The Greater Manchester village with a babbling river, stone houses and views of rolling hills

Tucked away at the very edge of Greater Manchester is the picturesque country village of Broadbottom. The Tameside village stands on an enviable spot right on the River Etherow.

Steeped in history, it was once home to a thriving textile industry which became responsible for the area transforming from rural land into an industrial village. Broadbottom has one remaining textile mill in operation, Lymefield Mill, but remnants of the village’s wool and cotton factories remain – although much has been reclaimed by nature and transformed into a haven for wildlife.

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It boasts direct access to Great Wood, Tameside’s largest woodland, and there’s also a really lovely garden centre with a local farm shop and tea-room. The village is also home to a pub, the Harewood Arms, which has a 4.6-star review on Google.

Customers say the pub has an “exceptional” selection of home-brewed beers and a pizza kiosk outside. One reviewer commented: “Amazing selection of beers, ales brewed by the pub itself, also nice selection of wines. Real local pub next the train station definitely recommend. Also Friday, Saturday and Sunday there’s a pizza hut that does very nice authentic Italian pizzas.”

The village also has a hairdressers, a takeaway and a local school and community centre. Nearby attractions include Melandra Castle, the grassy outlines of a former castle, Melandra Roman Fort, Swallows Wood, Torr Vale Mill, Millennium Walkway, Torrs Riverside Park and Mousley Bottom Local Nature Park.

With leafy tree-lined streets with charming stone houses, the view of rolling green hills and a babbling river, Broadbottom really is an idyllic slice of semi-rural living.

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