Neighbourhoods in Lancashire

Lancashire has a strong sense of its own identity, and the Pennine landscape that surrounds it reinforces that. Blackburn and Accrington are well-served towns with genuine communities, competitive rents and fast access to Manchester via the M65. The Forest of Bowland and the West Pennine Moors are close by for those who want countryside too. Four Corners has homes in Accrington and Blackburn.

Blackburn is a large Lancashire town with a real community feel. The weekly market, The Mall shopping centre, Blackburn Cathedral, the Museum and Art Gallery, and Blackburn Rovers FC all form part of the town's fabric. The food offer has grown considerably, with a strong South Asian restaurant scene alongside good independents. Witton Country Park, immediately north of the town, has woodland walks, a children's farm and cycling routes. Blackburn train station has services to Preston and Manchester, and the M65 connects east to Burnley and west to Preston and the M6.

Accrington, five miles east along the M65, is a smaller, quieter market town with its own high street, good local services and straightforward connections to Blackburn and the rest of Lancashire. The Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington holds one of the largest collections of Tiffany glass outside the United States, which catches most people by surprise.

The West Pennine Moors, Pendle Hill and the Forest of Bowland are all within easy reach of both towns, offering substantial walking and cycling country on days off. Lancashire rewards the people who take the time to know it properly.