FINISH: Rivington Great House Barn Grid Ref: SD62877 13885
DISTANCE: 4.5 miles
MAP: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors
This being our first walk we were looking for a relatively short walk and a location that would be nigh on impossible to become 'misplaced' in. I have recently learned that walkers never become lost just temporarily misplaced!! After some discussion it was decided that the start to our walking career would be a trip up to Rivington Pike and Lever Park. The park itself was created by Lord Leverhulme the founder of Lever Brothers and Sunlight soap which was later to become the Unilever empire that we know today.
We started the walk at Rivington Great House Barn were we parked the car and donned the rucksacks ready for the day ahead.
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| The Great House Barn |
Crossing Rivington Lane we headed up to Avenue towards the Great Hall and bearing left onto the drive and past the Hall and Great Barn to join the track which leads to the pasture via a kissing gate and path to the terraced gardens.
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| Looking Towards the entrance to the Terraced Garden Track |
The terraced gardens are not gardens at all but mature woodland and eventually the track comes to a fork. We took the right hand fork in the track which led to one of the old summer houses which have been barred up to prevent access due to safety reasons.
Continuing past the summer houses brought us to the 'Ravine' complete with waterfall although the waterfall was little more than a trickle when we were there. Above the Ravine is a small bridge which we reached by following the track from the Ravine and doubling back to the left at the next junction in the track.
Crossing the bridge and carrying on along the track lead up past some rock grottoes and a set of stone steps which lead to the ornamental lake and Japanese Gardens. This was the most disappointing part of the walk for myself as the lake and gardens are in need of some serious TLC. Like so many places nowadays that are easily accessible the lake was strewn with litter and didn't look like anyone had made any recent attempts to rectify this. No doubt with the raft of cuts to local government spending it won't be high on the local council's agenda!!
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| The Ornamental Lake |
Continuing on from the lake leads up to the great lawn which seemed to be a popular spot for lunch stops judging by the amount of people eating sandwiches!! From here the track leads onto the Pigeon Tower then doubles back and leads to the Pike path itself.
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| Looking out towards Winter Hill |
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| View from the top of the Pike over Rivington Resevoir |
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| View of Rivington Pike from Liverpool Castle |
The climb to the Pike isn't a particularly hard one and once at the top you are treated to views over the moors towards Winter Hill and views over Lever Park and Rivington Resevoir. It was incredibly windy when we reached the top and dogs and small children where hanging onto whatever they could to prevent being blown off. After a few quick pics we descended the pike and followed the track back down to the ornamental lake in a round about sort of way.......Actually we never saw the lake again as I had gotten us slightly misplaced somehow!! A trek down a broad track and through some more woodland - never did manage to find the route even on the map!! - brought us out on Rivington Lane just up from our start point at the Great House Barn. We crossed the lane and followed a path around the reservoir towards Liverpool Castle which was to be our last stop of the day. From here we headed back down Rivington Lane to the barn and the car park.
We had enjoyed our first walk and this would be an ideal walk to take the kids with you, a picnic, and make a day of it. It's just a pity that the lake and gardens aren't kept in a better state although it should be the responsibility of visitors to take their litter home with them!!!!!!!
