Rivington Pike Walk: The Ultimate Guide

The Rivington Pike Walk, starting from Rivington Hall Barn, is one of the best walks in the West Pennine Moors. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about this brilliant walk. We’ll also talk about other things to do in the area and provide some additional information and bonus tips to help you plan your visit.

About Rivington Pike

Rivington Pike is a prominent hill, which is located on another hill called Winter Hill. The hill is actually the most westerly high point of Winter Hill and overlooks the small village of Rivington, near Bolton. There are a number of walking trails that lead to the summit of the hill, where you’ll find Rivington Pike Tower – a Grade II listed building.

In this guide, we’ll talk about the most popular Rivington Pike walking route, starting from Rivington Hall Barn, which explores the Rivington Terraced Gardens en route to the summit of the hill.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty details of the walk, let’s look at the exact location of this area.

Read our guides about Pendle Hill, Entwistle Reservoir, Holcombe Hill and Darwen Tower

Where Is Rivington Pike?

It’s located in the Borough of Chorley, near Bolton, in Lancashire, which is in the northwest of England. The hill also falls in the West Pennine Moors, an underrated area that Beck and I have enjoyed exploring. Also, some people refer to the area, where the hill is located, as the Rivington Country Park, Rivington Park or Rivington Estate. Please click on this link to access an interactive map of the area on Google Maps.

Now, let’s look at some trail specs for the short Rivington Pike Walk.

Rivington Pike Walking Route Information

• Type: Out & Back with Loop
• Distance: 2.7km
• Time: 1–1.5 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 190m
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trailhead: Rivington Hall Barn

Rivington Pike Walk Map and GPX File

Here’s a map of the Rivington Pike Walk starting from Rivington Hall Barn. To access a GPX file, simply press on the image below, which will lead you to the AllTrails website. From there, you can easily download the GPX file and upload it to whichever online trail map app you use.

Rivington Pike Walk: Trail Description

Below, we’ll cover the highlights of the Rivington Pike Walk. Personally, Beck and I did this walk as a sunrise walk (hence all the photos with darker lighting). Indeed, watching the sunrise from Rivington Pike is one of the best ways to experience the natural surrounds on the walk.

The walk starts at Rivington Hall Barn. Read Rivington Hall Barn Car Park for more information about parking.

Starting Point: Rivington Hall Barn

Rivington Hall Barn is an impressive Grade II listed building. The complex consists of both Rivington Hall and the older Rivington Hall Barn.

Rivington Hall was the former manor house for the Lords of the Manor of Rivington. It’s thought to have originally been a 15th century wood and wattle and daub structure. This structure was demolished and rebuilt as a stone building in the late 17th century and early 18th century.

Rivington Hall Barn adjoins Rivington Hall. The Tithe barn supports a Medieval cruck construction and is thought to date back between the 9th and 15th centuries. In 1905, it was restored, modified and enlarged by Jonathan Simpson for Lord Leverhulme who was a soap magnate, English industrialist, philanthropist and colonialist well-known to the Bolton area.

These days, Rivington Hall Barn is used for weddings and events. Because Beck and I arrived early for our sunrise walk, we ended up checking out Rivington Hall Barn after the walk.

From Rivington Hall Barn, you’ll follow a gradually steepening trail, with a lovely grassland area known as Brere’s Meadow to your right. Depending on your preference, you can either head straight to the summit or visit via the Rivington Terraced Gardens.

Personally, we set straight for the summit as we were on the minutes to make it in time for sunrise. With icy trails during winter, ascending the slippery tracks to the summit took a bit longer than anticipated. But, we made it to the summit just in time for sunrise!

Rivington Pike Tower

At the summit of Rivington Pike, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the stunning West Pennine Moors. Even though we experienced a partly cloudy sky, we still enjoyed nice views of Winter Hill, Lever Park and Lower Rivington Reservoir as well as the towns of Rivington and Horwich. On a clear day, it’s also possible to see the Lake Districts peaks, the West Lancashire Plain, Blackpool Tower and even some mountain peaks in Wales!

From the summit, you’ll also find Rivington Pike Tower, which is yet another heritage-listed building you’ll see on this walk. There was once a beacon located on the site where the tower is now found. This beacon was thought to have been initiated by Ranulph de Blundeville, the 4th Earl of Chester after the Scottish raids of 1138. 

In 1733, the tower was built by John Andrews of Rivington Hall over the site of the beacon and was used as a hunting lodge. The tower is around six metres high. Since 1733, the tower has been renovated and restored.

Rivington Terraced Gardens

After scoping out the tower and enjoying the sunrise from the summit, we made our way down the hill. After arriving at Belmont Road, we followed a trail down to the Rivington Terraced Gardens. These were designed by Thomas Mawson, between 1905 and 1922, for Lord Leverhulme. The purpose of the gardens was merely a place for entertainment. There, you’ll find lovely Japanese gardens. But, there’s more to the area than just gardens. You can find ruins of a summer house, kitchen gardens, a bothy and even human-made caves.

After exploring the area, you’ll descend Roynton Road, passing the Great Lawn, which is an extension of the gardens. Whilst you’re walking on Roynton Road, you’ll pass under the spectacular Lever’s Bridge. Before returning to Rivington Hall Barn, feel free to make a quick detour to explore the Italian Lake and Pigeon Tower. The Pigeon Tower is an extension of the Rivington Estate instigated by Lord Leverhulme. It’s also possible to go inside Pigeon Tower on Saturdays! This is organised by the Rivington Heritage Trust.

How to Get to Rivington Pike

The quickest and easiest way to get to Rivington Pike is to drive there yourself. In terms of directions to Rivington Pike, simply follow Rivington Lane and at the end of the road, you’ll arrive at Rivington Hall Barn.

If you don’t have your own set of wheels, we recommend hiring a car.

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

Public Transport

It’s possible to get to Rivington Pike using public transport. You can get a train to Blackrod from Manchester and then a bus (#915) to Rivington and Blackrod High School. From there, you’re looking at an approx. 2.2km walk to get to Rivington Hall Barn. We recommend using Trainline and Google Maps to help plan your journey.

Despite public transport being an option, we recommend driving (if that’s possible) as it’s much less time-consuming. Indeed, depending on where you’re travelling from in the UK, getting to Rivington by public transport may be a slow and tedious journey.

Rivington Hall Barn Car Park

In terms of Rivington Pike parking, you have a couple of options. There isn’t a Rivington Pike car park as such. But, most people doing the walk will park at Rivington Hall Barn. Parking there is free.

Another option is the free street-side parking on Rivington Lane next to Brere’s Meadow. Personally, this is where Beck and I parked. From there, we walked up to Rivington Hall Park and began the walk.

What Walks Are Nearby?

Other than doing the walk described in this guide, there are many other Rivington walks to choose from. Below, you’ll find a list of the best walks in Rivington. In reality, most of these walks are extended walks, which include visiting Rivington Pike.

• Rivington Pike and Lower Rivington Reservoir
• Winter Hill and Rivington Pike
• Winter Hill, Two Lads and Rivington Pike
• Rivington Pike and Brere’s Meadow

Personally, after doing the Rivington Pike Walk, Beck and I did a short nearby walk to Tiger’s Clough and Crooked Edge Waterfalls. Indeed, these are two lesser-known waterfalls worth visiting.

FAQs

Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about Rivington Pike.

What Are the Opening Hours?

It’s open all day, every day!

What Is the Rivington Pike Postcode?

The Rivington Pike address and postcode is Rivington Lane, Bolton, BL6 7SB, England.

How Much Does it Cost to Go to Rivington Pike?

It’s free to visit.

Is There Parking at Rivington Pike?

You’ll find parking at either Rivington Hall Barn or Rivington Lane next to Brere’s Meadow.

Are There Toilets at Rivington Pike?

There are no accessible toilet facilities during the walk itself. But, you’ll find toilets are available at Rivington Hall Barn if it’s open when you do the walk.

Is Rivington Pike Family and Baby Friendly?

Yes, it’s a fairly easy walk and a suitable one for kids. Although, there are no baby-changing facilities.

Is Rivington Pike Wheelchair Friendly?

Unfortunately, given the stepped trails leading to the hill’s summit, the walk is not wheelchair-accessible.

Is Rivington Pike Dog Friendly?

You’ll find many people walking their dogs on this walk. There don’t seem to be any rules forbidding this.

How High Is Rivington Pike?

The Rivington Pike’s height is 363 metres.

Hiking Essentials

These are our hiking gear essentials for doing the Rivington Pike Walk.

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Additional Information and Bonus Tips

• Stop at Rivington Pike Cafe (Fika Rivington): it’s possible to stop at a cafe during the walk! Fika Rivington is located here between Pigeon Tower and Rivington Pike Tower. Of course, if you’d prefer a hot beverage after the walk, then you have plenty of options in Rivington. Near Rivington Hall Barn, you’ve got Rivington Village Green Team Rooms, The Rivington Tea Rooms and Spring Cottage Cafe. There’s even a nice cafe at the Great House Barn.
• Visit Great House Barn (Great House Information Centre): as well as a nice tea or coffee, you could visit to learn more about Rivington’s history by visiting the exhibition centre there. Indeed, exploring more of Rivington near Bolton would be a great way to fill out your day after doing the Rivington Pike Walk.
• Rivington Pike weather: check Mountain Forecast, the Met Office or BBC Weather for the latest Rivington weather.
• Explore nearby national parks in the northwest of England: make sure to also check out the Lake District (coming soon) and Yorkshire Dales.

Read our guide about the best walks in Lancashire.