Start: Anglezarke Car park: From Junction 9 M61 take A674 towards Blackburn. Turn right for Heapey and White Coppice. At White Coppice follow signs for Rivington and Anglezarke. After passing viewpoint and small car park descend sharply towards reservoir. At bottom of the incline turn right into the car park.

 

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Summary: Distance: 12k 7 ½ miles

                   Time: 3 - 4 hours
                  Terrain: Mainly easy walking along good well drained tracks. There is an ascent to Rivington Pike which can be decreed optional.
                 Map: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors

Directions: From the car park return to the road and keep ahead to the next junction.

 

Here turn left up Parsons Bullough and begin a short ascent. As the road begins to level out take a public footpath on the right.

 

This edges around Yarrow Reservoir with fine views across to Winter Hill and the moors.

 

The track begins to drop away from the reservoir. At the next junction of tracks turn left. After a short distance take a footpath on the right besides a brook.

 

 Keep on this as it takes you across pastures to the village of Rivington.

 

Although small there is much to divert you here including a tearoom in the church hall to the left. Keep ahead across the green and then turn left onto a bridleway.

 

This leads up to Rivington Hall Barn and very popular amenity. At weekends the car park attracts scores of motor cyclist enthusiasts while the Barn provides Sunday lunches at great value. Keep to the left of the barn and after passing a cottage on the left enter woodland on a broad track.

 

From this point many options open up but your main objective should be to get to Rivington Pike. As you pass through the terraced gardens of Lord Leverhulme's estate you are bound to be distracted. There are many fascinating features that demand close inspection.

 

 Using the Dove Cote as a guide you will arrive on a broad track that gives access to the Pike.

 

Here on a clear day the views are stupendous.

 

Return to the gardens but descend close to the boundary fence at its southern end. These will bring you to the Japanese garden with its lovely pool.

 

 Keep dropping down until you reach a broad track. Here turn left and for a short while leave the woods to continue a more gentle descent along a gorse lined track. At the next gate turn sharp right to re-enter woods.

 

 The path leads down to a broad avenue.

 

Here turn left. Then follow the sign of a bridleway.

Ahead the grounds of a school will come into view through trees. Bear to the right of them to reach Rivington Lane. Cross onto another woodland track and then turn right when this quickly comes to a wide avenue.

 

This leads down to the replica ruins of Liverpool Castle.

 

The choice of ruin demonstrates the close ties between the area and Liverpool which since the mid 19th has drawn its water from the series of reservoirs below the moors.

 

From the castle keep ahead on a path that hugs the shores of the reservoir until you arrive at the apparatus of the "Go Ape" facility.

After this the track reaches the edge of Rivington village close to the primary school. Turn left and cross the causeway between the Upper and Lower reservoirs. At the far end turn onto a utilities service road next to the handsome Horrobin Cottage.

 

 Follow this as leads up along the west shore of the upper reservoir.

 

When you reach the lane turn right and cross the causeway between Anglezarke and Rivington reservoirs.

 

At the far end follow the road as it swings to the left. As the next junction keep left and quickly arrive at Anglezarke car park. 
 

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