Best place to live Lancashire ? Newly single

[30julytoday]

Can anyone offer suggestions (and why) on where I should look for my new home in Lancashire? I’m in my late 50’s and will be living on my own ( forever🥳)
My criteria is

1. Rural - large village or small town...preferably with hill views
2. Easy

Oh..and places to definitely avoid? 😱😉

I’d go for somewhere like Whalley, or somewhere close by. It’s a little bit further to the M6 than 15 mins, but you’ve got that village feel, it’s close to Manchester, Preston, Ormskirk, and you’ve definitely got the hills - Pendle and the Trough of Bowland close by. I go cycling round there and it’s lovely.

I would look at Garstang. My grandparents retired to there and my DD lives there now. 15m to J33 North or same to J32 South on a good although roadworks on A6 can be a pain. It's a small town and is on edge of the trough of Bowland so plenty of hills

If you would like somewhere more rural then 5m north from Garstang is Scorton which is lovely. Although small it has a number of busy cafe's which get trade from walkers cyclists etc. My favourite is The Barn.

I have relatives in Longridge, and that seems like a lovely place to live. Ditto Clitheroe, but that's probably too far from the M6 for you.

Parbold/Dalton is lovely - literally 10 mins from Ormskirk; 5 mins from M6, although more like 20 mins to Wigan for west coast train station. Nice community, amazing walks on the doorstep. Direct trains to Southport and Manchester, and if you head to Burscough (5 mins away) you can get a direct train to Liverpool. Lots of small independent shops, great pubs that do lovely food and a village hall with lots of community activities.

Oh, and I'm in the area and quilt, crochet and craft, so give me a shout if you do become a neighbour

Actually, I’d move to where the Inn at Whitewell and the Parkers Arms are

@AConvivialHost I live in Burscough! I was just coming on here to suggest Parbold!!!

Parbold, Mawdesly, Standish - sounds like you need to be in the Wigan area. Otherwise some lovely rural bits around Adlington.

@LulusMiniEgg - hey neighbour

Also, forgot to mention that Burscough has a Booths - deal clincher right there!

I'd second Whalley - its got pretty much everything on your list.

@AConvivialHost

Oh, and I'm in the area and quilt, crochet and craft, so give me a shout if you do become a neighbour

Aww..thanks very much

[quote AConvivialHost]@LulusMiniEgg - hey neighbour

Also, forgot to mention that Burscough has a Booths - deal clincher right there![/quote]
Ooo..sounds good

Thank you for suggestions so far...anywhere I should avoid?

And what’s your take on Ormskirk itself?

Whalley’s lovely although a bit crowded now. Maybe somewhere just the A59 between the M6 and there? Clitheroe isn’t that far from the M6 really. Think I’d prefer Clitheroe over Whalley. Longridge is a great place too.

Ormskirk is ok. Full of students though so it depends how you feel about that! Bars, restaurants and direct trains to Liverpool which is very handy.

We looked at Ormskirk and Burscough when we moved but glad the right house for us was in Burscough. It feels like home now (even though I’m actually a southerner!) and we are settled with kids in school etc.

Sure I would have been happy in Ormskirk too though.

Maybe visit both places and look at what’s on the market in your price range. Parbold/Newburgh etc are expensive! Burscough and Ormskirk less so but market is moving so quickly at the moment. Very different to 5 years ago when we moved here.

@30julytoday - Do you know Ormskirk? Are you moving up for work?

It's a relatively small market town, quite provincial but well served for supermarkets - Morrisons and M&S Food Hall - and has the usual Starbucks, Costa and a couple of independent cafe/coffee shops. It also has a small Waterstones (main reason that I visit). The town centre is a little tired, but parking is cheap and abundant.

It also has a Uni (Edge Hill) so it can be quite lively during (pre-COVID) term time. Although there is a community swimming pool/fitness centre in town, the community can also pay to use the sport facilities at Edge Hill. There's also a Park Run at Edge Hill.

Ormskirk does have a hospital, but A&E department is only for children - and I think adults have to go to Southport.

Aughton Park and Town Green are nice areas to live around Ormskirk, but quite pricey. I'd avoid anything too close to the town centre, as I believe a lot of the town-based property is owned by student landlords.

@SweatyBetty20 sounds like we cycle the same area. Beautiful isn't it.

Garstang and surrounding area.

Burscough might be a good shout.
Tarleton?
Actually, I think Longton might suit you. Great village centre.

This is my home area. Burscough or Parbold would fit the bill nicely.

@Mumski45 - it’s lovely. Ride over from Oldham (although not for a while due to dodgy knee), cake and a drink at Whalley and then head back

Places like cliviger, worsthorne and barnoldswick are nice

I used to live in Ormskirk 18 years ago (it was studenty then but not as much as now) and I hated it. Small town, not country not city, lots of small minded locals. I lived there 5 years and have never looked back! I didn’t really like Burscough, but once you got out towards Parbold it got quite nice. So I’d go for up there.