Car Hire Bolton - Mini guide to Bolton
Located on the edge of the Pennine countryside in the heart of the northwest of England, Bolton boasts a mixture of superb shopping, sport and leisure facilities, beautiful buildings and historic houses, as well as superb countryside and a wealth of tourist attractions.
Bolton's core is the imposing Town Hall, built in 1866 to celebrate the town's position as a world-renowned textiles and engineering centre, and Le Mans Crescent, which contains the Art Gallery and Museum. The popular Art Gallery hosts exhibitions of national and international significance, and its collection includes works by artists such as Turner, Gainsborough and Thomas Moran. The Central Museum features a renowned collection of Egyptian antiquities and collections of natural history, local history, geology and archaeology and its own aquarium.
The town's rich historical heritage is evidenced by over 700 listed buildings and 20 conservation areas. Smithills Hall dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest manor houses in Lancashire. It is surrounded by ornamental gardens and over 2,000 acres of beautiful moorland, farmland and woodland, which make up Smithills Country Park. Hall i'th' Wood Museum dates back to the 15th century, and is a part-timbered, late medieval merchant's house that was once the home of Samuel Crompton, who invented the Spinning Mule in 1779. The beautiful parish church of St Peter, built in Gothic style in 1871 on a site believed to date back to the sixth century, is the highlight of Bolton’s religious architecture. Fun for the whole family, Animal World and Butterfly House, situated in Moss Bank Park, both provide a superb display of animals, birds, and exotic butterflies from around the world.
Bolton has a positive reputation as a busy centre for nightlife, attracting visitors from all over the northwest to its cosmopolitan bars, restaurants and nightclubs. The town centre houses a variety of modern shopping complexes as well as tree-lined squares, street performers, shopping plazas, street cafes, bistros and restaurants.
Throughout the surrounding region are vast tracts of greenery, with superb opportunities for climbers and fell walkers as well as excellent facilities for water sports including; canoeing, windsurfing and sailing. Just outside the town is Queens Park, a traditional Victorian town park with ornamental garden areas and scenic views over Bolton. Jumbles Country Park blends into the spectacular West Pennine Moors, a few minutes from the urban area. Barrow Bridge was once a 19th century model industrial village that is now a popular moorland beauty spot, featuring a series of attractive cottages set beside a small stream, while Moses Gate Country Park was restored from an old industrial wasteland and has now become a site of national scientific interest due to its unique wildlife.
Bolton is well served by all major transport routes (road, rail and air) with easy access to Manchester International Airport. From London it is a 3 hour, 30 minute train ride changing in Manchester, with frequent local connections to Midland towns as well. Motorist have easy access to Bolton off the M61 (J3,5) and M66 (J2) just north of Manchester.
