As has been noted by plenty already, regarding the weather, they put all these wind turbines and reservoirs here for very good reason. I hope you like axle-deep mud when you’re out riding 🙂

There’s an old East Lancashire saying, “if you can see Pendle Hill, it’s about to rain. If you can’t see it, it’s already started.”

BUT all the above suffer from gridlocked M66 into Manchester at peak times.

After many years of driving into manchester, i switched to using the x43 last summer. Was much better once the bus station opened and you didnt have to stand in the rain on bank street.

morning and evening there is a express service that goes via blackley and shudhill. The 7:25 express gets me into manchester for 8:15/8:30 then theres the same around 4:45/5:15 to get back.
Monthly ticket is £120 ish which is about half what it used to cost in petrol and parking in Manc.

Thanks for the input. Went up this week for a scout and I think we’ll focus on Rawtenstall and Ramsbottom. Both looked nice, and more green and open than further south. Not much on the market though, we may look to rent for a while to secure school places and buy ourselves a bit of time to look properly. Albeit short term rentals seem few and far between. But looks like a lovely area to live in!

I’m biased obviously and love living in Rammy, but Rawtenstall is great too. You can’t go wrong with either, really. As you’ve noted, there’s never much on the market and it goes quick

I’m just heading out on the road bike shortly for a loop up through Rawtenstall and Hassie, then back down the valley via Helmshore. Here’s a shot from an early morning pootle on a similar loop earlier this week.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jwxmLv]Morning pootle[/url] by bin lid, on Flickr

You’ll have to look us up when you’re moving up and join the Monday Night Pub Rides. This was the last (socially distanced) Rammy one…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jwu97a]MNPR[/url] by bin lid, on Flickr

As you can see, the riding around here from your door is just about tolerable 😀

Have lived in Edenfield/Rawtenstall all my life. Great place to live!

Are we just posting random ‘its grim up north? pics of Rammy and surrounding areas up?

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LV59SV]Trigger-on-the-Range[/url] by bin lid, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/SfRquC]Holcombe Hill cloud invert[/url] by bin lid, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gQjwKk]Bit moody up here tonight[/url] by bin lid, on Flickr

Too much? 😀

😄👍

We should be on the Rammy & Rocky tourism board!

Nice! I’ll definitely be in touch if it all works out 👍

I moved back to the North having lived in Heston for 10 years to Waterfoot.

The house proces as low (there is a reason for that) BUT great trails, a great local bike shop (Ride On) Rawtenstall has some superb bars and cafes.

So a lot going for it BUT:

Into Manchester is a mare as has been reflected

Its a long valley with traffic issues along it.

For me its the best place I have ever lived, I have met some fantastic people (many on here), joined and sing in the local male voice choir, ride out a lot more now than I used on simply sublime trails.

Go on you know it makes sence