Buxton/New Mills/Whaley Bridge

[TheFoldOx]

Looking to move with two children under seven to the Buxton, New Mills, Whaley Bridge area in 2022. Already done a lot of online research and we have some family connections in Stockport. But it'd be great to get the inside view from those who live there. Looking to spend

I don't have up to date info for you (moved away a while ago) but by way of a bump I can give you a fun fact that as you cycle into Whaley Bridge along the canal you go past the Swizzles factory and not only can you smell it coming (such fun for kids) you can see piles of sweets through the window, I always used to imagine umpa lumpas might be glimpsed if you were lucky.

Thanks, @TopCatsTopHat, that sounds great, if rather too tempting!

Not incredibly helpful I know but definitely avoid the smaller hamlet type places such as Dove Holes. They tend to be very insular and quite bleak in the winter months.

@HamCob we're not keen on Dove Holes! I take your point about the small villages, those in the valleys are more attractive than those on the open hills.

We moved to Buxton 5 years ago and love it. We also looked at Whaley Bridge, which we liked, but we wanted more amenities. On a day to day basis, there is everything you need in the town, plus its pretty and great walking. We love the pubs and brewery. Kids have fitted in well, good schools and extra curricula stuff.

Thanks, @FleawoodMac. Buxton's slightly larger size has attractions, so it's good to hear you have everything you need on a regular basis. The surrounding countryside is a big draw for us, but of course that doesn't help to narrow the choices down. Did you find it easy to get your children into the school(s) you wanted?

I grew up in Buxton - (long time ago now!) - but good schools, decent high street with cafes, some nice pubs around and easy access to the Peak District countryside, Chatsworth etc. also good train service to Manc/Stockport and bus service to Sheffield. Good range of extra curricular activities too for the kids, as I recall.

Not important but Swizzels is in New Mills not Whaley Bridge!

All are nice in my opinion, it depends what you're looking for really. Dove Holes is a lot nicer than it was but no shops etc. Buxton has the most going on but avoid Fairfield..

No! I have cycled to Whaley Bridge many times, and been by boat also, you go past the Swizzels factory. My friend nearly fell in she was looking at the sweets too much. I'm in zero doubt.
Either you're mistaken, or they have a second site, or offices in New Mills perhaps, I don't know about that. But I'm not wrong about the former unless it has relocated in the last 4 years-ish.

swizzels.com/in-the-community/

I live here! Definitely not wrong...it's one of the biggest employers in the area, everyone knows where it is.

The Internet also says New Mills for Swizzels. It was fun cycling past, maybe they caused too many people to fall in the canal and had to move 🤣 maybe they still have that site who knows, my finger is not on the pulse on this matter. I can confirm it has previously been in Whaley Bridge. 😏

Or is my geography really really bad. Maybe you cycle through New Mills to get to Whaley Bridge and I've compressed the journey in my head. In my minds eye it was the factory then, in a heartbeat, the pub (in WB).
Anyway, I've derailed this thread enough. As you were.

You would've cycled past the factory into WB. It's not moved, it's huge and right by the canal like you say. But it's not far on the bike so probably felt close to you. I'm definitely not wrong on this :)

Sorry for derailing your thread OP. Feel free to ask any questions about different areas, I know it quite well

Well we'll certainly make the effort to cycle past the factory!

@georgedawes no need to apologise, this is the kind of detail I like! New Mills is probably just shading it for me at the moment, partly because of likelihood of getting school places in a well performing primary (though of course that assessment is purely on paper, and school visits are always essential). I like the very easy access to the countryside from anywhere in NM, with it being that much smaller. Some very attractive houses within budget across the town, and I know there's a new development being started very soon just off Hayfield Road, so right by the Sett Valley Trail. Having the two stations for any future commute is also attractive.

Getting into first choice primary school (not our catchment one) was fine in Buxton. We are doing application for our youngest now and I know from talking to other parents that only 1 of the schools was oversubscribed last year (but it still took some out of catchment kids).

Can't really add much to the New Mills v Buxton debate as I haven't lived in the former. But my feeling is that NM is more of a commuter town for Manchester whereas Buxton is more a town in its own right.

Oh and swizzels is totally NM not WB!

Thanks, @FleawoodMac. The good thing with doing a transfer rather than a reception application is you now the numbers in each year already, so have a pretty good idea of the chances of success. On paper, Burbage Primary seems the pick of the Buxton schools, though quite heavily subscribed. Buxton infant and junior also look promising.

Yes that's what I hear about the New Mills schools!

Can't think of the development off the top of my head but I must drive past it every day! The other primary to consider just outside is Thornsett Primary.

Fwiw I like nm, it's got so many artists and makers now, it's a really interesting community with quite a lot going on for a town of its size. The Torrs is an absolute gem.

It's very hilly, and there's a couple of roads I wouldn't want to live on if I had a pram etc, but hardly a big issue. It also hasn't got any big supermarkets, but does have a decent coop and small Sainsbury's. Again, not a big deal!

The secondary school has a much improved reputation too, I'd prefer that to Buxton Community College, just based on feedback from friends.

@georgedawes thanks for the info. Thornsett Primary doesn't do well on paper, but again, there's much more to a school than this. It's also the nearest to the development I mentioned, called High Hills (on land between Hayfield Road and High Hills Road, but no machinery on site ye, I think). St George's and St Mary's primaries in New Mills look good, as does Hague Bar Primary - but this all without visiting them. Good to hear positive things about the secondary in NM too, as it'll only be a few years before we'll be looking at that in detail.

I know where you mean now for the housing development. I'm sure you know but Hague Bar is the other side of the town, and although it has a good reputation you'd have to drive past all the others to get there.

Can't comment on living there, but just to say I used to do consultancy at Swizzels (tech, not sweetie making) 20+ years ago and it was def in New Mills then. They also used to give me a huuuuuuuge back of sweets whenever I went :-)

I live locally and would recommend Buxton as a gorgeous bustling town with more amenities. However, you do get more for your money in Chapel-en-le-Frith. Whaley Bridge is very cute but expensive again. The Primaries you mentioned are good and so is St Anne's now. Secondaries trickier. In Buxton you have the big community school which is pretty average. Most if the year 6s from Burbage Primary don't go there. They travel down the A6 to Lady Manners which is outstanding. The other high school is a very small Catholic school which is oversubscribed. Chapel-en-le-Frith High has a very good reputation and takes in front the Chapel, Chinley (lovely village) and Whaley area but oversubscribed so doubtful for Buxton.

Yes Chapel high school very good, they have more spaces for next year apparently so catchment area will be wider.