Walk 8 Rivington to Winter Hill including Rivington Pike, Two Lads and Noon Hill
 
 
 
Updated
 27/10/2012
Photo's

Length
5 miles

Time
2 hrs 45 mins

Min Height

924'
Max Height 1676'
Height Gain 1115'

Terrain
Continual climb to Winter Hill. Stone tracks and moorland paths. Excellent Views.
 
The starting point for this walk is Lower House Car Park which is found by taking the Belmont Road from Rivington village green. Take a right at the first junction and right again at the next also. (Grid Ref SD638148)
 
 
Turn left out of the car park and rough roads are evident. Take the right hand (gated) one and begin to climb. This was one of the driveways that lead to Lord Leverhulme's bungalow near the Pike. After a quarter of a mile you will pass under a seven arched footbridge which was built for Leverhulme.
 
 

Continue along the road and when you reach an intersection take the left track through the large stone gateposts. Immediately to the right are the remains of a gatehouse.

Continue and when the track starts to double back on itself take the path straight ahead. This soon brings you out on another very wide driveway. Rivington Pike is directly in front of you. Continue across the driveway and climb to the summit. If you wish to omit the Pike, turn right and continue along this wide driveway. There are excellent views all along here looking out to the west. Bolton Wanderer's Reebok stadium at Horwich is clearly visible.Continue until you reach Pike Cottage, the first building on the left, and take the stile immediately after it on the left. This is the ascent to Two Lads Hill, so named because it is said that in the long dim past, two boys got lost and died on the moor.

Two piles of stone were erected in their memory. The third pile of stones is the cairn marking the Summit. When the summit is reached turn left and follow the path to the tarmac lane which takes you to the Winter Hill Television masts. Look out for the plaque dedicated to the Winter Hill aircrash on the first building you pass and also Scotsman's Stump on the right. (See Places of Interest: Winter Hill) Stay on the tarmac lane and follow it to a sharp left bend. Follow the left turn and here are a series of radio masts.

When you reach the first building/mast on the right, turn immediately right after it following its fence for 25 yards. Go through a gate and turn 90 degrees left. Views open up to your right. As you reach the Trig Point go through the gap in the fence and make your way onto the lane. Bear right and continue to the end of the lane and here turn to the right of the mast. An embankment appears in front of you (do not go over the stile that is 10 yards further on). Ascend the embankment and follow the path for a mile until you reach the summit of Noon Hill. There are superb views from here). Leaving the summit follow the westerly path that leads down to another of Leverhulmes driveways. When reached, turn left and follow this all the way to the Pigeon Tower. At the Pigeon Tower turn sharp right and take the driveway  down to the car park.