The scenic village on the Greater Manchester border that's more affordable than most

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Pretty villages with stone buildings and scenic countryside views are dotted about in and around our region. A quick glance at stunning photos online could easily persuade you to leave city life behind and move further out from Manchester’s centre for a more peaceful way of life.

Properties there usually come with more space and period charm, though it can also mean a higher price tag. But while the Greater Manchester average house price is currently £242,000, according to Rightmove, properties come up cheaper in a little picturesque village near Wigan.

On the border of Greater Manchester and West Lancashire, rural Appley Bridge is surrounded by open plains and woodland. It boasts canalside views and local beauty spots, including Fairy Glen. READ MORE: Beautiful village an hour from Manchester named best place to live in the North West The Leeds and Liverpool Canal (the longest single canal in Britain) runs through its centre, parallel to the River Douglas, posing the opportunity for plenty of waterside strolls.

A route favoured by walkers is to climb the hill up to Ashurst Beacon, which was built during the Napoleonic Wars to warn of the threatened French invasion.