Holmfirth

[Motherland88]

Hi all, we are still searching for a place to move to, and hoping for some views on Holmfirth. The scenery looks stunning, the schools seem fab and house availability/prices seem decent. Does anyone live there or know what the area is like for families? Is the secondary school good? We live in the south so would be totally new to the area and not know anyone. Thanks!

Oh. My nephews/nieces go out here a lot and seem to like it (20s/30s).

@RampantIvy

I like the sound of the Burmese restaurant *@Hoppinggreen*. I can get to Huddersfield easily. Off to google.

It’s called Manderley Absolutely fantastic

Sorry Manderlay

@Honeyroar

Oh. My nephews/nieces go out here a lot and seem to like it (20s/30s).

To be fair I’m old and last time I went out there on a Friday night I was terrified

I’d probably be the same! I live over the hill in the countryside outside Oldham- which makes Huddersfield look safe and sophisticated!

I live here. Both my children go to the secondary school. It's great and they are very happy.
Holmfirth is a great community, lots going on for all interests and all ages. Huddersfield is awful but we're close enough to Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester to avoid Hudds.

Weatherwise its no worse than anywhere else in the North and we personally love our cosy nights looking at the hills when the wind is roaring. House price wise it is one of the most desirable postcodes in Huddersfield but still cheaper than Ilkley, Skipton etc. There is very little on the market however....

Holmfirth is my nearest town (actually it might be Penistone, but there’s very little in it). 👋 @RampantIvy.

Holmfirth is a cracking little town, with good independent shops, live music, some decent restaurants and walking/cycling countryside in droves and all sorts of stuff going on. Food/art/folk/film festivals etc .

We don’t quite live close enough to go to school there but quite a number of my friends have had issues with Holmfirth High School. Some have managed to transfer to Honley High, and some to Shelley College.

It’s also not on the train. You can pick up the Sheffield - Huddersfield line at Brockholes, although that kind is only once an hour and unrealiable due to the singletrack viaduct at Denby Dale. It’s not badly served by buses. It’s big enough, but probably not quite big enough to get out of being a taxi driver for teenagers!! It’s a bit of a hike to the M1 too. Colleague who lives nearby in Netherthong reckons a good 30 mins in good traffic to M1 J39 for Leeds (then 40 mins plus).

Holmfirth Pool is also the coldest pool I think I’ve ever been to!

Handy cottage hospital.

House prices are relatively high locally, but pretty good value nationally and you get much more for your money than in Ilkley (Dale’s cost more than Peaks!).

Lots of family stuff going on.

In terms of what teenagers get up to, we live 5 mins walk from the centre, there's a big park with basketball court and football pitch, there's tennis clubs and cricket clubs also local. Lots of nice places for kids to get an ice cream or a milkshake. If they want to go further afield its bus into hudds and then train to leeds or manchester, or direct train from brockholes (5 mins drive from Holmfirth) to Meadowhall where there is also a cinema.

It’s also not on the train. You can pick up the Sheffield - Huddersfield line at Brockholes, although that line is only once an hour and unreliable due to the singletrack viaduct at Denby Dale

It's single track on most of the line. Trains can pass between Stocksmoor and Shepley, and at Penistone and Barnsley stations.

@Honeyroar

I’d probably be the same! I live over the hill in the countryside outside Oldham- which makes Huddersfield look safe and sophisticated!

I remember Butterfies and Smokies Palace in Oldham Relatively safe but certainly not sophisticated

allRampantIvy Thu 18-Nov-21 19:45:03
It’s also not on the train.

Anyone relocating from the South is going to be surprised at what counts for a train service in the North. The train from Brockholes to Sheffield takes 1 hour and 4 minutes to cover the 23 miles....average speed 22 mph.

Having lived in both areas, I would say Ilkley is much better than Holmfirth. But then the house prices do reflect this. I think the train station makes a big difference.

Thanks all, really appreciating your reflections.

Ibiza I don't suppose you know specifically what the issues were with the high school your friends had do you?

Also, interested Loka in why you liked Ilkley better, we loved ilkley but it would mean downsizing rather than upsizing for us as its so expensive, but would be great to know basically what made ilkley better for you than holmfirth or was it mainly the connection to Leeds? Thanks!

Love Holmfirth; really don't like Ilkley. Holmfirth is a real village with lots going on and a proper heart to it. Ilkley just feels like a bit of a soulless tourist destination IMO. It's all a bit Betty's tearoom, with house prices to match. Lovely walking and biking to be done around there, but then there is around Holmfirth too.

Greenhead has an excellent reputation and is very highly sought after.
Personally I would prefer Ilkey but it's considerably more expensive and the congestion is awful. I don't know Holmfirth well but have visited, it's very pretty if a bit dull seeming and there are lots of nice villages around Huddersfield with good value for money housing. Huddersfield itself though is grim.

The train from Brockholes to Sheffield takes 1 hour and 4 minutes to cover the 23 miles....average speed 22 mph.

I know. I use this railway line

Holmfirth is lovely and there are lots of nice villages scattered around in the countryside around Huddersfield which are cheaper to live in than Holmfirth. Marsden is great too and I've heard positive things about the local high school although Holmfirth High is one of the better ones in the area. 2 excellent sixth form colleges... new college is also very highly rated.

Holmfirth is very pretty and quite arty. Primaries and High school is good. Great walking and cycling country. JW Kaye's is the best hardware shop ever. Nice community run library, lots of events generally. But you would be in the hills and the weather in winter can be grim, it rains a lot and if you live high up eg Scholes, Hade Edge, Hepworth rather than in the valley bottom then snow can be a problem, only major bus routes are gritted. My teenager was bored to tears and now lives in a city! Agree with other posters about Huddersfield, it's best avoided

Thanks all, thats great to know. We are really drawn to arty places and the fact there is train station near of any description is great. So I'm hearing that huddersfield is not great, by that is it crime? Safety? Or just not many facilities? Like is it an area to actively avoid with the kids and would be dangerous or just a bit boring? Thanks!

Huddersfield isn't dangerous or anything, it's just a bit run down in the town centre.
There are decent facilities around and about though - eg a great climbing wall, a new leisure centre with wave pool etc, good parks with lots going on. And you're also only a short drive from Halifax and the revamped Piece Hall, which is amazing - esp if you're into "arty" type stuff.

Hudders is just a bit grotty with no nice shops really.
They keep trying but without any money to invest it just keeps getting worse
There are some beautiful old buildings hiding behind the awful 70s concrete and the Uni is great. There are a lot of ambitious plans but I can’t see them happening any time soon
I wouldn’t say it’s dangerous, just crap

Hopefully the Huddersfield food festival will return next year.

Agree with PP Huddersfield is just run down, a lot of empty shop units - it has not had any investment for years. That said, on the periphery there is a cinema decent leisure centre etc. Its not a dangerous place and there are some beautiful buildings but I honestly can't remember the last time i went as there is literally no reason to go...

@Motherland88 for me it is a lot about Ilkley being better as the main town I go to work in is Leeds, which is much nicer than when I worked in Huddersfield. I also feel is is safer and nicer town for my children. Masses of clubs and sports to join in with.

I also like that the river in Ilkley is accessible a bit like being by the seaside (though on a very hot day this can be a bit of a bad thing as masses of teenagers descend on the town to swim).

I like how busy it is, as it is a tourist town so plenty of footfall and things going on. Some wouldn’t like this aspect of the town.

Holmfirth in comparison is just not quite as busy and exciting for me. But less tourists if you would find those annoying. But these things are personal choice.

We downsized to move to Ilkley.

@Hoppinggreen wow, Butterflies! That brings back memories. And Ambition underneath. Happy days.