TBH not really afaik - it's quite a substantial distance between the sites. Buxton's got got's own set of halls of residence etc.
One of the guys on my course moved up to derby with his girlfriend in september then started on our course in Buxton in January, he commutes every day but he had to catch a bus at 7AM.
I'm not really in a typical situation myself as I'm a mature student with my own flat - I chose Derby cos I was interested in doing a course that was being run at Buxton which is quite near to where I already lived. I could ramble on about problems specific to Buxton, commuting or being a mature student but it wouldn't be relevant to what you'll find. The course I'm on is mostly mature students too so generally what I hear from them is the same sort of mature student - commute to college experience as I'm having.
It'll be different for you in Derby and staying in halls.
I have been to uni before and dropped out - I'd say Derby's good in that there's a lot of help with your study skills - research and academic writing. The lecturers recognise you around campus and call you by name (may just be a Buxton thing cos we're only small), you can get them to read your unfinished manuscript *once* before you hand it in and get some feedback (I assume this is a uni wide policy and not just buxton) - it's worth getting something down a few weeks before hand in and doing this as it'll get you higher marks and your improve your academic writing most people still seem to prefer having a traditional last minute panic though.
You can also get feedback off the tutor after your finished assignment has been marked which is again worth doing.
The assignment feedback policy is different and better than the other place I went and really helpful.
There's constant grumbling about the amount of tuition we're getting for our money - 9hrs timetabled 'facetime' per week for me - but that's not a problem that's specific to Derby, you'll see people all over TSR saying the same things about other places too.
Our opportunities are things like wild camping in Snowdonia last may - had frost all over my tent when I got up in the morning. There's a ski trip coming up (not bothered tbh), some winter outdoor survival in Scotland and some trekking in the Atlas mountains of Morocco.
The camping was £5 and I think the Morocco is about £400 (incl donkey to carry your gear)