Ashton-under-Lyne is a town  in Greater Manchester.  Lying on the River Tame under the Pennine hills, Ashton is 6.2 miles (10.0 km) east of Manchester City Centre, 3.8 miles (6.1 km) south-southeast of Oldham and 6.1 miles (9.8 km) north-northeast of Stockport. It has a total population of 43,236.

Bolton is a large town in Greater Manchester, in North West. Situated close to the West Pennine Moors, 10 miles (16.1 km) northwest of the city of Manchester, it is the largest and most populous settlement within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, and has a total resident population of 139,403.

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester. It lies on the River Irwell, 7.9 miles (12.7 km) north-northwest of the city of Manchester, 5.9 miles (9.5 km) west-southwest of Rochdale and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east of Bolton. Bury is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, of which Bury is the largest settlement and administrative centre. It has a total population of 60,718.

Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester. It stands on the River Irk, 5.1 miles (8.2 km) north-northeast of the city of Manchester, and 4.7 miles (7.6 km) south-southeast of Rochdale, with a total resident population of 45,580.

Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, 6.9 miles (11.1 km) northeast of the city of Manchester, and 5.3 miles (8.5 km) south-southeast of Rochdale. Oldham is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

Rochdale is a large town in Greater Manchester. lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, 9.8 miles (15.8 km) north-northeast of the city of Manchester, and 5.3 miles (8.5 km) north-northwest of Oldham. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, of which Rochdale is the largest settlement and administrative centre. Rochdale has a total population of 95,796.

Salford is a city in Greater Manchester. It lies in a meander of the River Irwell, which forms its boundary with the city of Manchester to the east. Together with neighbouring towns to the west, Salford forms the metropolitan district of the City of Salford, which is administered from nearby Swinton. It was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1926 and has a population of 72,750 and an area of 8.1 square miles (21.0 km²).

Shaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the Pennines, 8.7 miles (14.0 km) to the northeast of the city of Manchester, 2.3 miles (3.7 km) north of Oldham, and 3.6 miles (5.8 km) southeast of Rochdale. It is regularly referred to as Shaw.

Stockport is a large town in Greater Manchester. Situated 7 miles (11.3 km) south east of the city of Manchester, it is the largest settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, and has a population of 136,083 (2001 Census), with the borough as a whole having 281,000. This makes the borough 23rd most populous district in England. There have been several bids by the council for city status. The River Mersey begins in Stockport, at the confluence of the Rivers Goyt and Tame.

The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester. It has a population of 211,800,[1] covers 41 square miles (106 km²),[2] and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston.

Worsley is a town within the metropolitan district of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester. It is known as the start of the Bridgewater Canal.