On a balmy May afternoon, a St George's flag flutters in the breeze above St Katharine's Church in Blackrod.
In the distance, the needle of the Winter Hill TV mast pricks the cloudless sky. Down in the valley below, cars glisten in the sun as they zoom along the M61 motorway between Manchester and Preston.
The striking landscape is one that locals in this small town, on the outskirts of Bolton, do not take for granted.
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READ MORE: The tiny village an hour from Manchester with a breathtaking beer garden view
"The views are just spectacular," said Stephen Kemp, 66. "On a clear day, you can see all the way up to Blackpool Tower and the Lake District."
While the views may be breathtaking, it is not the only reason why Blackrod is becoming an increasingly popular destination for families.
"It's a fantastic place to live," said Mr Kemp. "It's very quiet and everybody is friendly.
"It's like a country village on a bigger scale."
Situated high on a hill four miles north of Wigan and six miles west of Bolton, Blackrod was once a major coal mining centre. By the 1930s, the pits had shut, including Scot Lane Colliery, which employed more than 700 miners.
Historically in Lancashire, Blackrod became part of the wider Bolton borough during the local government shake up of 1974. Today, it is home to more than 5,000 people - many of whom commute to work in neighbouring towns.
Blackrod's location, transport links - Manchester city centre is just half an hour away by train - and cheap house prices have made it a popular spot for families in recent years.
Pauline Moore has lived in the town her entire life and proudly declares herself one of the 'old Blackrod people'. She grew up on a farm in the town and has run Blackrod Motor Spares for 40 years.
Back then, the town was much smaller than it is now. Although it has grown in size, Ms Moore insists it has not lost any of its spirit.
"We have to have some development because people want to live here," she said. "People move out but they always come back.
"At one time, everybody would have known everybody. We don't get that now but the community spirit is still there.
"It's still more or less a village. People still say hello to you.
"I won't say it is crime-free but it is not as bad as some places. We're lucky because we're in a good area.
"We have Rivington and Haigh Hall nearby and we're an hour from the Lakes. All in all, it's not a bad place to live."
Vicki Flatters, the owner of Flounders fish and chip shop in Church Street, is in agreement. She first moved to Blackrod 35 years ago when she was just 17.
"My parents had a pub at the bottom of the village," she explained. "When they moved on to a different pub, I stayed.
"I love it here. Everybody knows everybody else and helps everybody out."
As lunchtime rolls around, a steady stream of customers flow in and out of the chippy. From the doorway, it is possible to see right across to Rivington Pike and the rolling West Pennine Moors.
For Vicki, Blackrod's idyllic location and surroundings are the key to its charm.
"We've got Rivington on our door step," she said. "The downside is that the pubs have dwindled.
"You used to be able to do a good pub crawl on New Year's Eve but you can't anymore. The benefits outweigh all that though."
Each year, the town hosts its own scarecrow festival with hundreds of residents and businesses designing their own.
Lynn Bolton and her husband moved to Blackrod earlier this year following stints in Cyprus and Spain. While they have settled in fast, Lynn is yet to acclimatise to the cooler temperatures.
"The views are fantastic but it's always windy up here," she said. "People say it's two degrees colder than anywhere else.
"I like it though. There are lovely walks all around, quite a few pubs and plenty of shops.
"My husband was born here. He's 80 now and said he wants to spend the rest of his life here."
Grace Hughes-Sinclair opened O’Brien’s Butchers and Deli in Blackrod four years ago, and quickly fell in love with the town.
She has since moved there with her family and was elected onto Blackrod Town Council earlier this month.
"We feel safe here," she said. "Everybody knows each other.
"That can be a double-edged sword but, for the most part, it's brilliant. I would encourage anybody to move here, especially families.
"It's a bit more expensive but that's because it is so good. Things are getting a bit more modern but not too much. It's about keeping the balance."
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