Winter Hill Wander: New Year, New Heights
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Whether you’re a long-time member or you’ve just joined as part of a New Year’s resolution, this 12.5 km hike up Rivington Pike and Winter Hill is the perfect way to lace up your boots and kick off 2026 with OutdoorLads as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary Year.
We’ll begin by winding through the woodland of Rivington Country Park and along the banks of Lower Rivington Reservoir, before reaching Lever Castle—a folly built by Lord Leverhulme in 1912 and inspired by Liverpool Castle. From there, we’ll head east and start the climb up to Rivington Pike and its iconic tower, which offers sweeping views across the Lever Park estate.
Our route then continues northeast over Rivington Moor to Winter Hill (456 m), the highest point in the West Pennine Moors and home to the Winter Hill TV mast. We’ll stop here for lunch before making our way to the trig point.
Afterwards, we’ll take a steady, steep descent to Moor Bottom, then follow the old Belmont Road to the landmark Pigeon Tower—the centrepiece of Rivington Terrace Gardens—which we’ll take time to explore before ending our walk with a final stretch past the impressive Rivington Great Barn.
Photos Copyright - Johnny Williams
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring enough food & drink to last the duration of the walk.
At the end of the walk we’ll probably visit the cafe at The Great House Barn.