Forum menu
Morning,
Later this year, around September, the girlfriend and I will be looking to move and Manchester is a possibility. I've got a job starting then pretty close to Picadilly station. She's starting a job in Buxton. I'm pretty keen to live in Manc itself but I don't think that'll be possible as she needs to drive to work. Yes, I've questioned whether she [i]needs[/i] to or not and she does. Sheffield is the other option as that's where she lives at the moment. I'm not keen on the commute though.
So, can anybody with knowledge of Manchester and its surroundings suggest any places to be looking to rent a place? Easy to get to the centre for me (bike/train/bus) and easy for her to get to Buxton.
Cheers in advance,
jon
I live in Altrincham and its good, especially for transport because of the trams as well as buses and trains. I suppose somewhere further round towards the east would be better though. Maybe somewhere like wilmslow (quite expensive though!). Or stockport area; marple is pretty nice. Depends on how much you want to spend. Bars are ok in didsbury but it's a "louder" place if that makes any sense.
Chorlton mate!! 20 min by bike to town centre, 5 min to motorway, loads of good bars & pubs, supermarkets, delhi's etc, couple of good local parks. generally a good vibe and a great place to live in manchester - better than (pretentious) didsbury. only downside is that there are no hills on the doorstep...
oh, and we'll have the tram soon but bus service is pretty good anyway.
Buxton?
Macclesfield maybe good for her, there is a train station for you, with a direct line into Manchester.
We're in Marple (South Manchester), Stockport. Riding from the front door, also on the edge of the Peaks.
Shopping is good, lots of local facilities, swimming pool, little cinema, theatre, 3 large parks, fantastic scenery, 2 train stations. Downside is there is only one real road in towards Manchester and Stockport.
Cheers guys. I'll have a look into the places you've mentioned.
Girlfriend has been banging on about [i]how[/i] we're going to find somewhere to live and that we don't know Manchester at all. I always knew where I could find some answers...
peachos is bang on. Chorlton's where its at
Buxton?
Tempting. But I'd at least like the option of being able to stay in "town" for a couple of beers with new colleagues to get to know them. Apparently at the place she's going to be working there's a few folk that live in Manc too.
Chorlton is good if you're young and trendy like Binners.
But if you like the quiet life, fresh air and going back in time to the 1950's then Marple is where it's at. We even have a supermarket.
Canals are nice too if you're into wildlife. I suspect Chorlton is a wee bit more expensive to live in than Marple.
Chorlton is nice but claiming it's not pretentious? Ha.
Marple looks nice and is on the right side of town, Stockport seems less nice.
Young and trendy? I haven't been called that for years. Well.... actually.... I've never been called trendy ever
New Mills, Marple (looking atthe map) so you are both equally inbetween- one of you doesnt have a nightmare commute?
Chorlton wouldnt be fair on your missus. Whats the traffic going out to Buxton initially? Is it against the flow- i.e. relatively light?
Stockport is another.
If shes getting the train though I'd say a flat in the centre 😉
Chorlton would be a nightmare surely for her?!!!
I live in New Mills which is about half way between Manc and Buxton, right on the train line - 25 mins to Buxton (or an easy ride/drive), about 35 into Manchester Piccadilly.
Admittedly New Mills doesn't have a huge amount going on but it's easy to get out into the Peaks and it's close enough to Manchester, Stockport and relatively easy access to the M60. Canal towpath will also take you right into Marple/Manchester if you want an off-road commute. Road riding is good round there too, out into the nice quiet roads of Cheshire.
Buxton has a train station IIRC on a direct line from Manchester
So many options! Cheers all!
Having had a quick look on rightmove Marple seems fairly reasonable to rent in (compared to York where I am now), especially between 2 of us.
She'll definitely be driving. She's a psychologist and will have to go out seeing "nutters" (my words, not hers) in the community and other local trusts. A flat in the centre would be ace but can't see that happening. Where would I keep the bikes anyway?? We'd need a 3 bed flat at least!
heaton moor is very nice (nice enough for us to move there) and has very good train links into piccadilly and to buxton (the station is called "heaton chapel" even though it's more like heaton moor).
you can ride off road into the peaks quite easily and 20 - 30 mins road riding gets you into some very nice places... 25 mins cycle into manchester as well.
marple is also nice. stockport centre is an awful place but there's lots of nice spots with stockport addresses.
[i]Buxton has a train station IIRC on a direct line from Manchester [/i]
It does but last train out of Manc is only about 10.45pm or so and it takes about an hour. Best staying closer to town IMHO and commuting out to Buxton.
1 and 2 beds are in over-supply (especially 1 beds) in the centre. 3beds arent though- so stoopid money.
If your GF is adamant on driving to Buxton then you don't want to be anywhere north of Hazel Grove as she will soon be suicidal doing the daily commute down the A6 due to the traffic. I'd second Marple as a good in-between place and it's easily commutable to Manc by bike or train. I'd move there myself if my oldest daughter wasn't already settled in a good school.
If your GF is adamant on driving to Buxton then you don't want to be anywhere north of Hazel Grove as she will soon be suicidal doing the daily commute down the A6 due to the traffic
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately she is adamant that she will have to drive.
Does anyone ride from Marple into the centre of Manc? I don't mind getting on t'train but would like to ride sometimes. Not sure anyone in the firm I'll be working at knows what lycra is but they'll soon learn 😉
Why is she adamant on driving when there is a train line?
That commute is bad enough when I lived there 20 yrs ago - I can't imagine its got any better
The traffic from Marple into manc will be utterly hellish> It'd be a lot easier heading in't t'other direction
Why is she adamant on driving when there is a train line?
because
She's a psychologist and will have to go out seeing "nutters" (my words, not hers) in the community and other local trusts.
It's part of her job unfortunately.
I definitely won't be driving though. Bike or train are my options.
Chorlton without a shadow of a doubt. It's got loads of unique independent bars, pubs, restaurants, shops, fiercely independent spirit, brilliant vibe, v friendly, handy for motorways, general transport links etc. Easy access to city centre. It's also on the doorstep of the Mersey Valley which is the green belt running right round S Manchester, with lots of places to ride your bike. c. 45 mins in the car to Hayfield, Calderdale, S Pennines, Lee Quarry Rivington etc etc. Handy for the airport. It's just an all round great place to live.
Main drawback compared with somewhere like York is the relatively high level of crime. Although it can seem quiet, there are hobgoblins constantly on the prowl and they'll take anything you leave in view unattended. But that applies to Manchester in general I suppose.
People move outside the M60 to die slowly in beige slacks!
Cheadle Hulme. Lovely place! Train station takes you into Picadilly.
Chorlton without a shadow of a doubt.
I take it you don't mean the Chorlton near Stoke-on-Trent?
As for the crime, I knew that was part of the deal with moving to Manchester. I fully expect to ahev all my belongings nicked and to be stabbed within the first week 😉
Arff Arff! Nope, nor Chorlton upon Medlock. We're talking Chorlton cum Hardy. That's Chorlton as in Chorlton and the Wheelies, cum as in "with" in viking, and Hardy as in whom Nelson wanted to get kissed by when he got shot. It's got the best kebab shop in Manchester too! 😉
marple to stockport off road takes about 40 mins (through the goyt valley) - that's the way i ride out to the peaks. not massively exciting but there are some nice bits tucked away. you can then ride off road through reddish vale etc to join the canal near the velodrome, so you're probably looking at close to 1.5 hours total off road commute (or you can just barge your way down the A6 into town like I do!)
chorlton might be nice, but i wouldn't fancy driving from there to buxton every day!
BUY MY HOUSE IN HALE
[i]"It's got the best kebab shop in Manchester too!"[/i]
Turkish Delight!
Snowslave _ I take it you're referring to the Turkish Delight. its worth moving to Chorlton for that alone. King-sized mixed please 🙂
Does anyone ride from Marple into the centre of Manc?
I live in Levenshulme so it's not my commute but I often cycle to Marple on my way out to the Peak on the roadie. There are plenty of routes of varying busyness traffic-wise, is about 8 miles and should take about 30-45 mins depending on how fit you are. It gets a bit hilly once you get outside the M60 but nothing major and it'll keep you fit. Also there are a number of off-road routes through places like Reddish Vale but I haven't done them so can't say much about them.
Don't dismiss living in Buxton itself - I have some friends who live there and its a very nice place. A proper town with a town centre and good access to the outdoors.
Duuno if you have kids or are intending any but part of the reason my friends moved to Buxton from Manchester was to have a better place for thier kids to grow up
Hale?? That's bleedin' miles away!
As for the cycling...I think I'll have to wait and see what the facilities are like at the office. Not sure if there's anything like a shower for me to use or even any bike storage.
Cheers,
jon
Chorlton without a shadow of a doubt. It's got loads of unique independent bars, pubs, restaurants, shops, fiercely independent spirit, brilliant vibe, v friendly, handy for motorways, general transport links etc.
You forgot to mention the painfully middle-class smugness. 😉
binners - Member
The traffic from Marple into manc will be utterly hellish> It'd be a lot easier heading in't t'other direction
wouldn't count on it. when we did some recording at chapel en le frith, we drove down at 9am or so. took us over an hour to get there from mine, it was a nightmare.
@guitarmanjon- yes, chorlton would be great for your commute and it's a good place to live for the reasons most of the others have already stated, but your gf wouldn't have much of a good time getting to work from here.
Thanks TJ. No kids but when that happens I'll bear it in mind. The main attraction for me about Buxton is where it's located for getting out on the bike and walking. Just quite fancy being a bit closer to Manchester for the first few months of a new job to get to know people in and around the job. Especially given it's my first proper job after having been a student for the last 8 years!
You forgot to mention the painfully middle-class smugness.
Ha aha aha aha aha...
Have a look at Disley - its where I spent most of my youth and got into Mountain biking. Train line direct to Picadilly and easy 20 min drive to Buxton with perhaps only 1 set of trafic lights ! More biking from the door than you wil probably ever need.
You forgot to mention the painfully middle-class smugness.
that's mostly a myth, but it's easy enough to avoid the smug element...
peachos is bang on. Chorlton's where its at
Chorlton? Scumbags. West Didsbury is where it's at.
Anyway, Guitarmanjon, you've had some good responses. The likes of New Mills would work very well for both Buxton and central Manchester. I have friends who live there, and they enjoy its community atmosphere.
Other places of similar ilk would be Chinley, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Glossop (careful, though, not many surnames round there 😉 ), Hayfield, Whaley Bridge. All quite rideable to Manchester.
I'm not sure Manchester itself (glorious though it is) is going to be hugely convenient for Mrs Guitarmanjon, if she's driving to Buxton, hence suggesting places more Peaksward, but still within striking distance of as close to civilisation as can be managed in The North(tm).
Oh, and all the riding is good round there.
Hale, Cheadle Hulme, Chorlton, Didsbury, The Heatons (*there are four areas of stockport called Heaton [i]something[/i] - Norris, Chapel, Moor and Mersey) are all well and good but as has been said, you need to avoid driving through Stockport in either direction if at all possible, it can be uttery hellish. Thus, I'd suggest looking at New Mills, Marple, High Lane, Poynton kind of area. All have direct rail links into Manchester, although I think Poynton may not have a direct link to Buxton.
Hazel Grove is the southern end of Stockport, it;'s another option but I'll be honest having lived there for 5 years, it's a ****hole. Macc is not too bad either.
Rod's a bit slow, it takes me 45 minutes to ride from Cheadle past his house into Marple. Getting from New Mills / Marple into Stockport off road is quite easy and there are a few different routes, but once you're inside the M60 the options are more limited - as far as I'm aware, the only reasonable route is along the canal towpath which is quite a long way round
If you see anyplaces you fancy on rightmove or the like, fee free to drop me a mail and I'll have a shufty and let you know what the area's like etc
Just thought, another decent place so far not mentioned is Whaley Bridge. 10-15 minute drive from Buxton, on a train line for access to Manc and bike-commutable as long as you don't mind the traffic on the A6. This is not to mention the fact that it's in the heart of the Peak with loads of biking both off and on-road. It even has its own Tesco and LBS, plus loads of pubs and a decent chippy.
The A6 is a total nightmare (especially the Fairfield Road bit into Buxton) in a morning and also the bit round Hazel Grove heading into Stockport but there are actually other roads that get around the worst of it, it's just a case of trialling the options during a few commutes until you get to find the decent shortcuts.
Didsbury/Cheadle/Cheadle Hulme are all nice areas and I liked Chorlton cum Hardy - a mate lived there during his PhD. not as convenient for public transport though. It's why I like New Mills, it's right on both the Manc - Buxton and Manc - Sheffield trainlines.
Cheers for the offer nbt...I'll be in touch in a couple of months!
Whaley Bridge was an option the gf mentioned. She has a couple of friends that live there already and they really like it.