I want to move to the Peak District, does anyone have any experience of the reality of living around there?

[OverMyDeadBody]

I need to escape, and I think that is where I want to go, but I don't want to live in central Sheffield.

Can anyone share their experiences? Where's nice? Where should I avoid?

What are schools like?

I was thinking somewhere around Chesterfield, but only becasue I drove through there yesterday! Ideally I'd like to be close to Froggatt or Stanage.

Tell me your experiences!

[janeite]

The bikers go to Matlock Bath rather than Matlock (they are next to each other, along the A6). Bakewell is lovely but I suspect the house prices might be high. Darley dale (in between Matlock and Bakewell) is fine and has more reasonably priced housing. Chesterfield is certainly not as nice as Matlock, Bakewell, Rowsley etc - don't know about the schools though.

Highfields (the secondary school in Matlock)was fine when I knew it but I don't know how it's changed in the last 20 years; Lady Manners in Bakewell has a good reputation:

Lady Manners

Deffo, deffo not Clay Cross.

[edam]

OI Hecate! That's my mother you are calling rough! (OK, she moved to a village near Dronfield after I'd left home... and being a middle aged lady scary rough stuff probably passes her by - she's not in the local on Friday nights. But still!)

[OverMyDeadBody]

sounds good!

[Hecate]

If you like rock climbing, you'd enjoy living in Matlock. Some of those bloody hills are practically vertical climbs!

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

Matlock has a good school (Highfields)

[Hecate]

Castleton and surrounds is also fab for walking, climbing, caving, jumping off mam tor with a parachute....

But you wouldn't want to live there. Far too many bloody tourists

[Pinkveto]

We are "posh" southeners, although hilariously Im actually from north yorkshire. Live in Sheffield, takes 20 mins to get to Ladybower. Lots of "migrants", many people come to uni here and then stay local as they climb/bike/walk/paraglide and Sheffield and area are fantastic for that.

[onlyjoking9329]

rowsley is very nice and has a lovely little school and it has caudwell mills which is a beautiful place and does fab fab food.

[avenanap]

No, there are all sorts around here. There's 12 000 students at the Uni so the locals are use to accents.

[OverMyDeadBody]

Right, I have just c &p'd this thread into word, and am going to go through it with a big map and lots of googling and upmystreeting and try to make a plan!

I like the sound of the nutter driving instructor!

Will people make fun of our southern accents though?

[OverMyDeadBody]

thanks pinkveto. I guess DS will enjoy the novelty of the snow anyway!

lol ahundredtimes, I'm not thinking of relocating there for ever, just a few years maybe!

[OverMyDeadBody]

hank you squilly, lots of good advice!

I have to move, so I might as well get away from these bloody flat fens and be somewhere with a bit more variety!

[allgonebellyup]

i used to live on the edge of Sheffield (Beauchief, v posh) and its right on the doorstop of the peak district..absolutely lovely!!!
Didnt want to leave !

[OverMyDeadBody]

Thank you Hecate, I will seriously consider your offer!

[avenanap]

There are sme nice mnetters in Derbyshire .

[Hecate]

I can recommend a FANTASTIC instructor in Chesterfield. He taught me, his pass-first-time rate is amazing and he's a total nutter (in a good way!)

[avenanap]

Wirksworth's nice. The exmil lives near there. They have a lovely farmers market, it's very quaint. Ashbourne is lovely but I don't know anything about the schools. The nearest supermarket to Wirksworth is in Belper by the way. All are accessible by bus. Derby's not bad. The rent's are cheap, you can take your pick of schools some areas are to be avoided though!), the locals are friendly, the museums are good and have activities for the children in the hoildays (not many though), they don't change the displays very often though. It's a bus ride away from the peak district, has a pool in the city centre, loads of pubs, a theatre, they have just built a cinema or 4 which is cheap in the day. Wirksworth leisure centre has a climbing wall, there's also one in Derby. There's a massive park just outside the city centre (boating lake, ducks, adventure playground, crazy golf, donkeys, steam train). kedleston hall's not to far away (a mile) if you like dragging your dc around a old house. Nottingham's 15 mins on the train. There's gullivers kingdom in Matlock. Not alot for the children to do though.

[ahundredtimes]

We lived in Wirksworth. [cricks neck, reaches for wine, stares out window]

It's probably got everything you want, if you like that sort of thing. Doctors, school, library, bakery, a market, an arts festival, cafes etc.

But I do think you should put 'escape' quite high up on your list, sorry, I mean driving lessons.

[drinks wine fast]

[Pinkveto]

Oh, and its proper rural, I know someone who because he has to be able to get into work at all hours travels about in a landy with a chainsaw in the back.

Frequent snow, sometimes into April in the high peak - whenever you hear "snake pass and the A628 closed" on the traffic reports those are the two high roads over the peak.

Glorious glorious mountain biking though in those conditions.

[squilly]

I'm in Sheffield...south west of the city and very green, considering how close we are to the amenities.

The peak is about 7 minutes drive from my house; the city about the same on a weekday after rush hour, but traffic's appalling most of the time into the city a/m, out of it p/m.

I see the appeal of the hills and the green, but I get all that in the city, so don't feel the urge to go more rural.

I come originally from Birmingham and I really felt the difference in the cold/rain situation. It snowed really badly one winter soon after I moved and I couldn't believe how cold it got! After 18 years, though, I'm finally acclimatised to the northern weather. Either that, or my 'time of life' hot flushes have kicked in Either way, it's working for me!

I sometimes get tempted by the cheaper properties on the edges of the city, Dronfield, Chesterfield, Whittington, etc, as they look beautiful on a sunny day. I'd miss my urban-ness, though. Great buses, great shops, lots to do.

I envy you though. It'll be a cold day in Hell before we move again and even then I suspect it will only be from one part of the city to another. The thought of flitting to the countryside is romantically appealing, even if the reality really wouldn't suit us!

Good luck with the moving...and I'd suggest that driving would probably be a life-saver of a skill in the Peaks, so get those lessons booked!

[Pinkveto]

Matlock is a serious honeypot, I'd avoid really.

Trainline good suggestion, or you could look on the manchester side - glossop etc although I dont know what the rocks like over there.

[Hecate]

Yes. It's colder than the south.

[Hecate]

I live in the dales.

It is LOVELY.

Buses can be a bitch!

Matlock is a TOWN! Everything is there! No problems at all, it's not what I'd call rural!

Chesterfield is rough! Not pretty at all and some bits are awful. Not somewhere I'd recommend. If you don't live there you can see nice bits but trust me, it is not nice to live in (I used to live there!)

Dronfield is not nice. Nor is Clay Cross or Cresswell. Clowne used to be but it's really got horrible recently.

If you want to be close to rock climbing - move to Hathersage! It's also got a train station - line runs through grindleford, bamford etc, it's the sheffield to manchester line, I think (never use it myself).

Bakewell is great. Very nice.

Oh, everywhere is lovely round here!

And I'm here too............

You know what. If you seriously want to move, you are very welcome to come and visit me. I will drive you round the area and you can get a feel for it? It's a genuine offer.

[OverMyDeadBody]

thank you lulu!

Is it a lot colder and wetter than the south? Will it be a shock to me?

[lulurose]

I'm from Derby originally, good transport links. Duffield and Wirksworth are lovely, excellent schools in both. Parents live in Matlock: pool, supermarkets, lovely walks and beautiful scenery. We love visiting. How exciting, I wish we could move back but my husband is a die hard southerner!