Burnley

Burnley is a town in Lancashire, 30 miles north of Manchester. It's an industrial town, but its proud of its many parks that have been awarded the Green Flag for excellence, and of Burnley Forest — great places for walking or cycling. The Singing Ringing Tree on Crown Point Moor is a piece of sound art made of galvanised steel pipes which make an incredible eerie noise in the wind. In 2021 Burnley had a population of 94,700.

Understand
"Burnley" probably derives from Brun Lea, the meadow by the River Lea. It's in the Pennines at a confluence of valleys, where the Calder flows out towards the Ribble. The Ribble forms the western half of the "Aire Gap" crossing the Pennines at low altitude, so it's always been a transport corridor, and its towns have water to power mills. Burnley was one of the smaller market and wool-weaving towns until 1800. Then the Leeds and Liverpool Canal made bulk transport simple, a local coalfield was developed, mills adopted steam power, and Lancashire towns switched from wool to cotton. Victorian Burnley grew rapidly with cotton mills and heavy engineering, until the late 20th century slump in textile and smokestack trades. The town has struggled to re-invent itself ever since. Transport improved but the M65 carved through the northwest side of town; light industry populates its outlying estates. Burnley is within easy reach of attractive moorland scenery but you're only likely to visit for family, business or a football match.

Famous people from Burnley include the actor Ian McKellen (b 1939), politician Lord Waddington (1929-2017), most of the band Chumbawamba (1982-2012) and cricketer Jimmy Anderson (b 1982).

By plane
Manchester Airport has global flight connections. Frequent trains run from the airport but none direct to Burnley: change in Salford, Blackburn or Preston, for a journey time of around 1 hr 45 min.

By train
Trains run hourly from Manchester Victoria, taking 45 min via Rochdale and Todmorden to Burnley Manchester Road, and continuing to Accrington and Blackburn; the last departs from Victoria at 11PM. These trains start from Liverpool Central but are shown on timetables and displays as from Kirkby.

They run hourly from Blackpool via Preston, Blackburn and Accrington to Burnley Manchester Road, and continue over the Pennines to Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds and York. Change at Blackburn for Clitheroe.

is the main railway station, south of the river. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, and toilets. There is ramp access to the platforms.

A slow train trundles hourly from Preston via Blackburn and Accrington to Burnley Barracks, Burnley Central, Nelson and Colne.

is a platform halt southwest edge of town near the Travelodge. It has a ticket machine and ramp access to the single platform.

is on the retail park a quarter mile north of town centre, a draughty lonely spot at night. It has a staffed ticket office (mornings) and machines. There is ramp access to the single platform.

By bus
National Express and Megabus don't run here, take their bus to Manchester and change.

Transdev Witchway Bus X43 runs from Manchester Chorlton St (outside the coach station), taking 90 min via Prestwich and Rawtenstall. It's every 20 min daytime and hourly from 9PM to 3AM.

Bus 152 runs from Preston every 30 min via Blackburn, Rishton, Clayton-le-Moors and Padiham.

Bus M1 runs from Accrington every 30 min, and Bus M2 from Clitheroe every 30 min via Padiham. Bus M3 runs from Trawden and Bus M4 from Keighley, both every 30 min via Colne and Nelson. Ribble Bus 64 also runs from Clitheroe and Bus 65 from Nelson.

Bus 483 runs hourly from Bury, taking 80 min via Rawtenstall.

Pendle Wizz Bus runs from Skipton hourly via Barnoldswick and Colne. Bus 592 runs from Halifax hourly via Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.

is central in town. At night when it's locked the Witchway stops on Red Lion St just south.

By road
From Manchester follow M66 onto A56 and M65. From the south you can go that way, but it's congested in rush hour, better stay on M6 to the M65 junction near Preston.

Visitor information

 * Explore Burnley

Get around
Local bus routes are #1 to Stoops Estate, #2 to Higherford, #3 to Pikehill, #4 to Worsthorne, #5 between Harle Syke and Rose Grove, #8 to Towneley and Bacup, #14 to Whittlefield and #15 to Rose Hill.

Taxi firms include Maxi Taxi (+44 1282 431922), Delta (+44 1282 888888), Apollo, (+44 1282 797979) and Kings (+44 1282 422551). The Leeds-Liverpool Canal courses through town. It's navigable from coast to coast and has a good towpath for cycling.

See

 * is Anglican. The lower tower is 15th-century but the rest is a series of additions in Perpendicular style; it's usually open Wednesday and Sunday mornings. The churchyard has interesting monuments.
 * is an area of well-preserved 19th century mills along the canal bank. Oak Mount Mill has a restored cotton engine and also houses the visitor centre, open Apr-Oct.
 * Padiham has other fine mansions, Huntroyde Hall, Simonstone Hall and Read Hall, but they're private homes and can't be visited. St Leonard's Parish Church was completed in 1869.
 * or "Burnley Panopticon" is a wind-powered sound sculpture resembling a wind-bent tree, installed in 2006. It stands on the Pennine moors so wind is seldom lacking. The ruin seen on the moor to the west was Crown Point isolation hospital, in use from 1901 to 1953.
 * Padiham has other fine mansions, Huntroyde Hall, Simonstone Hall and Read Hall, but they're private homes and can't be visited. St Leonard's Parish Church was completed in 1869.
 * or "Burnley Panopticon" is a wind-powered sound sculpture resembling a wind-bent tree, installed in 2006. It stands on the Pennine moors so wind is seldom lacking. The ruin seen on the moor to the west was Crown Point isolation hospital, in use from 1901 to 1953.
 * or "Burnley Panopticon" is a wind-powered sound sculpture resembling a wind-bent tree, installed in 2006. It stands on the Pennine moors so wind is seldom lacking. The ruin seen on the moor to the west was Crown Point isolation hospital, in use from 1901 to 1953.

Do

 * What's on? Read Burnley Express or Lancashire Telegraph, or listen to Capital on 99.8 FM or BBC Radio Lancashire on 95.5 FM.
 * Cinema: Reel Cinema is next to Manchester Road Station.
 * Theatre: Burnley Mechanics Theatre is just south of the centre on Manchester Rd (Box Office +44 1282 664400). Empire Theatre northwest is now a Thai restaurant. Burnley Youth Theatre are on Queen's Park Rd off A6114 a mile east of town.
 * The Gallery is a live music venue on Gas St, off St James St.
 * Football:
 * St Peter's Leisure Centre on Church St has a gym, fitness classes and pool. Minimum membership is one month, they don't have pay-as-you go access.
 * Golf: Towneley GC and Burnley GC are both south side of town. There's another nearby in Nelson.

Buy

 * Supermarkets on the retail strip by Burnley Central Station are Sainsbury's, Aldi, Iceland and Aldi.
 * Charter Walk is the main shopping mall in town centre.

Eat

 * Ellis's at 31 Manchester Rd serves burgers and similar W-Su noon-11PM.
 * Aroma opposite Shimla Spice on Church St is mediocre.
 * Aldo Due at 58A Bank Parade is a cheerful Italian.
 * Ballaro is an Italian by the Travelodge and Barracks railway station.
 * Dugdales is within Rosehill House Hotel, see Sleep. The restaurant has posh dining on trad British fare, served M-Sa noon-2PM, 6:30-9PM, Su noon-2:30PM.
 * Wilfred's and Bertram's are upscale places by Crow Wood Hotel & Spa.
 * Ballaro is an Italian by the Travelodge and Barracks railway station.
 * Dugdales is within Rosehill House Hotel, see Sleep. The restaurant has posh dining on trad British fare, served M-Sa noon-2PM, 6:30-9PM, Su noon-2:30PM.
 * Wilfred's and Bertram's are upscale places by Crow Wood Hotel & Spa.
 * Dugdales is within Rosehill House Hotel, see Sleep. The restaurant has posh dining on trad British fare, served M-Sa noon-2PM, 6:30-9PM, Su noon-2:30PM.
 * Wilfred's and Bertram's are upscale places by Crow Wood Hotel & Spa.

Drink

 * Brewery: Moorhouse's makes ale on Accrington Road west edge of town and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Batch makes gin on Rosehill Industrial Estate south edge of town. No tours.
 * Brewery: Moorhouse's makes ale on Accrington Road west edge of town and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Batch makes gin on Rosehill Industrial Estate south edge of town. No tours.
 * Brewery: Moorhouse's makes ale on Accrington Road west edge of town and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Batch makes gin on Rosehill Industrial Estate south edge of town. No tours.
 * Brewery: Moorhouse's makes ale on Accrington Road west edge of town and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Batch makes gin on Rosehill Industrial Estate south edge of town. No tours.
 * Brewery: Moorhouse's makes ale on Accrington Road west edge of town and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Batch makes gin on Rosehill Industrial Estate south edge of town. No tours.

Connect
As of March 2023, Burnley and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from Three.

Stay safe
Town centre is safe enough at night but swerve clear of drunks. Rough housing estates where you have no reason to go are Burnley Wood, Stoops Estate and Stoneyholme.

Go next

 * Manchester is the pulsating metropolis a short train ride south.
 * Nelson and Colne is where you escape the East Lancs post-industrial landscape for greener hills towards Skipton.
 * Clitheroe is at the foot of the scenic Forest of Bowland.
 * The Brontë Country spans the Pennines, with most sites around Haworth.