Confusingly there are two Rivington Barns - Rivington Hall Barn which is set well away from the road to the east of Rivington Lane and the Great House Barn which is on Rivington Lane. I mention this to alert walking group leaders arranging a meeting point. Last month the Dotcom walkers seemed to be dispersed over a wide area at the RV time when we checked the route out.
Fact File:
Time: 3 - 4 hours
Maps: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors
This will take you to Horrobin Lane close to the primary school. Turn left
and cross the causeway separating the Lower and Upper Reservoirs. But for this feature - necessary to ensure there was convenient access from Chorley to the village - there would be just one reservoir. At the far end in front of Horrobin Cottage
turn right onto a service road. (Horrobin Cottage was built as a waterman's residence - note the symbol of the Liver Bird on the chimney breast. Keep on the road as it passes a drive to a house on the left and crosses an overflow channel to bring you in another half mile
to Knowles Lane. To the right the causeway divides Anglezarke Reservoir from Upper Rivington Reservoir. Cross the road to a wooden kissing gate
and through it keep ahead on a path leading alongside a wall to the right
which encloses a slither of woodland. Further along the wall is replaced by a fence with a more open view of the reservoir. Always with the fence on your right follow the side of a large embankment
until you reach a narrow lane.
Turn right and continue passing two farms on the left turn right just beyond a corner of the embankment onto Kay's Farm Drive. As you reach the farm
turn left onto an enclosed track that is a public bridleway (waymarked with blue arrows).
Keep on this for half a mile and then turn right onto a public footpath
leading to a metal gate
on the edge of woods. Have a care down the slope as after wet weather it will be slippery. Also a fallen tree makes for an awkward though not insurmountable obstacle. The path descends
close to the water's edge
not far from Moor Road at the northern end of Anglezarke Reservoir and the half-way point of the walk.
and follow it pass a handsome waterman's cottage
- this one in mock Tudor style - to cross a watercourse known as the Goit. A goit is a rather archaic name for a channel but why this one should be elevated with the use of the definite article is not known to this writer. After it turn right through a gate
into woods. The path leads upwards on a stepped slope
and after levelling out continues to a gate
leading into close cropped pastureland. Here you'll admire a fine view across Anglezarke Reservoir - see if you don't!
Keep on the path to re-enter woods on a course that takes you away from the reservoir as the route crosses the neck of a peninsular below High Bullough Reservoir. Keep on the main track as it climbs to High Bullough Reservoir
which use to be known as Chorley Reservoir and pre-existed Thomas Hawksley's scheme . The track descends through woods to water level of the main reservoir and continues
to meet Knowsley Lane. Walk along this until you almost reach the causeway then take a path that switches back
to climb alongside the most obvious engineering feature encountered thus far - the
giant's staircase that is an overflow from the Yarrow Reservoir. The path climbs up to the embankment below the reservoir.
Here turn right on a broad path that gently descends a junction of tracks.
Turn right and in 600yds reach
Horrobin Lane close to the causeway. From here retrace your outward steps.