Does anyone know about the bits between Chorley Bolton and Wigan?

[HiHowAreYou]

It looks like it'd suit us for commuting purposes but I'd appreciate some help if anybody lives around there. We're moving from Down South so I'm a bit lost!

Are there nice little towns or large villages with good schools?
We'd like somewhere for dog walking and riding bikes and running, so a pleasant bit of greenery nearby would be good too...

Very grateful for any views or advice! :)

There's some smallish villages and some ex-mining towns. For dog walking and riding bikes, Rivington is right on the edge of the West Pennine Moors. Most of Westhoughton is also fairly nice, surrounded by farmland rather than moorland. I'd advise looking at an OS map to see where the moorland boundary is and to consider whether you want to live close up to the moors with that feeling of space but also a higher risk of getting snowed in.

Lancashire LEA certainly used to be better than the Greater Manchester, which means that Chorley may be better, but obviously it will vary between individual schools (esp now there's more academies).

That's a point - about maybe being snowed in - that I hadn't thought about at all!
And interesting about Lancs being perhaps better for schools than Greater Manchester in general.

Thank you. :)

It was a lighthearted one: its years since I've spoken to anyone with that problem. Be prepared for a few inches on the ground in reality, and not every year.

Wheel ton?
Up north is a bit different from Down South
I originally come from Chorley and don't quite know where I would live round there, if I were to move back now. there are lots of villages round Chorley with different characters. Bradley Wiggins lives in one! Chorley itself is what I would call a small town, Wigan a larger town and I consider Bolton to be subsumed into Manchester.
I would look at secondary schools first, then their feeder primaries and then look at locations.
Come back here if you have seen anything you like and we can comment.

Oh I'll just live where Bradley Wiggins lives, he seems quite cool, that'll make it an easy decision! ;)

There seem to be quite a lot of RC high schools around, which we don't get down here, so that's one thing to think about I suppose. Hmm.

Very Catholic part of the country.

Eccleston

Ok they've all gone onto my little spreadsheet.

I think I'll start a thread asking for tips about moving schools mid term on the education board too!

I grew up between Ormskirk/Southport and DH is from Preston, most of our friends who've stayed in the area have gravitated towards the towns/villages with stations on the Preston, Manchester or Liverpool train lines. Mostly W of the M6 with the exception of a couple in Chorley/Euxton.

We were discussing where we'd live if we moved back as we were down to West Lancs at the weekend. I think the Parbold area is quite nice, have a few friends there who commute into Manchester by train. My dad took the train from Burscough to Manchester.

Parbold is already on my list to investigate, someone I've asked in real life had mentioned to me it was nice there! :)

We've lived in Chorley (pre children) and Bolton (with children). Chorley itself (only my opinion) is awful - town centre is really downbeat, pound shops all over, just feels really "left behind". I commuted by train into Manchester and that was very easy though. There are a few villages around that have better reputations (Euxton being one) but I couldn't comment on schools. We have friends that live in Leyland with a school age daughter and they are very happy there. I think house prices are falling generally in Lancashire - lots of new houses built in Leyland / Buckshaw village etc which has meant an over-supply, so you might be able to grab a bargain.

Lived in Bolton for 7 years - parts of it are lovely, parts are not. Town centre is marginally better than Chorley but they have done up the central shopping area. The areas north / west of Bolton are better - Horwich and Rivington to the west are greener / closer to the hills, the area around Markland Hill / Chorley New Road / Lostock more affluent than other parts of the town. Parts of Bromley Cross / Egerton to the north are nice too. Some primary schools are very good, high schools not so good. Rivington has quite good results, Canon Slade is probably the best of the state schools but its a C of E high school and the entrance criteria is very strict. Bolton School (also has a junior division) is a very well regarded fee-paying school (boys and girls). Lots of children from all over Lancashire / Greater Manchester commute to attend. Reasonable private fees too. Also commuted from Bolton into Manchester by train - very easy but busy.

Have also lived in Westhoughton for a a short period - thats west of Bolton towards Wigan but usually comes under Bolton. Don't think the schools are particularly good there, no town centre, but a nice park. Another place with an over-supply of new houses which has meant low house prices.

It really depends what you are looking for. Hope that helps.

Hi
Noticed this post from 2012 re Westhoughton, any more recent views on this town?

Hi anybody out there that knows Chorley really well I’m moving there and want a nice semi rural area

Hi any body out there who knows Chorley really well, I’m moving up there and want to I’ve in a lovely Semi rural area

Hi there, I've just joined today and am looking for some help too! My boyfriend and I are planning to move up, and we are looking for an area, semi-rural, nice parks etc. it is our first purchase and we are looking for somewhere to start a family so ideally a nice village or a very small town!