Saddleworth is a collection of villages and hamlets set within deep valleys and beautiful Pennine landscape to the North East side of Manchester and West side of Saddleworth Moor. Saddleworth combines old-fashioned traditional country living with high-class shops and restaurants - perfect for Manchester commuters and work-from-homers looking for fresher air without sacrificing the good things of life.
Things to do
Saddleworth has a booming tourist sector, always popular with walkers and nature lovers. From most places in Saddleworth you can walk to the moors, then finish off with a delicious pint of local brew in one of the fabulous hill-top pubs. Try the Dovestone Sailing Club at Dovestone Reservoir, before walking up the Indians Head for spectacular views across to Pots'n'Pans and Alderman Hill.
Saddleworth is also famous for its brass band contests, where bands from around the country travel to the area annually to compete, and The Rushcart, a nationally-renowned morris dancing festival. If you live in Saddleworth, you won’t need to plan day trips away; there is always something to do and it’s great for children.
Things you didn’t know about Saddleworth
Saddleworth is the only part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham to come from the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, the rest being from Lancashire. It is also the only part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester which lay within those borders.
Schools in Saddleworth
You’re in safe hands with Saddleworth schools, rated Oftsed Outstanding or Good and favourited by families from miles around. The new Saddleworth School is now located in Diggle, bound to be a big draw for families looking for excellent secondary education.
Transport
Four miles east of Oldham, 11 miles northeast of Manchester, 5 miles from Ashton and 13 miles from Huddersfield, you’re only 10 minutes’ drive from the M62. Trains from Greenfield to Manchester Victoria take 20 minutes, just less the other way to Huddersfield, and less than an hour to Leeds. It’s ideally placed for city workers looking for a largely picturesque commute.
History
Saddleworth has a long-established textile tradition, with mechanised textile production once a vital part of the local economy. Discover more about the history of a Yorkshire community on the Lancashire side of the Pennines in the Saddleworth Museum.
Eating & Drinking
Saddleworth bustles with restaurants, bars and people-watching cafes, benefitting from inward investment in the leisure market which has had a knock-on effect on property prices.
Highlights include the luxury ice cream from Grandpa Greene’s in Diggle, a night out at Waggon & Horses, fine dining at Dinnerstone, and country pubs, such as the Cross Keys Inn, with a barn that has music events, The Swan at Dobcross, or the Church Inn, where the Rushcart Festival, the big event of the year, is celebrated in style.
Shopping
Explore an abundance of boutique stores in Saddleworth, including Suki’s Wardrobe, Lucy Cobbs, Puddleducks and luxury cashmere Country Classics, as well as artisan food retailers, specialist bookshops, craft and gift shops alongside high street favourites and supermarket staples. Saddleworth has it all when it comes to the shopping scene, but if you want to travel further afield, there’s Manchester’s Arndale Centre and Trafford Centre.
