To ask about Ashby de la Zouch?

[Didiusfalco]

Posting here for traffic as i noticed a few Ashby folk on the 'sneering' journo thread. Dh's job is relocating to the East Mids and because of the motorway network Ashby de la Zouch looks like a good option. So, one damp Sunday we went to have a look round. I feel umcertain about it and have a few questions, but would welcome any observations from people in the know.

Are the schools as good as they sound, are there any to be avoided or any parts of town to avoid?

Is the nearest a&e department in Burton?

Is the nearest train station Burton and what is the transport like for getting out of Ashby de la Zouch?

Is there a park with swings etc for children within the town - i cant seem to find one?

Is there much going on for children? Would teenagers be bored?

Are there paths that you can walk on out of town to open countryside?

Would you recommend living there?

TIA

Yes to Quorn, my Nannie and step-grandad run a pub there!! It's a lovely village.

Whatever you do, don't move to Derby (most of the areas are rough as anything)..

Ooh which pub notamummy10 ?

The Blacksmith Arms untilthecowsgohome

Sorry Untilthecowscomehome*

My cows come and go all the time

If Beeston is too urban, I think you'll struggle to get anything in Attenborough under 300K, Breaston may be a good option. Village feel with good schools.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39486615.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38628489.html

Or the next village across Draycott

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52617031.html

to be fair there doesn't seem to be much on the market at the mo :-/

Also re commute, I don't know how far north Notts hubby will be working, but I drive everyday for work M1 J25 to J27 then through to Mansfield town centre. Takes me 30 mins no traffic, 50 min traffic rush hour, and the traffic isn't the M1, its through Annesley to get to Mansfield!
J26 always seems to be a nighmare with tale backs up the slip road but it doesn't effect my commute as I drive past that queue further North! But if you're looking at somewhere where J26 would be where you need to get on/off, bare in mind it can be a nightmare junction at rush hours.

I live not far from Ashby and I think it is a lovely little town. Good schools restaurants and shops.

If you want nice villages, I like Repton - it also has a very good primary school. Ticknall is lovely, as is Melbourne. Both are easy to get to A50 / M1.

Not keen on Swad or Burton. Bretby is OK, but nothing much there.

Blimey Bogey thanks for that list - ill have to have a proper nose through those in the morning.

Im bearing in mind what is being said about the M1, the traffic sounds tricky. Thanks for the suggestions Ooo i suspect there is a disconnect between what we want from a house/area and what we can afford that needs to be got over.

Quorn looks lovely but rightmove would suggest we cant afford it. Really liked Melbourne but possibly a bit too small. Am i right in thinking Repton would be the same?

Repton is quite big for a village, but the school is bang in the centre with kids going back and forth all the time, which does sometimes affect traffic. Also as I said its a complete nightmare at school run times as the prep school is just over the road and the state primary only a wee bit away from that. You have to go through Willington and Repton to get to the A38/A50 from the surrounding areas so there is a lot of traffic, especially if the A38 is closed. I personally wouldnt want to live there due to that.

Oh I forgot ticknall!
There's also Sutton bonnington

Anyone suggested Melbourne?
Or breedon on the hill?

I live in Attenborough, we're happy here. We always use j26 for the m1 & takes about 15 mins along the a6002 from here. Transport links are great into the city and out into the Peaks. Meadow lane/college house lovely (and nice houses close by). Most go on to Chilwell but a fair few also to George Spencer/alderman white.

So you probably wouldn't recommend Repton then Bogey

I did like Melbourne Badders - lovely surrounding countryside too. Possibly a bit small and not much in our price range?

Thanks Raider Attenborough sounds nice but a pp has suggested our budget might not stretch to it.

Been having a look at the map - are either Burton Joyce or Belper worth considering?

Didius I wouldnt personally, no. My friends DD went to the state primary there and it was horrendous. She had to drive there due to being 6 miles away, but the parking was non existent so there was lots of cars just stopping in the middle of the road while the kids jumped out. And of course it being the aforementioned rat run to the A38/A50.

Melbourne is lovely, we have friends there, but it is very quiet and if you fancy going out somewhere a bit livelier then it will cost you a fortune in taxis. Thats why our friends hardly ever come out with us in Burton.

Dont know BJ or Belper, but I have always got the impression that Belper isnt great, my cousins aunt lived there and they hated going, thats all I can base that on :o

Thanks Bogey i did think perhaps someone would have already mentioned it if they were that great.

Crossing Repton off the list too.

Someone mentioned Breedon on the Hill. Can't say much about the village apart from there isn't much there to keep teenagers entertained. But on a fun note - Bree means hill & Don means hill.

So Breedon on the Hill actually means Hill Hill on the Hill.

Ha! I like it spaniel

I must say your earlier post convinced me to have another look at Ashby, heading up over the bank holiday and probably going to visit Caulke Abbey too, so thanks for mentioning!

Do you know if HS2 is passing on the other side of the A road by Packington? Can only find tiny maps online so couldn't be sure.

Burton Joyce is nice but quiet and SE Nottm where J26 is NW.

Burton Joyce is nice, I used to work near there.

We have friends to live in Belper, I think like most places it has good parts and bad parts but its not a place where you automatically think of it being a bad place. I think its a place that would be good for a family and on your budget you could get a decent house in a "nice" part of town.

The HS2 is meant to be entering at Appleby Magna and staying on the east side of the A42 until much further north of Ashby. I think it is in the farmland between Packington and the A42 and there have been some upset residents there because of this. If you are on the other side of Packington then it probably wouldn't be an issue.

If you are looking at HS2 corridor areas then I would be inclined to move further out initially and then wait before you move closer to it because you could end up buying now and ending up in negative equity. House prices have already been affected and that is only going to get worse as it gets closer to happening.

Thanks all thats really useful info - so Packington to be avoided then.

Sounds like Belper and Burton Joyce could be maybes depending on the commute - distance is shorter, but roads look smaller iyswim.

I don't know anything about the schools in Belper but both of my frineds who live there are teachers wih young kids so I'm sure they wouldn't live there if the schools were crap! Good Luck!

Thanks Ooo that's good to know.

Love that two bedroom lodge that Bogey linked to. Completely impractical for our family but absolutely lovely for someone.