The Lancashire village that's so much more than an ugly M6 services and abandoned theme park
It has an unsightly bridge over the carriageway which houses a number of fast food restaurants and the depressing grey building doesn't exactly entice you to stop for longer than the time it takes to nip to the loo.
But some people may not even realise that Charnock Richard is in fact, a pretty, flourishing village with a solid and active community set in the beautiful rural outskirts of Chorley. For a small place, there a Mary Poppins bag-load of things to see and do there. Back in the parish village, the Grade II-listed Christ Church sits back behind tall trees but still able to bask in the golden autumnal sun when it decides to shine. The church boats historic tile work and detailed stone carvings on the exterior and sharp-eyed foragers may also spot a range of fungi in the church grounds and graveyard.
Pick between three country pubs or treat yourself to a spontaneous dive in all three- The Bowling Green, Dog & Partridge and The Hinds Head - for a quick refreshing pint, traditional Sunday lunch or a stop-off after a long dog-walk. There's some truly special views from the The Hinds Head Hotel beer garden, too.