Lady Manners is still a top state school, though Ecclesbourne at Duffield is catching it up.the locals will tell you the current regime is too lax – the kids never used to be allowed down into town at lunchtimes

Crookes in sheffield has done me well for 5 years 5 mins if that from the peak , good pubs, cobden view my favourite. Looking to move to the hope valley myself , used to work in Hathersage , so froggart or curbar (beautiful) and expensive or Bamford .