Winter Hill from Wilderswood


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11th December 2020

I decided I'd had enough of weather watching so I grabbed the dog leads and headed out to Winter Hill where hopefully I should enjoy a few bright spells before sunset. It's not our normal dog walk but the miles are similar and I wanted to treat Holly and Brad to something different that also included a summit albeit by road.

This afternoon I'm starting from the car park at Wilders Wood which despite today being a Friday was very busy and I only just managed to park, the reason why, it looked like there was a large walking group which I spied over the moor at Two Lads summit, so it wasn't just me taking advantage of the dry afternoon, actually as it turns out the forecast drew out a few others too but that didn't stop the walk feeling a little eerie once the mist settled in and the sun was starting to set.

Overview

Ascent:	642 Feet - 196 Metres
Summit:	Winter Hill
Weather:	Overcast With a Few Bright Spells. Highs of 8°C Lows of 2°C
Parking:	Car Park, Wilderswood, Horwich
Area:	West Pennine Moors
Miles:	4.2
Walking With:	On My Own
Ordnance Survey:	Explorer 287
Time Taken:	2 Hours
Route:	Wilderswood - Rotary Way - Transmitter Mast - Winter Hill - Transmitter Mast - Rotary Way - Wilderswood

Map and Photo Gallery

Rivington Pike seen over Wilder's Moor.

Not that you can see but it's looking very busy on Rivington Pike. I'm not going that way today instead I'm heading directly for Winter Hill summit via Rotary Way which is the access road for the employees at the transmitter station.

Winter Hill Transmitter from Rotary Way.

It looks like the forecasters were right it's starting to clear quite nicely and feeling very mild indeed although that could be down to me wearing too many layers.

Here's Holly.

I wouldn't normally let Holly off her lead because she isn't good with cyclists but with no one around I let her go and do a bit of exploring, that's Two Lads in the distance.

Come on Holly lets go see what's behind this fence...

Daaaddduuuuuh Brad's being naughty again !!

Mast support cables.

This road is often closed during Winter due to Ice collecting on the cables above which can fall onto the road below.

Winter Hill Transmitter Mast.

Despite the blue skies with more height gained the temperature has taken a dip leaving me feeling glad of the extra layers.

Memorial plaque Winter Hill Transmitter Station.

" Somewhere around the corner all is well"

George Henderson memorial.

Traveller
Native of Annan Dumfrieshire
Who Was Barbarously Murdered
On Rivington Moor
At Noonday November 9th
1838
In the 20th Year of His
Age

Winter Hill.

At the end of Rotary Way the road passes the transmitters towards the summit of Winter Hill located between the gap of the transmitters.

Winter Hill Transmitter Station and Mast.

It looks like cloud is on its way but with little to no wind it could take sometime to arrive.

Mast support cables.

Brad enjoys Winter Hill summit.

Sadly there wasn't much in the way of views over Belmont and its surrounding hills due to a mix of cloud and mist.

Winter Hill Transmitter Mast from Winter Hill summit.

We've all managed to stay dry...up until now...Holly and Brad are loving the mud.

Heading back to the top of Rotary Way.

With mucky paws there!

Cloud drama over Winter Hill.

The temperature feels like it's hovering around zero and with a dead stillness mist is starting to rise, I'm loving it so much I slow my pace.

Looking back on the Transmitter Station and Mast.

The mist is forming from ground up leaving it feeling a little eerie.

One last look back before the cloud completly envelopes the Transmitter Mast.

I still had a mile or so to go until I reached the car and with the view behind me completely obscured as I pass Two Lads summit which was just about visible through the cloud. A young family emerge from its path and Brad saw it to greet them which the families young boy loved. With the light drawing in I arrive back at the car and towel down the gruesome twosome then treat them with a couple of treats ready for the half hour journey home where Brad sat tired in the passenger footwell while Holly watched the world go by through the passenger window.