I HAVE been a Trends and Features writer for the Bolton News for just over six months now- during this time I have discovered so much about the town.

Being from the West Midlands, my knowledge of Bolton stemmed from occasional visits and anything my local friends could tell me about the town.

Writing feature stories for The Bolton News has allowed be to dig deep into the town’s history, speak with locals and really feel like I am part of the Bolton community.

Here are just ten things I have learnt about Bolton after writing about the town for six months:

You take your pasties very seriously

One of the biggest things I have learned after speaking to locals and writing about the town is that pasties are no joke.

You are either team Carrs Pasties or Ye Olde Pastie Shop and can’t be loyal to both… unless you are really hungry.

Which team are you on?

The Bolton dialect is very unique

In my opinion, the Bolton accent is very charming and warm. However, some accents were stronger than others and I found myself asking some interviewees to repeat themselves when I first started.

As with everywhere in the UK, there is a lot of debate about what these are called:

The Bolton News: What do you call these? (Photo: Pixabay)What do you call these? (Photo: Pixabay)

Where I am from we call it a bread roll or a batch. I quickly discovered this isn’t the case in Bolton where most locals call them barms or barm cakes

There are a lot of beauty spots in Bolton

Before writing about Bolton, I assumed it was an industrial town devoid of any beauty spots or areas of natural beauty.

However, I stand corrected and have encountered so many stunning locations while writing for the town.

I spoke to a group of local ramblers last year who revealed some of the best walking routes in the region- and it genuinely made me want to travel up to the town and embark on one of the routes for myself.

The Bolton News: Rivington PikeRivington Pike

(Photo:Geograph/ Matt Harrop)

In particular, the Rivington Pike walk seems like a particularly good one as the views from the summit look spectacular in the photos.

Bolton has an extremely haunted past

As a fan of all things spooky, I loved speaking to a local paranormal investigator last October.

The founder of Para-Northern told me all about her experience with spirits and even shared some stories about the most haunted places in town.

I was surprised to see just how many pubs and buildings in the town have paranormal stories connected to them.

Ye Olde Man and Scythe and Smithills Hall are just some locations with a spooky background.

Even if you don’t believe in the paranormal, some of the stories about the locations are sure to send a chill down your spine.

I know exactly where to go for a fantastic holiday

With lockdown measures in place and the travel rules constantly changing, a proper holiday has been a pipe dream for many of us- myself included.

Over the past six months, I have written extensively about Bolton staycations hoping to give readers a glimmer of hope about the prospect of a weekend away- even if it is just on the doorstep.

However, if I ever decide to have luxury UK holiday near Bolton I will know exactly where to stay.

Bolton is home to some great independent businesses

Where possible, I try to shine a light on Bolton’s local and independent businesses. This was especially the case at Christmas, when I spoke about the Bolton businesses that needed your support during the season.

In particular, I loved the trinkets and gifts for sale at Sentiments in Horwich.

I also loved exploring the unique items and gifts for sale from local Etsy sellers, some of which I had never heard of before- they definitely inspired me to think outside the box and support local with my own Christmas shopping.

It’s safe to say that an online shopping session took place after completing these articles…

Peter Kay isn’t the only celebrity to hail from the town

The Bolton News: Peter KayPeter Kay

Peter Kay (Photo: Ian West/PA)

Before writing for the Bolton News, I was only aware of one significant celebrity from Bolton- Peter Kay.

After writing several articles about the celebs from the town, I can now confirm that this isn’t the case.

Danny Jones from McFly, director Danny Boyle and Amir Khan are just some well-known names with links to the town.

I discovered more about Bolton’s sporting history

This time six months ago, my Bolton sports knowledge was limited.

However, now my knowledge has expanded and I know so much more about the Bolton Wanderers.

For instance, I discovered that they used to have another nickname that only long-term fans know about.

They used to be nicknamed ‘The Trotters’ and origin of this nickname is not universally agreed on.

One story is that the team were fed trotters before a match and that the club’s base at Pike's Lane used to be situated next to a pig farm.

Another theory is that the word ‘trotter’ means ‘practical joker’ which described the jovial nature of the Boltonian players.

While I will always be loyal to the Sky Blues, I’ll still root for the Wanderers if they happen to be playing.

That Bolton is not a city

 It might sound strange but I always assumed that Bolton was a city.

Despite being one of the largest town in the country, I was surprised to hear that it was never granted city status.

After further investigation I found out that Bolton’s application to become a city was actually rejected in 2011.
 

The town has a lot of history and is bursting with culture
 

Granted, not every aspect of Bolton’s history is all sunshine and rainbows.

I wrote an article about historic murder cases from the town, including the story about the local mother who poisoned her own daughters and the 12-year-old girl who was murdered in 1919.

However, other aspects of Bolton’s history make it seem like such an enriching place to live.

I have discovered more about Bolton’s role in the industrial revolution and discovered more about the historic buildings nearby such as Smithills Hall and Turnton Tower.

Boltonians are lucky to have places of such historical significant; not every town and city in the UK is as lucky!