At (53.704°, −2.199°), north-northeast of Manchester city centre and north-northwest of central London, Bacup stands on the western slopes of the South Pennines, amongst the upper-Irwell Valley.
Bacup is surrounded by open moor and grassland on all sides with the exception of Stacksteads at the west which forms a continuous urban area with Waterfoot and Rawtenstall [REF].