Where Is The Best Place To Live In The Midlands?

I have lived all over the midlands over the past 20 years. I have lived in Birmingham, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and eventually I settled in Whitwick - which is near the place to avoid (Coalville). I can't begin to tell you how amazing this little village is. It sits bang in the middle of Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Nottingham and Birmingham is just a short hop away. East midlands airport is 15 minutes away. The M1 and M42 are both only about five minutes away. Whitwick itself has so many gems it is untrue. If you like mountain biking it has a completely natural wood with some amazing downhill segments - it is the best biking I have had outside of Scotland. We also go inline skating and Whitwick has an old railway line which has been paved and is nearly a mile long, lovely and flat for inline skating. If you fancy a day of peace and tranquility it has one of the largest practicing monestary's in the country and parts of it are open to the public. Better still, no-one knows it is here. It is in the heart of the National Forest, it has unspoilt lovely nature trails through the woods, it has several amazing bike trails. It also has one of the best gyms in the whole of Leicestershire, with four squash courts, tennis courts, nine hole golf course, steam rooms, full size swimming pool. This little village is amazing and I love it. Perhaps the best thing about it is that it is so close to Coalville the house prices are cheap.

Also if you are thinking of moving somewhere, always check out the crime statistics and you will find that Whitwick has a practically zero crime rate. It is also close to Ashby de la Zouch so if you fancy a bit of upmarket shopping then you can visit there - only 15 mins away :)

Not Birmingham. I mean, the Bullring is good and there's everything there you could want, but basically it's got some hugely deprived areas and a ruddy great big motorway (ALWAYS congested) running through it. Brum also has best night life in the region, most would say.

Leicester: too run down, although south of the city is fairly middle class, bit sleepy.

Nottingham is probably most people's favourite of the big cities, but high burglary rates.

Derby is reasonably nice in itself, and is on the edge of the peak district and therefore some wonderful (if crowded) countryside.

Market Harborough and the main towns of Northamptonshire are similar: nice enough, a bit sleepy. Loughborough is a bit better given the University influx of young people, money, student life.

Malvern and surrounding hills are almost magical; ditto Cannock Chase, although bit hemmed in by motorways.

Coalville: definitely avoid.

Leicestershire has excellent transport links to rest of country; hard to beat.

Villages you can get all sorts: Charnwood Forest is a bit of a hidden treasure, if you can afford it.