Moving to Lancashire - help needed!

[Quincejam]

My husband has been offered a job in the Bolton area and so we are hoping to move, but as we live in the South and can't travel to check out the area, I'm looking for some inside knowledge!

I'm looking more at the area between Chorley, Wigan and Bolton so where would be a good place and anywhere I should avoid 😬

Hoping to start a family soon as well 😊

Have a look at Buckshaw Village near Chorley. Lots of new building up near Preston. Cottam is nice but maybe too far north.
Good luck with the move. You know it’s a legal requirement to have a dog you move up to Lancashire, don’t you!!

Thanks - we already have the dog 🐕!

Look at lostock, Westhoughton and horwich in Bolton. All lovely areas with good schools and near lots of green space. Very family friendly. Chorley is lovely- adlington has a nice village-y feel to it. I don’t know much about Wigan but Standish is a nice bit.

Horwich is alright (I used to work there and travel from Manchester), not much going on though. It does depend on your expectations if you're coming from the south, are you moving from a rural, suburban or city area? What are you looking for?

There are definitely some nicer parts of that part of Lancashire, but I'd suggest being more 'out' than nearer the centres of Wigan/Bolton.

Ramsbottom in Bury is more trendy with bars/restaurants. May not be that far a commute and would personally prefer that over Wigan/Bolton.

Ramsbottom is lovely but as the area goes, pricy
Buckshaw is mainly new builds but not unpleasant
Whittle le Woods
Wheelton

Sorry, have to disagree with a pp. Chorley is awful (at least the town centre) - lived there for 12 months. Some of the villages are more pleasant but wouldn't want Chorley to be my nearest town.

Bolton town centre again isn't the best but parts have had quite a bit of investment. Parts of OK, look at parts of Heaton / Lostock / Markland Hill. Primary schools are good but (state) secondary not great.

I don't know Wigan but I agree with a pp, it really depends where you live in the South and what your expectations are. I think you definitely need to rent first to get an idea of the area.

Thanks for all your advice - I think we probably will rent for a while. I'm just looking for somewhere where there will be a lot of young families, where I can hopefully make friends, as I won't have any family or existing friends close by if we do have a baby 😊

Brinscall is nice. Good school too.