Let's move to… Todmorden

Let's move to… Todmorden

What's going for it? Veg. Everywhere – on verges, on scraps of land, on playing fields and school borders. Fair few herbs, too. You can grab a tuft of rosemary en route to the station. The citizens of Tod have out-Fearnley-Whittingstalled the green-fingered, apple-cheeked Dorset gourmand himself. While Hugh's Landshare project has been trying to turn us all Good Life by marching us to impromptu allotments donated by landowners with a spare acre or two, Tod's turned the whole town into an allotment. Its Incredible Edible project is trying to make the town self-sufficient in food by 2018. Magnificent stuff! But even without the marrows, this former Yorkshire mill town's a stirring place, pinched by Pennine hills on all sides, spread liberally with lovely stone architecture and lived in by warm, community-minded people. If you're not green-fingered, there are credit unions to run, beer festivals to sup at, carnivals to organise and choral societies to chirp in.

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The case against Determinedly post-industrial. Dark and rainy. Traffic flows endless along the valley floor. Chronic slugs, too, I'm told. Bring salt.

Well connected? Go green: leave the car at home. That said, the M62's a half-hour away in Rochdale. Trains: to Manchester Victoria, three or so an hour, 30-40 minutes; to Leeds, two-three hourly, an hour; to Bradford, twice hourly, 30-40 minutes.

Schools Primaries: Walsden St Peter's is the pick – "good", says Ofsted, with some "outstanding" features; Todmorden CofE Junior and Infant is also "good". Secondaries: Todmorden High is "adequate", though standards "are rising".

Hang out at… The cafe at The Bear co-op, swapping slug-eradication tips over a fair trade decaf cappuccino.

Where to buy Really good period property, from 17th-century barns and 18th-century cotton warehouses to gorgeous stone cottages. Semi-rural positions up the slopes, like Lee Bottom Road, or Victorian villas and semis in the Hollins or Woodlands Ave, seem choicest. Stone terraces around Wellington and Victoria Roads are great value for four-beds.

Market values Big barn conversions, farmhouses or detached period houses, £450,000-£600,000. Three- or four-bedroom detacheds, £180,000 (two-bed period or three-bed modern) to £450,000. Semis, £150,000-£400,000. Terraces, £65,000-£250,000 (four-bed posh), though mostly £125,000-£180,000.

Bargain of the week Four-bed Victorian detached villa beside canal (with mooring rights), needing full modernisation, £168,000, with Anthony J Turner (01706 839595).

From the streets of Todmorden

Nichola Clarke "I love the atmosphere; we're slightly too far from administrative centres to be quite under control. The only bad thing: the local education system includes some grammar schools, so some opt for selection at age 11."

Christopher Furminger "Rendezvous cafe/bar is a comfortable place to enjoy great food, excellent coffee and locally brewed organic beer."

Nick Green "People talk to each other. It can be a bit bumbling at times, but there's a fantastic, vibrant can-do attitude: live here if you want to get stuck in."

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