The location of Rothamsted Research in Harpenden makes it ideal for air, road, and rail travel. Luton and Heathrow airports are within easy reach and the road network of the M1, A1 and M25 are close by. Trains to central London (St Pancras station) take only 30 minutes,but being located in the Home Counties, means the cost of living varies to suit all budgets. Schools in Harpenden and surrounding areas are rated highly at both junior and senior levels.
Opportunities for sport and recreation in Harpenden, include the Harpenden Leisure Centre, two 18-hole golf clubs, the rugby club, cricket club, bowls, etc. Harpenden high street has a mix of chain stores, independent shops, and delicious restaurants.
Our 330 hectare site with a working farm, manor house, and an abundance of parks nearby gives abundant opportunities for cycling and walking. We have large, free car-parking facilities as well as leisure facilities on site including a gym, tennis courts, pavilion bar, and cricket pitch.
Staff can enjoy a 10% reduction in fees at the Local Busy Bees Nurseries located at Hatching Green and Leyton Road in Harpenden. Both are approximately a 2-minute car journey away. For more information see the Busy Bees website at: https://www.busybeeschildcare.co.uk/nursery/rothamsted
The Rothamsted Research North Wyke campus in Devon researches sustainable agriculture on grassland and livestock systems. Voted by Country Life readers as the ‘best place to live in England’, Devon boasts 450 miles of coastline , breath-taking views and plunging valleys.
The North Wyke estate boasts a 600-acre beef and sheep farm which includes the 150-acre North Wyke Farm Platform – a three-farm management system experiment giving you access to an unprecedented amount of data from its detailed analysis of water, soil, air, and productivity across the three systems.
In the summer volleyball is played daily on the lawn of the Manor House, and staff and visitors are free to enjoy a number of walks around the farm and surrounding woodland. Traffic is minimal and wildlife abundant. Inside, we offer table tennis and a small gym for those keen to work off the excesses of the fresh, home-cooked food provided every day by our wonderful caterers.
The site is 3 miles from the nearest town of Okehampton and 23 miles from the city of Exeter which both offer affordable living locations depending on whether you crave the vibrancy of a city, low in crime and high in quality of life, or the rural bliss afforded by the ruggedly beautiful Dartmoor National Park – one of two National Parks in Devon and right on the doorstep of the North Wyke campus.
85% of schools in Devon are rated outstanding or good, including the local state secondary school, Okehampton College, voted ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2014. Primary schools abound in many of the local villages, some with fewer than 30 pupils, others buzzing with 200 or more. All offer a sense of community, so important in rural areas.
