[Closed] Whats Lancashire like?

Its bloody great! lots of nice place to live, small village etc

Thats a big area you are covering there.

I've been to Blackburn and Bolton for the footy. Bolton is the nicer of the two ime, Blackburn is a proper crap hole. The country side looked nice. They talk a bit funny mind, oh and it's always raining.

I live in Norden village, about 10-15 mins from Rochdale train station but perfect for riding, everything is right on your doorstep including the new Lee Quarry trails just over the tops about 20-30 minutes ride up and over Rooley Moor road.

Don't live in Burnley I've been there and it's crap..

Preston's nice though

It always rains

Rochdale is a ****hole - Lived there for about 14 months last year. Bury isn't much nicer.
There are nice smaller villages around, Norden as mentioned above, Summerseat is nice too. Ramsbottom is also worth a look

Horwich near Bolton is nice enough, and has some small villages nearby that are very nice. It's also right next to Rivington for riding 🙂

There's a few stations in the area, all on the same Preston-Manchester line, so it's easy to get places if you're car less or don't commute by car.

grew up in rochdale. the actual towns are ok, but a bit rough really (i'm talking CBD, inner suburbs) but they also all have really nice outer suburbs surrounded by hills!

It is true about it always raining - its not got the greatest amount of rain a year but the most days when it rains.

Some nice villages in the area - and some dumps!

If you like rain and incomprehensible locals who say like at the end of every sentence, fill your boots!

Thanks guys! Not sure where we will be living yet. It depends on where I can get a job as the bf is flexibile as long as its in Lancashire / Cumbria. I know its a huge area and ideally we'd go to Kendal but it seems as though the best places to get work for me are Preston, Bolton, Blackburn, Rochdale, Blackpool.... We're moving from Sheff and the Peak District and ideally it would be nice to find somewhere that is close to riding, climbing and kayaking. We're looking for a nice village with a good train line to the towns above or maybe even Manchester.

don't tell people you're from yorkshire.

It is true about it always raining

What kind of work are you looking for?

I think the main consideration is that many small towns in lancashire had industry in the past that is no longer there. So you can get situations where there are lots of people and few jobs. Even though places can look pretty, things can go down hill pretty fast and socially be worse than the bigger cities as a place to live. Some places have ended up with a bad reputation for drugs and crime which doesn't help the towns recover.

I don't want to be negative but would choose very carefully.

i am no longer scared of death, it will either be just like sleeping, or i'll go to heaven (which i hear is nice at this time of year), or i'll go to hell, which will be merely an inconvenience when compared to living in Lancashire.

Bury is especially awfull - Picture in your mind, a small town you are familiar with, somewhere really crap. somewhere you wouldn't go back to, ever.

Now imagine that the highstreet suffered sustained shelling with incendiary explosives.

now imagine that the fires have burned out, and it's raining hard. a few survivors are trying to pick a living out of the rubble.

what you now have in mind is an accurate vision of Bury town centre.
(yes, i lived there, and i left as quickly as possible)

Rochdale is even worse.

(edit, i've just seen that you're moving from Sheffield, crumbs...)

I've worked and travelled alot in that area and tbh most of the towns you mention are horrible and depressing, full of chavs and pikeys (in my view), I think Preston was OK. However, there are lots of nice bits round the edges and nice villages. Ramsbottom was ok (Iworked there for 2 years) and some parts of Bolton, Clitheroe etc and the whalley? area around Blackburn is nice from what I recall.

But overall there did seem to be a larger than normal proportion of ruff oiks! 😉

and ignore people talking out of there arses

I agree with Horwich - 30 mins from Bolton or Wigan for work, regular(ish) trains on the aforementioned Manc-Preston line. Chorley's another option, as is Adlington. I escaped to North Wales 8 years ago, but my g/f's just about to move to Belmont, which is brilliant, but somewhat lacking in trains...

I'm not from Yorkshire (I'm a southerner) but do love living here!
I'm looking to re-train but I am a part qualified accountant so will be looking for that sort of work initially.
We have spent a couple of weekends driving around Lancashire / Cumbria. I did find all the towns I mentioned a bit depressing.. but they seem like the best places to get a job. I have been on the lookout for work for the last 2-3 weeks and its pretty dead out there.

Areas around Chorley are nice IMO- lots of riding to be had, good transport links, M61 & M6 plus good train service

I'm prob biased as moved up here just over a year ago, but very happy so far

Garstang?

We're looking for a nice village with a good train line to the towns above or maybe even Manchester.

[url= http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=bromley+cross&cr=countryUK|countryGB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=uk&ei=aqUKSr20J4asjAfQiu2UCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1 ]Bromley Cross[/url] is the answer - I grew up there.

But TBH I'd hold out for a move to Kendal. It is far nicer. Oh and Horwich is OK, but only OK IMHO.

Another one for Horwich, I have lived here for 3 years, mint for mountain biking, road work as well, some climbing also.

😆

could always consider Todmorden and Hebden Bridge - still in Yorkshire, trainline through to Manchester or Leeds.

Bury has the Metro to Manchester - but has big traffic problems on the surrounding roads to the town centre.

Bolton - again train direct to manchester.

rossendale (Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Bacup) is nice, has a bit of a bad rep. but it is nice round here. no trainline except the historic railway to bury.

I grew up In Ramsbottom - I think it's a good choice, as it has brilliant access to the countryside (loads of MTBing, decentish pubs & restaurants, plus is reasonably close to Manchester.

Don't know if you have kids, but the schools in Ramsbottom are generally good.

Quite a few nice places around Preston. The motorway links are excellent - but the traffic can be an absolute b*stard at peak times.

You've got easy access to the Lakes, Rivington etc etc

interesting to see th eold prejudices of people who see a few terrace houses and can only see slums for some reason.
Like any area the bigger towns (biry and Rochdale are inManchester BTW) Preston, Blackburn , Burnley have their areas I would not want to live in but also have plenty of nice areas to live in.
The smaller are mainly nice and its rough areas are not like big city rough just poor /downtrodden
Riding is reasonable/good but not spectacular including Rivvington , Todmorden mary townley loop but is mainly moors rather than mountains.
Stick to the west for driving links via M6 and M61
Active amount of STW on here as well so easy to meet riding partners etc.
Generally friendly folk but from mainly working class backgrounds but now we all work in offices as they closed the mills and other stuff we think we are middle class now 😆
Chorley resident for me waves to fellow posters most of whom I have met at some point

Thanks for all the info!

No kids.

I'd support the general drift of comments here. The rural areas outside some of these towns can be really charming, dahlink. Think Trough of Bowland for eg (Chipping, Clitheroe) - stunning wild country, some v challenging biking if you look for it. But if your hub is going to be a medium sized Lancashire town, most have their challenges to get your head around.

Preston is probably the biggest and most thriving hub outside Manchester, but see others comments re sophistication generally. The relatively large student population here is good cos it introduces the concept that people exist outside the town/city itself, and they can serve as a decoy if you're out on a Friday night - they'll probably get hit before you do. Learn to say "Buuuurrrrnaaarrrrnurrr" - really slowly. That's banana, and will help you pass off as a local.

The other towns all feel like smaller versions of Preston - quite similar in many respects, and probably more run down generally, apart from maybe Bolton. Much pointing at planes and cousin loving... Blackpool is worth singling out as the pits, although some of the outlying villages can be ok - v flat place though if that matters.

If you're going to live in the urban areas, I'd defo go for Manchester rather than the other towns. It's a different world.

you could have a look around the saddleworth area. good connections in & out of manchester & really nice villages (with at least one good bike shop). Have a look at Diggle, Denshaw, Delph, Greenfield. Great riding/climbing/hiking on your doorstep and good access to the peaks. although might not be all that far from where you are now.

[i]I'm not from Yorkshire (I'm a southerner)[/i]

Adlington is jam pack filled with southerners all stretching their red braces and talking about house prices, try there.

edit: And Peter Kay lives there too.

Ramsbottom is also filled with southerners and is surrounded by lots of poor, angry locals living in shoe boxes.

Lancaster is nicer than any of the above places imo (yes I'm biased). Not many good jobs except at the uni though.

Apart from the traffic its a great place to live, and only 30 mins from Stavely in the Lakes.

Oh and... I went to uni in Preston and it doesn't have a lot going for it tbh. Blackburn is also horrible imo. Bolton doesn't seem too bad to me.

But...

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geoffj - Member

We're looking for a nice village with a good train line to the towns above or maybe even Manchester.

Bromley Cross is the answer - I grew up there.

But TBH I'd hold out for a move to Kendal. It is far nicer. Oh and Horwich is OK, but only OK IMHO.

I live in Bromley Cross, near the Spread Eagle. Where abouts did you live Geoffj?

Hebden Bridge is nice too and pretty near Manchester etc - not cheap and a bit yoghurty though. 😛

I grew up in and around Chorley/Leyland/Preston. Lived in Eccleston and Leyland, went to School in Leyland and Preston (Hutton Grammar).

At 18, I escaped and went to Poly. When I returned, I lasted about 6 months before I had to leave the godforsaken sh*t hole. I wandered a few miles up the A6 to Lancaster and fell in love (with my Wife and the city). Lovely place. Unfortunately, I left there 15 years ago because of the lack of work. I now live in a pretty, rural village in Leicestershire and am very happy. However, if I could find work in Lancaster, I'd be back like a shot.

Might be worth finding a job and then looking for where to live. My partner works as an accountant and they are all making people redundant, meaning not many jobs and lots of people looking. Your best bet is looking in manchester and then choosing somewhere on the train out I guess.

Hebden Bridge is nice too and pretty near Manchester etc

and also the lesbian capital of England :o)

AND yes, Lancaster is ace!

If you are going to use public transport forget the Rossendale area. I live in Helmshore (which is Ok) and work in Manchester. NO trains. Closest station in Accrington (can't stand the place) but that line only gets you to Manchester if you go via Preston. Nearest Tram station is Bury, but the car park is full by 7 in the morning so forget that. Next closest is Radcliffe (horrible place) or Whitefield.

My GF lives in Skipton. Guess where I'm looking to go when I can find a job over there.

wors - I'm in Bolton and it's raining. 🙂

yes i retract my earlier comment.

Not raining in Lancaster!

Having lived there for a few years myself, I fancy that Lancashire is a bit like the Missippi of England.

As far as I could make out, had it not been for the fine young men and women of those innumerable Lancashire villages, Fila, Adidas, and Umbro would have gone out of business long ago.

Yeah - Lancaster would be ace but no jobs that I can find.

The plan is to find a job first and then move (I cant afford to do it the other way round!). Just trying to get a feel for where is good and bad which also helps with the job search.

What kind of work are you looking for?

I live in Bromley Cross, near the Spread Eagle.

I can almost see the Spread Eagle from my house Chuck.

North Bolton is ace. Great Biking, great people, good schools.

I live in Accrington, ( Moved over from York....)and work in the centre of Manchester

And yes, its a shitehole..

But, like everyone else says, we are in the right area to live..

You close o the Dales/LAkes the Peak/ Wales etc, etc...

Oh, and its a cheap place to live..-so you can afford to buy lots of shiny bike bits... 😆

I second the comments about Lancaster - I went to uni there. Riding locally is average but you're very handy for the Dales & Lakes. It can be a bit of a ghost town outside of term-time though.

It can be a bit of a ghost town outside of term-time though.

Much better that way. 😉

I live in Preston otherwise know as Depreston.. anyhow as a town/city it's ok but does have a large chav population. As for where to live in the city you do have loads of good options just don't trust the estate agents!. The suggestion of Garstang is good however no trains. Currently there is a large development of the city centre proposed which is great for further job opportunities. However the likes of Stinkpool and Blackburn are kicking up a fuss for the obvious reasons. The benefit of living in Preston is that within say 5minutes drive of the city centre you can be on the motorway or out in the countryside which is great in my book. When I visit my Bro in Manchester it takes around 15-20minutes to do the same thing.

Lancashire as a whole is a great places to live but don't expect to feature on the national weather on the BBC as they ****ing always over look the place! This includes Manchester and Liverpool!

If you want further info on the nicer places to live in Preston then drop me an email

Cheers
Scott

I live in Whitewell Bottom, Rossendale. I moved here from Tottington, and was born and raised in Heywood (town between Rochdale and Bury). If you can stand using the Bus instead of the train then Rossendale is good. plenty of good riding (Mary Townley Loop is the other side of the road from me). I wake up to find Ducks / Sheep / Foxes on the lawn, Deer in the hills. My kids attend a Primary school with 58 other kids in the whole school! And it's quiet, my friends come to stay from all over the UK and just love sitting outside and enjoying the peace. My wife loves the area and the locals (i explain we're here to expand the gene pool) and my kids love the freedom of running around the hills. I can honestly say we feel safe here, i don't panic if i forget to lock the car/house when i go out. I can't comment on the Job front as i work in St Helens.

+1 Lancaster

In fact most places north of Preston are okay. I wouldn't recommend Preston.

Heywood was mentioned earlier. Live there, you'll love it....everytime you leave.

Why on earth would you leave yorkshire to go to lancashire?

Yep I wondered, "why just Lancashire?" not that it's any worse than most other areas 🙂

Are you also looking for work around Leeds, Harrogate, York?, or dare I say it...........Bradford?.

Lancashire is quite a big county so where ever you decide you'll probably have to commute a fair way to work.

I live in the Ribble Valley in a Village called Whalley. Quite a rural area with a fantastic lifestyle. Brilliant biking!

Before I was made redundant I worked in Rochdale which was about 45/50 min drive. Agree that jobs in the small towns are scarce at the moment. I've attended interviews in Merseyside and on the Lancashire (Fylde) Coast. Have to accept the commute of about an hour to get a position that is viable for me to sustain the wonderfull lifestyle that I have living where I do!

Its quite an affluent area so houses are not cheap, but the sense of being part of the community (member of very local Gym, good local pubs, find it difficult to walk 50yrds from front door without seeing someone you know) makes it worth it.

On the whole Lancashire is a friendly place with something for everyone (wonder if there are any jobs at the tourist board going) 😆

Why on earth would you leave yorkshire to go to lancashire?

Well, there's the better chance that you will meet people who won't tell you within 1 minutes of meeting them what county they're from.

Out of embarassment surely?

Nah, less insecure.

We dont want to leave Yorkshire but the bf has taken a job in Lancashie / Cumbria so we have to move.

Chuck - Higher Shady Lane, at the back of the station.

I can see shady lane from my bebroom window!

FreddyG - I went to Hutton too, what year did you leave?

TBH, of all the places listed, apart from the Trough of Bowland, I'd suggest just living in Manchester and travelling to a ride. Definately avoid Rochdale, Oldham etc - My GF's family are from there.

They were going to film a new crime drama called CSI Rochdale until they found out that none of the locals have any dental records and they all share the same DNA 😉

MMTM, I think I left in 1986 - seems like a lifetime ago. I was only there for the 6th form & the rugby.

The yorkshire/Lancashire thing is funny. I grew up in North Derbyshire not far from the Yorkshire border and nothing changes once you get over the border. Same with the Lancs/Yorks border. They still talk the same, do the same things, wear the same clothes.

I would only say that in central/south Lancashire where I live now, they are seriously anti-cyclist if their driving is anything to go by. By far the worst I've seen anywhere in the country.

Living in Bolton...so a bit biased, but as a regular visitor to both Bury & Preston, Bolton is (imo) easier to get around in traffic. Bury is improving but they are harsh with parking charges anywhere near the centre or market. Preston is not too bad but parking is not as good or as easy as Bolton. Several quiet villages around Bolton, close to Rivington & Irwell Valley for less challenging biking... and close to Manchester & the airport. Just don't go to Wigan... once you get on that one-way system....you may never get out.

I'd also have to say, Bolton really is not too bad with the weather. If it's raining..it will be worse elsewhere. If it's snowing...it won't last long. If it's really windy...it will be more stormy somewhere else, it's never as freezing as it is in other parts of the county.

North East lancs? Colne, Barnoldswick area(avoid Nelson and Burnley). Loads of nice outlying villages, fab scenery. Skipton 15 mins, Ambleside less than an hour, Manchester and Leeds about an hour. Perfect.

You Bromley X crew - My gran lives on Shadey Lane. Small world......

geoffj you're a bit posh then.

lowey - yeah, it's great for biking.

geoffj you're a bit posh then.

Lived in Eccleston

Freddyg - Mrs North is from the next village: Heskin.

That part of Lancashire is nice enough. Chorley hasn't much to say for itself, but the area around it is pretty nice.

On the whole, I can't say that I find Lancashire an inspiring place. Nowhere (other than the real honey pots like the Trough of Bowland) make me want to live there. And I say that as someone currently residing in Manchester.

So do you Bromley cross/Shady lane types know my mate Paul who owns the Spread Eagle? Nice bloke, 100% Wanderers!

Elsa - Member
We dont want to leave Yorkshire but the bf has taken a job in Lancashie / Cumbria so we have to move.

dump him. easy. what does it benefit a woman to sell her soul for the world, but for Lancashire??!!

I know a really nice place near lancashire, it's called Yorkshire.

My girlfriend was from burnley before I rescued her, it's like driving through beruit but without sun! & we have now come to the conclusion that all males older than 2 have short back and sides.

Burnley.........
Thats a small town in Yorkshire aint it????

(Gets coat,puts flat cap on & takes whippet for a walk along t'cut)