Retire to Burscough

Canel with a boat and buildings along it in Burscough, Lancashire, England.

Retirement living in Burscough

Quaint, yet lively, Burscough is found just north of Ormskirk in West Lancashire and mixes a rich rural history with a vibrant variety of services and amenities. Burscough combines the best of urban and countryside life for seniors.

Local retirees enjoy: 

  • A peaceful, safe environment with a low crime rate, a strong community feel and easy access to nature and green open spaces.
  • Large supermarkets, high street shops, a post office, traditional pubs and tea rooms as well as the independent businesses at Burscough Wharf. 
  • Fantastic transport connections to the surrounding towns and cities like Preston, Liverpool, Manchester and the coast.
  • Sports and leisure facilities including a gym, Lathom Fisheries and Ormskirk Golf Club, just three miles out of the centre.

Retirement developments in Burscough

Explore retirement property for sale or rent in Burscough, and find your ideal home for senior living.

Retirement living in Burscough

Burscough is a peaceful small town in West Lancashire, with plenty of amenities and easy access to nature. It is considered one of the safest places to live in the country.

Leeds Liverpool canal running through Burscough, Lancashire.

Access to amenities

Burscough is an increasingly sough-after location with all the essentials on the doorstep including a Post Office, library and community centres.

  • Groceries 
    An Aldi, Tesco superstore and Booths will satisfy your weekly shop, with some offering delivery to your doorstep.  
  • Shops 
    You’ll find independent boutiques selling everything from handbags to flowers throughout central Burscough, as well as hair and beauty services.
  • Hospitals and medical care 
    The nearest hospital is Ormskirk District General, which is a 10-minute drive away from the town, or an hour on the bus. GPs like Burscough Family Practice and Stanley Court Surgery offer care closer to home and there are dentists, pharmacies and an optician too.
A farmers wheat field in Burscough, West Lancashire.

Things for retirees to do in Burscough

Burscough has a proud agricultural history as well as the historically important Burscough Parish Church - built to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon in 1815.  

The town is surrounded by countryside and with the picturesque Leeds and Liverpool Canal running through the middle, it’s a great location for active retirement living. There are plentiful walks and trails, including those at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust reserve at Martin Mere. The pretty Burscough canal walk takes you to the National Trust’s Rufford Old Hall via locks, bridges and farmland. You can also visit Windmill Animal Farm to see a working farm close up.

The town also has a strong community spirit too. You can get involved in U3A activities at the Lathom and Burscough Old People’s Club.

Focus on a distance marker in Burscough on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal in Lancashire in the UK. Burscough Bridge appears in the background.

Transport and connections

There are plenty of transport links making it easy to explore local Lancashire towns and cities from our retirement bungalows and flats in Burscough.

  • By car 
    The A59 runs through Burscough, connecting it to Ormskirk and Rufford onto Southport, Formby, Liverpool and the coast.
  • By bus 
    Buses connect Burscough to Preston, Skelmersdale, and Ormskirk, making it easy to pop to a larger town if you want a change of pace.  
  • By rail 
    There are two train stations: Burscough Bridge and Burscough Junction connecting the town to Wigan, Southport, and beyond. 
  • By air 
    Liverpool John Lennon airport is the closest airport, taking just half an hour by road while Manchester Airport gives you even more options and can be reached in 45 minutes.

Retirement living in Burscough FAQs

Burscough is generally more affordable than larger nearby towns and cities like Preston, Southport and Ormskirk. Local shops and grocery stores provide essential amenities at reasonable prices, and many places offer a senior discount - including several lines of public transport, such as buses.

Burscough offers excellent public transport connections, with two train stations that connect to major stations across the Northwest, such as Liverpool and Preston. Local buses offer good connections to nearby towns and villages, making it easy and affordable to explore the surrounding countryside on a day out.

Located in the countryside, with good connections to many major cities, Burscough offers the best of both worlds. It is a close-knit community with a mix of new residents and long-term locals who enjoy the peaceful pace of life here.

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Retirement living services and amenities at McCarthy Stone

We offer a range of amenities and assisted living services at our Burscough retirement developments. Choose from two options to find your perfect fit.

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