Where's nice to live near Alfreton?

[bevthebaker]

Hi, I'm thinking of taking a job in Alfreton, Derbyshire, but I don't know the area at all. Would anyone be able to give me some pointers for nice places to live within about 45 minutes' drive, please? I'd prefer a quiet location, perhaps a village? I'd thought Matlock might be good, but then I read somewhere that it's a mecca for motorbikes in the summer, so that put me off a bit. Any help would be very gratefully received. Thanks xx

Matlock and surrounding area are lovely. Don't be put off by the motorbikes, they tend to congregate at certain pubs and its generally a nice atmosphere anyway.

Matlock is wonderful, very hilly though. Don't live in Alfreton or Allenton. Chellaston is quite nice, not very rural but has good schools. What about Aston on Trent? School is good and it's a lovely little village.

There are some nice villages west of Alfreton. Crich is nice. The roads can be a real pita, esp in winter. If you go a little further than Matlock then you could get just inside the national park around Chatsworth which is less than 45 mins not during rush hour. I have no idea how long it would take in traffic.

Borrowash is a lovely village. There's also Sandiacre and Stapleford but this is just over the boarder into Nottinghamshire. They are not rural though but have great transport links into Derby and Nottingham and the property is cheap and the schools are not too bad.

Belper's nice, or Bakewell. I don't really like Matlock- it always makes me think of the seaside (in a bad way). There are quite a few nice villages dotted about and yes the run-down ex-mining villages too. Oh, and Alfreton itself is a dump.

The bikers go to Matlock Bath rather than Matlock.

I like Cromford. Nice villages include South Wingfield, Crich.

Road connections are better East so you could be further distance wise, without it being timewise.

Do you have a rough budget?

I don't think parts of Alfreton are too bad, compared to a lot of ex-mining villages in this area. The swimming pool is very nice.

Dh's parents lived in Underwood and that seemed a nice place to live tbh although that's Notts rather than Derbyshire but far closer than a lot of places in Derbyshire would be. I like Ashover, nice quiet village, great pubs serving good food and a real sense of community.

Thanks so much for all your tips. I'm thinking of renting somewhere to begin with - I haven't got any children yet, so schools aren't a concern at the moment. I just want to start my search in the 'nicer' areas. I'll be moving up from Devon, so I haven't got a clue where to start! You've really helped and if you have any more thoughts, I'd be everso grateful.

Know the area well as lived in this neck of the woods for about 15 years.

How about Ashover - very pretty, Wingerworth (much bigger with excellent primary schools and good for families), Baslow, Littleover, Darley Dale - basically almost anywhere toward the Peak Park.

Great, thanks so much. I've been having a look on rightmove at the places you've suggested. I'll most likely have to come up for a short stay so if anyone knows of a nice, clean B&B I'd be grateful. Thanks a lot - this is my first go on mumsnet and you've all been brilliantly helpful. Really appreciate your time - I'd be floundering without you. Xx

Bevthebaker -I just wondered if you made the move and where you settled as your post was a few years ago now. We are considering a move and in a similar situation, not knowing the area very well so any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Relocation

Derbyshire is a large area, start a new thread, tell us what you're dream list is and I'm sure we can help

It's a lovely county but maybe I'm biased, plenty of choice both rural and suburban but advice would have to be based on where you're planning to work

I'd swerve Alfreton too, it's not a great place and transport there - public and private - is going to be horrendous once (if) the HS2 work starts. How about Ambergate or Belper area? There are still reasonably priced houses in those places and some new building going on in Belper. It's a nice town too.

Ashover is lovely.

whiskyowl it is vey nice, smashing pub too, but not so great for public transport tho

Please pop this is above - r

wooly - yes, though this OP can drive! On the other thread about Alfreton they can't, so assuming that these are 2 threads by 2 different people. I was slightly confused for a bit as this is the first time I think there's been two threads about the place at once.

whiskyowl - oh bloody hell you're right! What are the chances of two threads about Alfreton in one day? Nobody ever talks about Alfreton.

I sit down. Yes, Ashover is a good place to live (and drink)

I know! It took me a while to figure it out too!!!

Has Alfreton been favourably featured in the Evening Standard or something?!

Was at a wedding in Ashover the weekend after last - lovely! Three pubs for one village that size isn't bad going.

They have a 'vintage lights festival' there, no idea what that is, must go sometime and find out. I hope the wedding was lovely. There are quite a few nice places around the edge of the National Park boundary that are just as nice as the towns and villages inside but benefit by being less well known and not having the NP hassles. I'm near one of them but I think folk are cottoning on and we are gradually losing the middle of the town to holiday houses which is problematic.

Oooh, you're lucky! Some of those villages are beautiful! It would be a shame if houses there all became underoccupied second homes, though. I'm on the western edge of Sheffield! Not quite as picturesque, but convenient.

Pros and cons. Pros and cons. Have a niece at uni in Sheffield, work colleagues who live in the 'burbs there, I think you've got a lot going on that I wish I was closer to.

It's a very, very easy place to live. Everything is really walkable, I can get around quickly by bus or bike, it feels tremendously safe (almost preternaturally, for a city), there are lovely pubs and restaurants within a stone's throw, yet I can do the long walk to Hathersage from my door on footpaths with only about 500m on a road, or be in London in 2 hours for a day out. It isn't particularly pretty - certainly not compared to the breathtaking scenery where you are - and (on the other side) sometimes I miss the buzz of a much larger city. Biggest downside? It rains FAR TOO MUCH!