Anyone in Holmfirth?

[rattlesnake]

Hello. We are off up North next week for a few days to look at property. Fed up with housing market down South...can now only afford a cardboard box! I have a 13 year old boy. What's it like for families? :)

I would say good for families but then I'm biased as from nearby village in Huddersfield and often stop at the shops,eat at the cafes etc in Holmfirth.Like everywhere it's getting busier,and 30,000 new homes are proposed for Huddersfield and the surrounding area in the next 15 years if the Local plan gets approval.The village I live in could increase by a third, taking in some lovely green belt.And worryingly the school places,doctors surgeries and infrastructure generally are not keeping pace .But that's a problem nationwide. In reality most of the proposed houses will be over the other side towards Halifax and Leeds.Not Holmfirth. So far the bigger developers have left that alone,and smaller builders are infilling.Having hills helps to stop sprawl!
The biggest downside for me recently has been Kirklees council,compared to nearby Calderdale and Wakefield they have been disappointing to say the least.I know a lot is to do with budget cuts,but friends in Halifax and Barnsley seem to get a better deal with bins,road gritting-very important around here !But again I may just be disgruntled as had to deal with them a fair bit recently!
Our DCs are adults now ,but have a few friends who went to Holmfirth High and I think it's still good a good reputation.It feeds into Greenhead College which not long ago was the top 6th form college in the country,and is still pretty good.But you've probably checked that out for your son.
There are plenty of local sports clubs including cricket,and a good tennis club in nearby Thongsbridge.
You can get pretty much anything you want in Holmfirth itself,and it still has a good selection of independent shops.Huddersfield Town centre is a mixed bag,with the Kingsgate Centre smarter and usual high street stores,but like a lot of towns now quite a few empty shops.The university is thriving though.And if your son is musical there is a lot going on with youth orchestras and choirs etc.The train services for Leeds ,Manchester and Sheffield are good,and as our DCs got older they often flipped over to the cities for gigs,days and nights out and shopping.
I'm not sure I'd class it as rural living though .I guess it's relative to where you are now? Holmfirth is like a small town in its own right now.Although you are quickly out into stunning Pennine and Peak District scenery, and it's great for walking.It will depend how far out of the centre the houses you are looking at .But to me you get the best of both worlds.Friendly big village/small town with amenities but countryside on the doorstep. Hope that's helped and good luck with your visit up North.Holmfirth is generally the most expensive part of Kirklees for houses,but compared to down south you will get a lot of house for your money.

I am also not in Holmfirth, but not far either. Its a toss use whether Holmfirth or Penistone is my nearest town.

Our DC are 6 and 9. We go to Holmfirth quite a lot, and have friends there. The DC ride with Holmfirth Cycling Club and use the tennis club at Thongsbridge (on the edge of Holmfirth). As the PP said, lots of stuff going on, lots of useful shops, easy access to both the Peak District and Huddersfield, and Sheffield and Manchester a little further afield. Also excellent gigs at the Picturedrome! There are always posters around for orchestras, choirs, music groups, sports groups, walking groups, hobby clubs, U3A, WI etc.

Holmfirth High is very good.

The only downsides -
1 - It has the coldest swimming pool in the world. (FACT!)
2 - The train station is actually a couple of miles away in Brockholes.

I plan to retire to one of the hill villages above "The Firth" , but at the moment, its just a little bit too far to work.