If you were designing the perfect town from scratch, Horwich might end up as your end result. Sitting under the shadow of Rivington Pike on Winter Hill, the town enjoys devastatingly beautiful scenic views, backed up by a slew of thriving independent businesses in the bustling town centre.

Add in super-quick access to the M61 and Middlebrook Retail Park, which is close enough for convenience but not close enough to cause traffic chaos, and you have the perfect mix of rural life entwined with urban comforts.

Horwich’s understated town centre on Lee Lane has a healthy number of thriving independent shops, cafés and restaurants, while there is a more business-like feel to Chorley New Road, the main access road in and out of the town.

For food and drink, indy establishments include The GOG House, The Steak House, ‘Tails and Ale, The Bowling Green, Thyme and Spice Valley.

BL6 Studios is an artist-led community art studio and gallery space, offering art lovers and creatives regular exhibitions, life drawing and art classes.

It is not uncommon to see cyclists making their way through the town heading up to the rolling country roads of Rivington Moor. No wonder the Green Machine Bike Shop on Lee Lane does so well.

All of which contributes to a feeling that Horwich is an up-and-coming area, something which the locals strongly believe. Horwich’s rural roots were transformed by late 19th century industry, notably the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway’s locomotive works. While the iron and steam industries are long gone, the town’s heritage lives on through the heritage trail and accompanying civic plaques that winds around the town, with a number of traditional pubs along the way.

Horwich, near Bolton (Image: Garry Cook)

WHAT TO BUY

Horwich’s housing stock reflects its evolution from a traditional rural village, with sandstone terraces and red-brick homes on tight streets to more modern estates and new builds. Whether you’re looking for a period property with character or a semi-detached family home, there’s a diverse range of options, with prices encouragingly attractive compared to towns closer to Manchester.

The streets around Chorley New Road and Lee Lane are particularly popular for their aesthetic charm and proximity to local amenities, while other neighbourhoods higher up the hillside offer more space and less bustle, ideal for families. Commuters love the rail and road links to Manchester and Preston.

For those considering new builds, Northstone has a development of homes on the former Horwich Golf Club site, offering a strong option for families. There’s also a 1,700-home council-led masterplan focused mostly on the Loco Works – the old railways works – with Bellway Homes looking to build 485 homes on this site.

Property prices here are typically £100,000 lower than UK averages. Demand remains consistent thanks to transport links and access to countryside living. .

Bellway already has consent for more than 400 homes on other sites across the £262million masterplan area, which takes in Rivington Chase.

Well-priced homes in desirable areas usually spend around three to four months on the market, an indicator of steady interest

Kristina Southern (Image: Garry Cook)

WHAT THE LOCALS SAY

Horwich’s mix of contemporary culture and natural rural beauty is what makes the locals so fiercely proud of their town.

Kristina Southern, 40, has lived in the town all her life, and helped the 46-year-old family business Stirling Furniture Design move from Bolton to the town in 2012.

She said: ‘We moved over this way just because it was a bit more up and coming.

‘In Horwich, there’s everything here. You’ve got Rivington for the walks, then you’ve got the High Street where they’ve got all the local cafés.

I think it’s still up-and-coming, it still needs a bit of work doing to it, but you’ve got local supermarkets, you’ve got the cafés, you’ve got the restaurants and little local shops. It’s very community based. It’s got everything that you need.

‘An essential plus point is being close to the motorway so you can jump on it and head to wherever. We’re close to Chorley and Adlington.

‘There’s plenty going on at the local community centre. When it’s the school holidays, my children use Bolton Arena for school clubs.

‘It’s buzzing. You’ve got independent opticians as well as local garages, there is everything you need.’.