Moving suggestions - Leeds area

Where do you need to get to commute-wise? Drive or train?

Scrub that, didn't see WFH.

In the spirit of recommending what you know, I've never regretted moving to Skipton. Good schools, nice town, reasonable property prices, good transport links to Leeds and Bradford. And obviously good riding from the door.

I think Otley is similarly well-regarded, but not so handy for the train, Ilkley is nice but pricier...

I'd suggest the best place to move Leeds to is the middle of the Atlantic.
🤪

Thanks, my missus works near bradford(Clayton) so another consideration!

Skipton is ace so a good place to start although prices have gone up a lot.

What about Wilsden, Cullingworth or Bingley? Close to your wife's work and with a better rep than Keighley, Shipley or Bradford? Bit further out to the Calder Valley? Plenty of good riding and not too big a commute.

Calderdale

As someone who lives in Otley and works in Bradford I'd recommend it. Commuting via car/bike is easy enough but public transport links aren't great. It does mean that as it's harder to leave but Otley still has decent shops, bars and restaurants compared to the surrounding places on the Wharfedale train line. House prices are similar to Horsforth though.

I've previously lived in Crosshills near Skipton and commuting into Bradford via car is a pain. The cheaper towns along the Aire valley range from ok to dreadful.

If you’re commuting into Leeds, then you’ll already know how hideous the A65 is, so I’d recommend somewhere on a train line.

Wharfedale line - Guiseley, Menston, Burley in Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding & Ilkley. All expensive but really nice places to be

Airedale line - Apperley Bridge, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley & out to Skipton. Of these I’d only recommend Apperley Bridge & Bingley, or out beyond Keighley.

I live in Baildon, which is lovely, but in between the two lines mentioned above, which means changing trains at Shipley or Guiseley. Only one an hour in each direction too.

Or you could go out east, between Leeds & York, but it’s flatter than today’s tea out there.

North you’ve really only got Pannal & Harrogate. Both nice, yes, but again, expensive.

South? Nope. Don’t go there. Wakefield, Batley, Dewsbury. Need I say any more?
Well, bits of Wakefield are ok but the city centre has seen better days

Apperley Bridge gets very busy with traffic and the Esholt sewage works can be quite pungent. There's decent riding on the doorstep though.

Thanks, my missus works near bradford(Clayton) so another consideration

I assume driving will be a must for that one. Brings Calderdale into play though.

I used to visit Morley quite a bit and that seemed like a nice area.

i live i rothwell. to be honest it isnt too bad. far enough away from city center so a nice ride in on canal. good schools to choose from. nice little village, with a few okish pubs.

and it seems quite a desirable place to live. house sell within days of em going up for sale.

Bingley is on a par with Horsforth imo and well connected by train to Leeds or Bradford. Journey time would be not that much different to Horsforth to Leeds It's big enough to provide your everyday needs without getting stuck in the Aire Valley traffic and that much nearer the dales or Calderdale.

Lived in Skipton for four years between 2015 and 2019. Nice place, great pubs, door-to-door MTB action not so great but some fantastic spots (including the Lakes) within driving distance and the South Dales road riding scene is very active if that's your thing. Only downside - the train into Leeds was a huge PITA. Northern were running the line at the time and there was always delays, cancellations, overcrowding, and those horrible Pacer trains. Housing within out budget was like gold dust so we ended up renting the whole time we were there. Not sure what the craic is now.

Ilkley and Otley are lovely. Ilkley better because of the train but depending on your budget - can be very expensive.

Calderdale should be on your list but location is important especially thinking about schools (secondary mainly). Get within the catchment area of a half decent secondary and you'll be fine. Get stuck in some kind of weird inbetween like we did and you're either stuck with sending your kids to one of two shit secondaries or playing the grammar school lottery.

Mint riding though - I do miss a lot about living there...

Apperley Bridge gets very busy with traffic

It does though the new junction is now finished and helping a bit.

the Esholt sewage works can be quite pungent

Not any more it's all sealed treatment plant now.

There’s decent riding on the doorstep though

Also true, it's pretty mad how many good loops can be accessed without needing a car especially the further north you are.

I grew up in Horsforth and lived in Ikley, Menston, Guiseley. Anywhere north of Horsforth is good as long as it is well connected. For me Otley is out though as there is no train and the bus is a pain. Baildon might be cheaper and still quite nice - I wouldn't move closer to Bradford then that though to Shitley I mean Shipley sorry that's what my mate who lives there calls it.

Baildon is a good shout, we have friends who moved out that way from Kirkstall a few years ago.

If you don't need the train, then Otley is an option.

If you want to stay around the perimeter of Leeds, might be worth looking at Cookridge/Holt Park/West Park/Alwoodly/parts of Meanwood/Bramhope, which may be a bit more affordable than Horsforth, with from the door access to good local trails.

Everywhere good is expensive I'm afraid.

Burley in wharfedale? Cheaper than ilkley. Also less posh (Ilkley way too posh for me!!!) but same train line.

Driving from there generally not as bad as the hell hole that is the Aire valley/west Leeds/east Bradford conurbation.

There are some nice spots on the Aire valley (e.g. Baildon, bits of bingley etc) but nowhere near as nice as wharfedale IMO

Riding and other outdoor adventures all very very good from wharfedale too.

Personally I'm in roundhay Leeds which is great for access to the city and transport links generally. Good riding from the door, but not quite as good as Aire valley or wharfedale round burley/Ilkley. Expensive like everywhere else nice tho.

East Leeds tends to be a bit better value than the northern/north western areas.

Garforth, Rothwell, and the surrounding villages are quite nice, and have decent schools.

And more importantly, there's plenty of bridleway/canal path xc riding around that area too. And good motorway links so better riding isn't that hard to get to.

From another thread title: what about silsden? Not sure on prices but I'm guessing it will be cheaper than Ilkley/ Burley.
Although Airedale it is just over the hill to wharfedale.
A short distance to get to train at steeton. Better riding than Skipton from there. Out of the Leeds/bradford conurbation so driving will be a lot better if heading north / north west.

Drove through it last week. Not particularly special but seemed fairly decent for a small town.

No idea on schools.

come to Ilkley. You'll never leave...

East Leeds tends to be a bit better value than the northern/north western areas.

It's cheaper.
I'm not sure it's better value.
Particularly if you like to MTB from the door on interesting technical terrain, options are much more limited from there IMO

come to Ilkley. You’ll never leave…

Is that because it’s full of pensioners?

Used to live in Bradford, glad to leave. Sister is in Otley which is lovely but misses the benefit a train station. But good biking from what I can work out and excellent schools (so the sister says).

Baildon is actually a pretty good shout. Again, near to countryside, Shipley Glen (great bouldering), a few decent pubs from memory too.

Nice size house, some neighbours a bit iffy 😉

Guiseley for the win - all the riding of Esholt, Shipley, Chevin, Baildon; road biking in Wharfedale; drop down to the canal to ride to Leeds or Skipton; Otley just over the hill (on ecargo) for the independent shops; Morrisons on the doorstep; Ilkley Moor within walking distance; not the traffic issues of Otley and Airedale; direct trains to Leeds and Bradford. 1 hour 30 to the Lakes; 1 hour to the North York Moors; 40 mins to Grassington.

Honestly for the work-life-travel balance we wouldn’t move. We talk about Otley a lot but it’s on the doorstep enough without the issues with the lack of trains.

Only issue it’s got expensive…our house value has gone up by >25% in 6.5 years. Cant comment on the schools.

If the travel doesn’t matter to you, I’d personally consider Otley, Skipton or Addingham.

Bradford postcode will be way cheaper property than leeds postcode, but then you pay more for car and house insurance

I would look at Baildon, great riding on the doorstep and not too difficult to leeds.

Guiseley

Is a good shout. Got friends over that way and it's well located for a lot of things.

I have to say, I don't really like Otley despite all the praise its getting here. Some pretty ropey estates and it's not very pretty. Also as mentioned transport can be a problem.

come to Ilkley. You’ll never leave…

Is that because it’s full of pensioners?

I do indeed feel relatively young and funky on the streets. Though the gravitational pull of Betty's is getting stronger...

(I was going to post the Royston Vasey pic, but more appropriate for Howarth - schools prob an issue - or H*bd*n)

Bradford postcode will be way cheaper property than leeds postcode

Not necessarily true as the BD postcode reaches out a long way, including Ilkley (or at least some of it) and Skipton.

Lived in Skipton for four years between 2015 and 2019. Nice place, great pubs, door-to-door MTB action not so great but some fantastic spots (including the Lakes) within driving distance and the South Dales road riding scene is very active if that’s your thing. Only downside – the train into Leeds was a huge PITA. Northern were running the line at the time and there was always delays, cancellations, overcrowding, and those horrible Pacer trains.

Pacers all gone now, trains are the same as you get from Ilkley unless you catch one of the few coming from the West.

Pacers all gone now

About bloody time, they are hateful things. They still exist on the York -> Harrogate -> Leeds line though 👿👿

I live in Woodlesford, and whilst not being great for techy riding from the door. The road and gravel/xc riding is good and there's lots of it, being right on the canal/river. Tow path into Leeds is now tarmac from Woodlesford, so commuting that way is great.

Other bonus of this area is being able to get on the motorway north, south, east or west in less than 5 minutes. Woodlesford also has a train station, trains are crap but it's only 1 stop and 8 minutes into Leeds and also on the line to Sheffield.

People just think of south Leeds being Middleton, bell isle or beeston, but places like Rothwell, Oulton and Woodlesford are nice Morley is decent as well. Then you got Garforth round the east side which has had a lot of development over recent years. Schools are good round this area generally, even Oulton Academy (formally Royds) where both my kids go is now a pretty good school and getting better.

I'd still love to move round to Ilkley sort of way though!

Cheers for the input. I do like the idea of being in Guiseley or Menston so Wharfedale way. Baildon feels a little cut off but also possibly an option as seems a bit cheaper. Otley traffic would do my nut I think, I've spent quite a bit of time queuing through there. Decent bike shop with Chevin cycles though!
Being able to catch a train into Leeds or Ilkely would be handy. Only issue seems to be lack of housing on the market but hoping that may pick up when we get into spring.

I always thought Menston/Burley was as expensive as Ilkley. Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong bits.

The traffic through Otley must get on your nerves if you're local.

Every time these questions are asked, anywhere, it's the same Baildon/Otley/Bingley stuff and other way it's Harrogate blah blah.

They're obviously nice places on the surface but they're also bloody nightmares that are packed full of traffic, overpriced, often twee, bugger all in the way of useful shops and then stuffed full of extra people & traffic at the weekend because people want to go there for the day for a look at the quaint shops & get buggered for a lunch - I just don't get it! Then again I don't understand why Horsforth is so expensive, it's just a mass of crossover roads, a Morrisons that makes you suicidal and its only redeeming feature is the canal where every other sod is that isn't in a car or trapped in Morrisons.

There are loads of lovely spots all around Leeds area, and the best way of finding them that aren't the same regurgitated places you'll read on the internet is to find them in person - I'm where I am because I came to rent a house here once and thought "blimey this is nice" - most people have never hear of it either yet it's 15 mins from Leeds/Bradford.

Anyhow, that's my miserable ****tery done for today.

Anyhow, that’s my miserable ****tiness done for today.

Don't worry. Farsley can do that to you 🙂

(just a guess)

Pacers all gone now

They still exist on the York -> Harrogate -> Leeds line though

No they don't - mostly they are much more modern trains (Turbostar) now or, very occasionally, older stock (the Sprinter I think). I haven't seen a Pacer for a few years and I commute Pannal > Leeds daily.

We've found a lovely house in a nice quiet street in Pudsey. Good transport links, plenty of amenities local. Plenty of spots about, just have a good mooch about and see what's there.

No they don’t – mostly they are much more modern trains (Turbostar) now or, very occasionally, older stock (the Sprinter I think). I haven’t seen a Pacer for a few years and I commute Pannal > Leeds daily.

Ah, my mistake - I was confusing the Pacer with the Sprinter. The Sprinters are pretty dire though.

The Sprinters are pretty dire though.

They are, it's the seating arrangement that makes them bad, they are very cramped and that silly 3 / 2 seating arrangement which is pointless as everyone just sits on the window or aisle seat and put bags on the middle seat.

Every time these questions are asked, anywhere, it’s the same Baildon/Otley/Bingley stuff and other way it’s Harrogate blah blah.

This, x100.

I live in LS25, born here, moved away, came back. We have subsequently moved from the near-Leeds edge (not far from the @ton and @ads678 bit ) to the far-from-Leeds, closer to Selby part. Compared to many of the places mentioned often when talking about Leeds its quieter, less condensed, low crime rate, cheaper, far easier to get onto a motorway... Yes its flatter and has no 'mountain biking' but theres lots of off-roading and bridleways etc. Colton and Garforth are the only bits that are 'busy' and the rest is mainly smaller villages.

It's pretty obvious responses are going to be weighted towards hillier postcodes because the majority of respondents are keen mountain bikers, who either started because they lived somewhere hilly or moved specifically to be near the hills.

The traffic through Otley must get on your nerves if you’re local.

It very much depends on which bit you live in. I refused to even consider living north of the river and ruled out the Cambridge estate because of the crappy access. Living on the east side it's easy to avoid most of the traffic if heading in any direction other than west, and even then there's much better options than the main cross roads in the centre.