On the border of Greater Manchester lies the charming chocolate box village of Hawkshaw.
With a population of just 1,000 people, the isolated village can be found nestled between Bury and Bolton. Surrounded by stunning countryside, the area is a known a hotspot for walking enthusiasts.
Quaint terrace homes and pretty cottages still line the streets – with some standing unaltered for more than 200 years. And while the village feels secluded, it's still home to a number of handy amenities.
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Hawkshaw has a primary school, a “cracking” village store, a church, a tennis club and two pubs. But how do residents find life in one of Greater Manchester's most picturesque spots?
“It’s unique; everything about it is lovely,” John Cummins, joint-owner of Hawkshaw Village Store, told the Manchester Evening News. “It’s the people and there are great walks. You can really lose yourself in the valley.
“I work in the city centre and it’s not a bad commute. It’s great to come back home and escape the hustle and bustle.”
John has helped run the village convenience store with his partner, Lisa, for 19 years.
They moved to the area from Tottington.
“The children went to the local school,” he continued. "It's unique because there are not many places where you have a lovely environment but you have everything you need on your doorstep.
"We feel like a community hub.
"There are amenities; we're five miles from Bolton and five miles from Bury but we have no bus service. We feel safe here."
Steve Hughes moved to Hawkshaw from Ramsbottom seven years ago. The 44-year-old says he chose the village because he wanted his young daughter to grow up surrounded by countryside.
Steve says the village community even has its own WhatsApp group so residents can keep up to date with goings-on.
"The main reason we moved is because we had a young daughter. She was two when we moved,” he says. "We were looking fora bigger house and access to the countryside, nice walks, a local pub and a local school.
"The school had a really good reputation. When we found this place, we decided to move. We're near enough to Bury and the train and trams to get into Manchester if we need to.
"The countryside and the nice walks are my favourite part, especially during lockdown as well. It meant we were pretty lucky, really. We could go out into the countryside for a few hours and we've made friends since moving here.
"There are older people who have been here for a long time and families who have started to move here. It's dead friendly. There's a community WhatsApp group if there's ever a power cut or something."
Kevin Tanner has lived in Hawkshaw for 30 years.
He moved to the village from Whitefield in 1992.
And while he loves living in the area, he says it has one downside.
"It's beautifully handy for country walks,” the 71-year-old says. What more can you ask for in a village? We have two pubs, a shop and two churches.
"The pubs are very popular and we have a cracking shop. But there's not as much as a community feel as you would like.
"Yes, I know the people either side of me, but if you look across the road, I know the odd two but I would say there's hardly a community feel from our point of view.
"There are activities that bring the community together, like Christmas tree decorating."
Anne Leah, who has lived in the village for just four years, has a different opinion.
She believes the village has a brilliant community spirit – which especially shone through during the pandemic.
"I've only lived here for four years. It's really nice,” the 66-year-old says. "I know we have the main road here, but it's fairly quiet.
"It's a nice community. People are friendly and there are lots of nice walks to go on if you're a dog lover.
"I moved from Greenmount. I've known the area for a long time. When Covid was going on, I got a note through the door offering someone to do my shopping for me. I don't think you would get that in bigger towns.
"The lady up the road had a curry evening recently and loads of people went to raise money for the local school.
"I can't say anything bad about the area."
Peter Worrall has lived in Hawkshaw for 45 years – and says he loves “everything” about life in the village.
"It's great,” the 75-year-old says. "I like everything, really. It's quiet and the neighbours are lovely.
"It's not bad at all. I've lived here for 45 years. We have plenty of walks here."
Village resident Darren Sharpe, 48, says his favourite part about living in Hawkshaw is being right opposite a pub.
"It's brilliant because we live opposite a pub,” he told the M.E.N. “We can walk our son to school.”
Another villager, who did not wish to be named, added: “It's nice and small with good neighbours.
“It's just the community - I like the community spirit.”
