Place to live near Huddersfield thats decent?

Currently living ‘abroad’, need to be in Huddersfield for work by the end of the year, but most of the town seems like hard work.

Don’t need a big house or fancy, but do need garage, car, workspace sort of deal which most city flats and houses don’t have, most don’t seem to even have a parking space. Need to be able to unload my tools from vehicle every night, same for bike etc, so somewhere a bit smaller town, village or proper rural to the south or SE of Huddersfield probably seems right. Unloading tools and fancy MTB in a place like Hudders feels like it will be stolen very quickly.

Meltham, Holmfirth, Holme or Marsden sort of direction seems about right? Also has access to some hills, decent for biking about and running no?

Moving from a country where you can honestly leave your keys in your car or motorbike all day, locking your house door is pretty optional, bicycles don’t need locks at all ever, if your not sure about cost for an item you just open your wallet and the market lady just takes the exact correct amount (never ever had the wrong amount taken, trust is very strong here), fear of theft is non existent outside of some tourist traps, so coming back to possibly more problematic areas of the north is going to be an adjustment! I think having police that are actually allowed to do their job might have a small part to do with it, the swift baton of justice is strong in Vietnam for sure and it shows, but also just like many other east Asian societies, there is strong trust all around.

Add Golcar, Scapegoat, Outlane to your list + Slaithwaite

If you are brave enough to venture into Calderdale then Krumlin, Barkisland, Stainland, Sowood are nice

Basically any of the nice towns on the edge of Huddersfield will be nice enough

I’ve got friends in Honley. Lovely little village feel to it with a few nice bars and restaurants. I’d be happy round there.

Huddersfield is no different to anywhere else. Has it’s rough parts and has some lovely parts.

Slaithwate, Pole Moor, Scapegoat, Outlane, Scammonden all put you on the right side of Huddersfield to venture into some lovely riding.

+1 also for Calderdale, as there’s loads very close to Huddersfield that put you 10 minutes from Hudds town centre. Look at Stainland, Blackley, Sowood as examples.

I live 100 yards over the Hudds border into Calderdale and have some of the best riding on my doorstep.

I’m over the hill in Brighouse/Rastrick and love it. I’d argue that if you like techy trails from the door its better.

That said, the area’s you mention are great places to live and if your preference is for moorland riding its ace.

If you don’t mind driving to the trails then Wharncliffe isn’t too far from Huddersfield and you are closer to Greenfield and Ladybower.

I grew up in Holmfirth. It was a great place to ride – loads of trails on the doorstep and easy access to the Peak District.

It has some great pubs and is pretty vibrant these days on a weekend evening.

It’s also safe. I accidentally left my fancy mountain bikes out in the back yard a few times as a kid and nothing ever happened. I don’t remember anyone getting a bike nicked or broken into either.

Meltham is second best for riding and a bit rougher. Less to do of an evening. Marsden is weird but nice. Golcar is more attached to the main town and cheaper, you just have to ride a little farther to the trails on the canal. Honley is also nice but a bigger schlep to any decent riding, although it does have some woodsy stuff on the doorstep.

They’re all good places.

There are a lot of STWers in the area and I’m sure they’ll give you honest views of the area.

I’m in Stainland and it’s very nice.  You have a choice in this area. Live low down in the town in the shadow of the dark satanic mills and get no daylight in winter. Or like us, live half way up the hill where you get light but all the weather all of the time

💨☔☀️❄️🌨️☀️

Brighouse local here and tons of riding from the door step everything for steep tech & woods & moorland riding and the canal to link everything up if you fancy heading down to Hebden

Also towards Queensbury and all the riding over that way – lots of new stuff getting built in the shibden valley plus you earn your descents round here as plenty of climbing to earn them

Queensbury can be snowmageddon in winter

Shelley, Shepley, Holmfirth are all nice (and where I grew up)

I’m in Meltham and lived also in marsden, both great as both on outskirts and both the last village before the moors, so literally 500 yds and your on trails, good pubs/eating etc

My mate lived in Golcar and that seemed nice.

Marsden is weird but nice.

🤣

I’ve lived in Holmfirth for yonks and it’s great! Marsden is great too and has fab riding but further down the valley it’s a bit hit and miss. Slaithwaite (Slawit) is really nice these days.

Honley would be a good shout to be slightly closer to Hudds.

A lot of it comes down to what facilities you want around you. I love Scapegoat Hill for its views and its proximity to the great outdoors (moorland stuff right on the doorstep) but if you want a vibrant feel to your surrounding the recently improved Slaithwaite is starting to rival Marsden and Holmfirth for coffee shops, pubs and restaurants. The other advantage to this side of town is that you’re in striking distance of the motorway, and more importantly it’s just as quick to drop into Halifax as it is to go into Huddersfield, and the recent rejuvenation of Halifax Town Centre makes Huddersfield look very unappealing.

Get a map and draw a wedge shape between the A639, the A640, and the A62 as they fan out westwards from the M62. The sweetspot as so many have said is the cluster of villages either side of the A640.

Don’t discount the South side though, in fact all of the HD9 and HD8 postcodes (Meltham, Holmfirth to Shelley, Shepley, Kirkburton  Denby Dale and beyond) are great areas too.

+1 for the rejuvenation of Halifax. Grace Jones is playing in town tonight,  Blondie did two nights last week.  Limp Biskit only did Wembley and Halifax last year.
Great riding, probably the best natural trails in England, IMO.

Having said that, the Colne Valley does provide some decent stuff.

Grace Jones was awesome. Despite turning up late and occasionally wandering up  a verbal cul de sac, she was ace.

And thats coming from someone who had their doubts about paying £70 to watch someone’s granny…

It was quiet compared with Crowded House on Wed though.

But Rockhopper is right, wherever you choose, make sure its near a train line so you can get to Piece Hall, its 10 minutes for us and has become quite the joy. The whole town was buzzing in the sunshine last night 🙂

…HD resident jealously looks over at HX…

Excellent specific info! From not really knowing the area, but just scanning around google maps its hard to tell whats decent and whats to be avoided.

Seems like quite a few of you folks around there, originally from way more north than this area so never ridden in it, just occasionally driven through.

Weather not an issue, was back in UK a few weeks back and was expecting it to feel cold compared to VN but not 12-14c cold in June! Its all gonna be dark, grey, chilly and wet compared to what currently used to.

Saw Hebdon bridge has become a bit of a place but not a direct train into Huddersfield, so somewhere easy bike commute, train, bus or drive at the worst into town would be ideal.

Always found living up a steep hill or over the other side of a steep hill = less crime, less hassle, less people causing trouble. Theory, the difficult people of this world CBA walking up a steep hill to rob stuff.

I rode over the tops from HX6 to Marsden one morning last week – haven’t been there before, seemed a decent place. Another vote for the Piece Hall; I’m going to see Air on Wednesday. I’d be trying to avoid driving anywhere at the moment, though, particularly Halifax.

Slaithwaite Is getting better and better.

Holmfirth for coffee shops, pubs and restaurants

and vineyards!

As you can choose, if it were me, I’d base on it what kind of riding you are into so you can ride from the door. In general the area’s you have mentioned all feel like they are on the up.

Huddersfield isn’t as on the up as Halifax.

We love Rastrick/Brighouse as its close to the motorway, on the canal and on the railway line. Both Huddersfield and Halifax are 10 minutes way by train. Hebden and Wharncliffe roughly equidistant as is Greenfield. Ladybower a lot further but Cutgate not too far.

The riding from the doorstep can be a bit grim in winter but once it dries, the choice and level of tech on offer is amazing if you know where to look.

Its not ‘cool’ but we have some great beer on offer in some great pubs and if you like a rougher experience we have that too 🙂

As I said before, if you prefer XC, you can’t go wrong with the Huddersfield area’s you mentioned but I would choose somewhere near a rail line as its so handy and if you are that way I guess Manchester isn’t too far. We can get there from home and often use the train to get the airport.

Hebden is cool but expensive and a long way from the motorway.

Im a Huddersfield resident. There are good and bad places of all areas. yes HX is on the up but if you end up at lee mount youll know about it.

Ignorance is bliss. i like where i live but know someone was shot / stabbed around the corner!

Where is your work location? i would start working out from there.

Most of hudds / calderdale are accessible by bike so the difference between riding isnt that much of an issue as you can get to the different areas if you want to.

Draw a 2 mile circle around Huddersfield town centre and avoid anything in it would be my suggestion. Treat it like a war zone.

As others have said, the villages out from Honley towards Holmfirth are dead nice. Think Meltham is decent too and then some of the places in the valley toward Marsden although you can kiss goodbye to sunlight for 6 months of the year if you’re in the bottom of the valley. Out the other side, Flockton/Emley are nice as are the villages down around Denby Dale although I don’t think the riding is quite as good around there (done bits and its mostly BW type stuff).

If it were me I’d be looking at the villages between the Calder valley and M62 – Stainland (nicer than it sounds), Barkisland, Sowood, Holywell Green etc. Outlane is kinda ok but its not really got a centre – just a loooong row of houses along a road parallel to the M62. Southern fringes of Halifax aren’t bad either around Skircoat Green and Copley – my old neck of the woods… All the above has incredible riding on the doorstep. You can smile as you see the endless cars with bikes on the roofs passing by on the way to Hebden when they’re missing all the best stuff in the valley… Avoid Ainley Top roundabout at rush hour though and the 629 down into Huddersfield. If you’re in the villages mentioned above then there are options to get around it by going under the M62 and down through Lindley etc.

Loads of decent options.

I’ve lived in the centre of Holmfirth, New Mill, Brockholes, all part of the HD9 post code.

I would say Brockholes and Honley are great as you avoid the centre of Holmfirth traffic, getting through Holmfirth to get to Holmbridge etc can be a royal pain sometimes.

HD8 also worth a look, however the riding is better in HD9, I think.

Ah I see, so being north side of Holmfirth to avoid the bottle neck of it, gotcha.  Somewhere canal adjacent or close to would be ace, means a nice level ride with no cars into town, maybe slower than roads but less stress is the way to go.

Will look up Halifax as well, not been there in 15 years so probably nicer than it was!

Pubs are a rarity where we were and where we are now, bars are popular but not the same thing. Ability to park your wet muddy ass on a dog blanket and get a pint of something warm and malty whilst keeping an eye on your bike is the dream.

Sadly there is no canal past Aspley into the Holme Valley, if you want a canal then you want the Colne Valley.

If you want a train, then the Holme Valley up to about Thongsbridge is within walking distance.

I cant say in the Holme Valley I ever felt the need for a canal or to use the flat main road – everywhere you’re going to live will have some kind of hill to get back, it’s the nature of the place.

The commute along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is pretty straightforward, rideable from Town Centre to Marsden Tunnel End.

Road commuting from Scapegoat Hill to Town was also entertaining. It’s about 6 miles, all downhill on the way in (via Outlane and New Hey Road cos the downhill is actually steadier and the road more predictable ), and uphill all the way home………. Shorter, steeper route home via Manchester Rd and Milnsbridge, Golcar.

I’d stay in Vietnam if I was you!

Milnsbridge is not an area for the list of options

One of the best things about Holmfirth is the lack of train station. It mans it’s mostly visited by people who can be bothered to make the effort. Trains fill of p1ss heads on a Saturday afternoon would kill it. I used to live at Scape & whenever i went down to Slaithwaite on a sat night for a takeaway it was just full of stag do w@nkers on the ale trail.