Our beautiful village, Marple Bridge, has the best of both worlds. Just 25 minutes from the centre of Manchester (by train) and only a few minutes walk from open fields and the hills of the Peak District National Park. The small high street is full of history and is 5 minutes walk away, providing local shops, excellent restaurants, a cafe and three great pubs with log fires and beer gardens. The immediate area is very popular with ramblers, with varied walks along the canal, through the parks and following the maze of country footpaths. History buffs can visit archaeological digs, the Roman Lakes and impressive Victorian infrastructure, whilst there is a mountain biking centre, horse riding and golf courses close by. A couple of miles from our home is the small town of Marple which provides more shops, a supermarket, a popular old cinema, a theatre and other amenities. Further afield, Lyme Park (6 miles away) is one of the National Trusts flagship stately homes. We live on the Derbyshire border so the Blue John mines, Bakewell, Castleton, Buxton and the stunning Derbyshire countryside are all with easy reach.