House hunting at the moment and have seen some really nice properties around the Rossendale area.

Just been to see a lovely Victorian villa (up near Alf Kymes breakers in Stacksteads if anyone knows it).
Lovely house, wonderful views, Lee and Cragg quarries just round the corner.

However, we’ve had some very negative comments about Stacksteads and Waterfoot from a few people we’ve spoken too.
Nothing specific, just a general warning off.
Bacup similarly.

We know Bacup is dying on it’s arse, but struggling to see what the issues are further along the valley.
What exactly is wrong with the place?
Crime? Drugs? Genetics?

We know Rawtenstall (in laws live there) which seems very pleasant, Weir, Water and Crawshawbooth also seem to get the thumbs up.
Quite like Helmshore too.

Any views on the above places would be greatfully received, or suggestions as to decent areas nearby.
Not Tod though – moving from there and Ms Spanner can’t stand it.

My dad lives just up from Waterfoot (Whitewell Bottom) – he used to live in Stacksteads. I find the Rossendale valley a depressing damp, grey place, with little to commend it TBH. I soon tire of driving up and down that pot holed riven road, where sunlight often fails to penetrate.
Helmshore / Ramsbottom / Tottington are MUCH nicer IMHO. Even Haslingden (probably on the cusp) is better.
Edgeworth / Chapletown are even nicer, if location isn’t that crucial.

RS – from what I have been told, I gather that Stacksteads is populated by violent sub-50 IQ “deliverance” types. Avoid.

I have friends who live at the top of the hill in Stacksteads next to the farm. This street is okay but the rest of the place is a total sh1th0le

avoid

I shall say no more…

I live in Bacup and before anyone comments i have the regular amount of fingers and no webbed feet either. You are right,town centre is on its arse but i’d stay away from Stacksteads/Waterfoot, very depressing area. Further out of centre is fine like you say, Weir, Britannia, Water Lumb. If you’ve ever riden the Mary Townley Loop you will know what a beautiful valley this is. What was it Mrs Spanner disliked about Tod? I always find over the border to bit a more positive TBH.

In that area only Ramsbottom would be somewhere I would consider living.

The rest are as described above from my experience

Basic rule of thumb is avoid the valley bottoms. I lived in Waterfoot for 6 years below the grammar school and it was OK. Been in Weir for 10 years now and live living up there.

Rossendale is generally not a bad place to live, great for mountain biking, good access to the motorway network and close to places like Manchester.

there’s a lot of snobbery about Rossendale, which is one reason why house prices are cheap, especially as you get further from Rawtenstall and the motorway (which is a good thing in my opinion as there are some good deals to be had).

Most of the bottom feeder do reside on the bottom. there’s also a good mix of housing across the valley with big mill owner style houses mixed with terraces and new build, something I quite like although for those who aspire to living in a gated community it’s not so great.

have a look on Google maps, you’d be surprised how much of Rossendale is open countryside, you just don’t see it driving through the valley bottoms.

For me I’d give Stacksteads and the centres of Bacup and Waterfoot a wide birth, not sure about the villa you mentioned, I know where you mean but wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice. If it were me I’d look along Burnley Road East from Waterfoot towards Burnley and Burnley road heading north out of Bacup to Burnley.

The underlying issue with the valley is it used to be very industrial with hard people doing nasty jobs but working hard. The industries gone and you’ve now got the descendants of those tough people but without the work ethic stuck where there descendants lived with few prospects. It’s happened in lots of post industrial areas, the upside for Rossendale is that there are also a lot of new people moving into the area bringing money to an extent and diluting the less reputable people.

Probably going to get flamed for putting it in those terms but that’s the reality. Still a great place to live and it is slowly getting better (apart from the roads which are not good).

Ignore the Ramsbottom is heaven brigade, nothing wrong with it but it’s not that much different from the rest of Rossendale except it’s way more expensive, as I said there’s a lot of postcode snobbery which if you can see beyond gives you some cracking deals others won’t even look at.

I live in Stacksteads and think its OK. I used to live in Bacup, Haslingden, Helmshore.
The problem with Rossendale is the negative attitude a lot of people seem to have but as I work in Manchester and don’t get out much locally except on the bike this isn’t a problem for me.

Ideally I would live in Cornwall by the sea but for now Stacky will have to do!

Spent 15 years living in Helmshore so Rossendale holds a soft spot for me, try to avoid Bacup/Stacksteads etc as they do carry a bad reputation and there are a lot of problems that the council need to address. Rammy is ok as is Greenmount, both great for riding over Holcombe and good links into Manchester.

Ignore the Ramsbottom is heaven brigade, nothing wrong with it but it’s not that much different from the rest of Rossendale except it’s way more expensive,

the key difference is that Rammy town centre is not dying on it’s arse (although trading is tough), it’s down to one fighting pub and lots going on through the year, festival, markets etc. great real ale pub’s and restaurants, excellent primary schools

other places
Water used to be great (not been back in years) the Commercial used to be a good pub and there was a shop, Lumb has justme proping up the bar in the local?
Helmshore/ Haslingden are Ok in places
Edenfield wasn’t on your list but should be
Weir OK but stumpyjon lives there (you have been warned) 😉
and it makes the rest of Bacup look sunny and I hope you like windfarms

Bacup centre, can’t think of a decent pub, eating out very limited
Rawtenstall, a souless version of Bacup

your initial post is about spot on also what jon says about rammy is true (in fact have just re read jons post its all true)holcombe brook and tottington are prob the pick of that area
helmshore is ok and has good links to manchester should you have some bizar wish to go there
stacky and bacup are cheap to buy but difficult to sell
crawshawboothers tend to be a bit up themselves and think its better than it is
greenmount is very expensive – bit golf clubish
edenfield has snob value – prob not a bad place to live but expensive
thank you b n d I have usually been riding before hand tho
G

It’s near Hebden Bridge if your are into that sort of thing…

Have a look at Summerseat as well, I lived there for seven glorious batchelor years in the Brick Houses next to the mill and it was where I started mountain biking. I loved the place and would happily move back there.

Bacup is where the goth was kicked to death in the park so I would avoid it.

I can sell you a nice 2bed cottage in Edenfield?

Edenfield is nice but commands a premium over parts of the valley, Rawtenstall could be nice again if the bloody council/Hurstwoods sorted out the centre & finished the out of town supermarket thing off.
Helmshore has some nice bits,
Irwell Vale is loverly,
Stongstry (Stubbins) also worth looking at.
Rammy=manchester commuter pricing but nice town

depends how much money your looking to spend-some bargains up valley from Rawtenstall, less so towards Rammy

^
What stumpyjon said.
I grew up in Bacup and quite like the place although I live closer to Rawtenstall now. Bacup has conservation status so you’re not going to have the place pissed around with like Rawtenstall. House prices can only rise really in the top end of the valley so you can get a very nice bargain.
I think I know the place you’re talking about and does seem to be a nice spot. Although the nearby council tip is set to close easing cars going up the hill. Planning permission has been granted for a residential caravan site there if that is likely to bother you. But then you’re thinking of moving to Stacksteads anyway, so I doubt it. 😉

Irwell Vale is loverly

Thanks
😀

Ewood Bridge is a nice spot; handy for everything but a wee village. Helmshore is a nice patch.

Rawtenstall could be nice again

when was it nice? 1860? 😉

Irwell Vale is loverly on a flood plain, doesn’t have a pub or a shop and is a conservation area, you might also get hit for a contribution to the falling down bridges

Stongstry (Stubbins) also worth looking at.,

+1 although the access road will kill your car

Chatterton is nice

I’m originally from the Rochdale/Whitworth border and even coming from there regarded the Bacup to Rawtenstall lot as a bunch of inbreds. A friend now lives in Rawtenstall and it doesn’t seem a bad place to live as long as you have no interest in going into the town for either shopping or the pubs. It makes Keighley seem quite classy. Another friend lives in Ramsbottom and it’s very apparent why the houses cost so much more.

Have lived in Stacksteads for the last 7 years… on David Street. TBH, i dont see what the the others are talking about in terms of reasons to avoid the place.

Love it here in the Valley tho – only rarely have to go to the supermarket as there is an excellent butchers (H. Tricketts) in Waterfoot (theres 3 butchers in Waterfoot last time i counted) there is a butchers next street over from us, decent grocers, and Rawtenstall market, altho small has good stuff. great are for walking and cycling – the only problem with living in the valley bottom, is there all the decent riding is a good climb up first.

Thankfully the council were scared off by the residents after their ill thought out plan to demolish large parts of stacksteads and bacup, and instead spent the money they had doing a little bit of inconciquental ‘facelifting’ (sandblasting houses, painting the window stones)

I’m originally from the Rochdale/Whitworth border and even coming from there regarded the Bacup to Rawtenstall lot as a bunch of inbreds

Rochdale is a place to avoid, very divided community, Whitworth is OK if you like the quiet life

if they ever get the train line into Rawtenstall the place will boom, I talked to a Lancs CC guy once who said nobody in the valley worked in the centre of Manchester (<200) seeing as I knew 3% of them i assumed his survey was complete arse

Rochdale is a place to avoid, very divided community, Whitworth is OK if you like the quiet life

Rochdale is even more of a shit hole now that it used to be, even the town centre McDonalds has shut. There’s now either reasonable white areas, utterly scummy white areas or Asian areas with very little in between with very little integration. Whitworth is still ok, certainly a better place to live than Bacup. It just shows quite how low the opinion is on the Rossendale Valley is though. They all need massive investemnt to try and replace all the jobs that have been lost though.

bollocks to all that hill-dwelling nonsense. Move to Prestwich.

My business partner moved from Tod to Bacup, where her university degree, interest in food containing vitamins and work ethic are regarded as curiosities bordering on perversion. She had a baby a year ago and the health service there is entirely geared towards teenage pregnancies and alcoholics who chain smoke (from the level of ‘advice and support’ offered). Always feel a sense of relief when I get back over Sharneyford into Calderdale. Are you sure you want to move?

if they ever get the train line into Rawtenstall the place will boom

There has been a train line into Rawtenstall for over a hundred years. I’m suprised you haven’t heard.

doesn’t have a pub or a shop

Most villages don’t these days. Walking to one is always possible, though.

Strongstry: the terrible access road is terrible because it came as part of the package when a certain Mr McKlusky bought the cottages up the hill. Reckoning the access road would cost a fortune to maintain, he sold the road to one of his many property companies then dissolved the company. Hence his tenants and other users who live over the railway have nobody to pursue in order to get the road repaired.

Stubbins: all house owners in that area get free toilet paper, kitchen roll and tissue paper from the mill as a bung to stop them complaining about the smell of paper pulp.

interest in food containing vitamins

that does sound a bit weird….

Cheers for all the replies folks, certainly a lot to think about.

chorlton – Member

I think I know the place you’re talking about and does seem to be a nice spot. Although the nearby council tip is set to close easing cars going up the hill. Planning permission has been granted for a residential caravan site there if that is likely to bother you.

I talked to one of the locals (seemed normal, but he was from Manchester 😉 ) who mentioned this.

terrahawk – Member

bollocks to all that hill-dwelling nonsense. Move to Prestwich.
No ta. We’re looking for somewhere nicer than Tod. 🙂
Besides, the locals look a bit odd:

Clover – the house I’m selling is right at the bottom of the valley.
I’ve lived there for 20 years and seen about 4 hours of sunshine. Seriously, it’s like living in a cave and can be very depressing.
Anyway, 20 years is long enough to live anywhere, time for a change!

We’re not in any great rush, I can move in permanently with Ms S in beautiful downtown Radcliffe for the time being.

beautiful downtown Radcliffe

*Spits tea over keyboard*

Bacup, Stacksteads, Waterfoot, Rawtenstall, all crap holes in general, obviously there are nicer avenues but all you have to do is go to the local supermarket during a weekday and see the cliental. I grew up round Rawtenstall / Newchurch and couldn’t wait to move out!

I’m now part of the “snobby” Rammy brigade, restaurants and pubs in abundance, independent shops and nice atmosphere but as with anywhere there are some d1ckhe@ds.

I’d be looking at the following places:

Helmshore
Crawshawbooth
Edenfield
Water
Weir
Irwell Vale (expensive but lovely)
Ramsbottom

Obviously it depends on your budget and what you are after!

RUSTY SPANNER IS THAT BEZ FROM THE HAPPY MONDAYS 😆

I live on the outskirts of burnley towards Widdop /hardcastle crags with countless bridleways & singletrack on my doorstep 🙂
Always worth a look around the outskirts of the borough in Harlesyke/Haggate, worsthorne, clivinger or even hurstwood, if you’ve got a few hundred grand to spend 🙂

SUMMERSEAT. The fact that nobody else has mentioned this little gem tells you how well it is hidden away in the valley.

There’s a reason why it’s pronounced’Rottenstall’. I went on a date with a lass from Rottenstall once. She was as depressing as the place. 😉

SUMMERSEAT – One road in, one road out. Horrid place to get away from in a hurry.

And you’ll want to.

What about the top of the Norden side of the hill? Think the house prices are a bit steep though.

As lovely as the Tod valley can be, the lack of sunlight in the winter/autumn months would probably do me in, i get a bit ‘odd’ in winter due to SAD anyway and i live on a hill!

I didn’t like the area much at all, only found summerseat and parts of Ramsbottom niceish

SUMMERSEAT. The fact that nobody else has mentioned this little gem tells you how well it is hidden away in the valley.

bloody awful road-just try getting down it at night from the bury/Manchester side. The other way towards HolcombeBrook is okayish

Erm… there are THREE roads into and out of Summerseat, as any mountain biker should know. Two are tarmacced and the third is unsurfaced but perfectly passable by car.