Pete's Mountain Landscapes

Just to the west of Winter Hill, beneath the mini summit of Rivington Pike, lie Rivington Terraced Gardens. These gardens were commissioned and designed by Lord Leverhulme, the founder of Lever Brothers assisted by Thomas Mawson and were constructed between 1903 and 1925. After 1925 they fell into disrepair and with the demolition of the main house after WW2 were effectively abandoned. Some 60 years later, the gardens were were “rediscovered” and restoration work began.

Today the area which comprises some 45 acres on the western slopes of Rivington Pike, itself a noted viewpoint, are a fascinating place to visit and the kids will love exploring! Many hidden pathways lead through the deep woods between the reservoir and Rivington Pike and the whole area has the atmosphere of a lost city or a film set for Indiana Jones. When I visited with my son Ben, we pretty much had it to ourselves too. If you do want to do a longer walk, Rivington Pike and Winter Hill are easily accessible on foot or by mountain bike from near the Pigeon Tower at the top, as is the Belmont Road by a rough track over the West Pennine Moors. The views are great but the paths through the woods are even more interesting.

Rivington itself is not far from Chorley in Lancashire (south of Preston) and there’s a car park and cafe near the bottom of the woods by the reservoir and Go Ape which is also lots of fun. There is no entrance fee to the gardens/woods though please make a donation towards the restoration. We left the car at the car park on the Belmont Road half way up where there is usually plenty of space.