The village has one pub (previously two until an incident caused the shutdown of the Royal Oak) a primary school, post office, a shop and takeaway.

The village has a number of gentle walks along the canal and through the countryside, popular with dog walkers.

There was a salt works at Rode Heath run by James Sutton (1799–1868), who was also a canal boat carrier and High Sheriff of Derbyshire.

Many of the original inhabitants of Thurlwood were canal-boat families and some of the older houses, such as those in Faram's Road, had stables for the horses that towed the boats.

Rode Heath and Thurlwood are now effectively joined, although the major 'link' and where you can see the end of one village lies on the southernmost lock.