Counting Hill, Winter Hill & Two Lads Sunset


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19th October 2024

Overview

Ascent:	939 Feet - 275 Metres
Summits:	5, Adam Hill - White Brow - Counting Hill - Winter Hill - Two Lads
Weather:	Bright & Sunny With Intermitant Cloud. Highs of 16°C Lows of 9°C
Parking:	Parking Spaces, Wilderswood
Area:	West Pennine Moors
Miles:	6.8
Walking With:	On My Own
Ordnance Survey:	Explorer 287
Time Taken:	3 Hours 20 Minutes
Route:	Wilderswood - Rotary Way - Adam Hill - White Brow - Holden's Plantation - Holdens Farm - Roscow's Tenements Clough - Dean Mills Reservoir - Counting Hill - Rotary Way - Winter Hill - Rotary Way - Two Lads - Wilderswood

Map and Photo Gallery

Two Lads from Wilderswood 14:40pm 16°C

I had tweaked my back again during the week and although it wasn't too severe I thought I'd give it a rest and lay off the fell walking this weekend. After taking Brad and Holly out this morning the forecast seemed to brighten and well, there was no way I could sit in the house all afternoon so I jumped in the car and drove out to Winter Hill. I've walked this route many times and with less than 1,000ft total ascent I don't think I'll be be breaking a sweat let alone anything else. I parked easily and debated whether I'd need my walking poles locking the car and walking twenty yards I returned to my car to collect them reckoning they'd come in handy negotiating the bogs on Counting Hill.

Despite today being bright and sunny in this part of the north west we've had heavy rain through the week so heavy on Wednesday evening my garden and patio were completely under water and I feared my kitchen would flood, luckily the rain lightened and the water subsided. I've timed the walk roughly around 3 hours which should see me back on Two Lads to watch the sun go down, trouble is I'm twenty minutes early and worse still, I only have 40% battery left on my phone which I'd forgot to charge.

Looking back on Two Lads and Rivington Pike.

Given how nice the afternoon has turned out I expected it to be busier only spotting the odd walker from afar as I flanked Two Lads before heading onto Adam Hill and White Brow todays first two summits.

Looking back on Adam Hill, Two Lads and Rivington Pike.

You could hardly call Adam Hill anything other than a hump the same goes with White Brow just two grassy mounds 300 metres apart over looking Montcliffe Stone Quarry but there's something about the place that I like despite how muddy it is, it's always very quiet here.

Counting Hill seen over Holdens Farm.

With Adam Hill and White Brow behind me I joined the track which will lead me onto Burnt Edge from where I took this photo. Just in case you were wondering the little bump to the right of the farm is Brown Lowe which is a steep little bugger up close.

Passing through Holden's Plantation.

One of the reasons I chose this route was I knew there'd be lots of Autumn colour through here. You can just see the new-build next to the farm which took less than 12 months to complete.

Lower Roscows Tenement Clough.

Stunning colours.

Looking back on Lower Roscows Tenement Clough.

The bridge passes over the clough which is fed by Deans Mills Reservoir where I'll be visiting soon before flowing into Dean Brook and eventually the River Tongue to the east of Bolton.

Looking down on Upper Roscows Tenement Clough.

Both upper and lower Tenement Clough are connected via a footpath which passes through the woodland below but the path has been closed due to storm damage for as long as I've been coming here.

Views over Smithills Moor.

Leading onto Counting Hill.

Dean Mills Reservoir.

Well, that's a first I've never had this place to myself I guess there's a first time for everything.

Huge cloud blocking out the sunshine!

Seen above Burnt Edge.

Transmitter Mast and Counting Hill summit from Dean Mills Reservoir.

Other than two sheep on the path I still couldn't believe my luck having the reservoir to myself so I dropped my pace and soaked in the views.

Transmitter Mast from Counting Hill.

I squelched my way from the reservoir onto Counting Hill and was glad I went back for my walking poles. I still hadn't seen anyone since leaving Burnt Edge with the exception of the two figures ahead who were heading towards me who turned out to be a couple with their Greyhound, judging by the state of their jeans and trainers I don't think they'd walked Counting Hill before!

Distant views of Bolton and Manchester from Counting Hill.

Just like The Pewitts are in the Lake District Counting Hill is pretty much boggy all year round and after rain it's obviously much worse but the views more than make up for it.

Winter Hill from Counting Hill.

Not far to go now but I'm way ahead of time so I drop my pace to a dawdle if I'm to time my Two Lads summit with the sunset.

Views to the east towards Longworth, Turton and Darwen Moors.

It's looking nice and bright out east...

Who turned the lights off!

Within twenty minutes cloud had built up towards the west but hopefully as the sun begins its descent into clearer skies it should turn brighter again.

Winter Hill summit.

I still had time to spare so I walked the entire length of the summit before returning to the trig point which made up the time. By the time I left Winter Hill it was just twenty five minutes to sunset.

Looking back on Winter Hill.

I could see the work-mans cradle close to the mast from the summit earlier but I didn't expect to find the area round the Transmitter Station to be closed of at Rotary Way which saw me divert across the moor, by-pass the station then rejoin Rotary Way ten minutes later.

Mast anchor.

instead of descending Rotary Way I Joined the new slabbed path which passes over the moorland all the way to Two Lads.

The last light was magical.

Here looking towards Two Lads, Adam Hill and White Brow.

Sun setting over Rivington Pike.

That light again...

...as I look back on the slabbed path towards Winter Hill.

Sun setting over Lower Rivington Reservoir.

I'd forgotten all about my low battery just clicking away as normal until my phone alerted me it was down to just 10% after a couple more photos this dropped down to 7% so I thought I stopped taking photos, locked the phone and hoped the battery would see me back to the car so I wouldn't have to go through the faff of a restart then having to pair it back up with the car. With just moments left the light intensified as the sun sank into a wall of cloud and haze leaving a orangey pink hue and a drop in air temperature.

By this time I was stood on Two Lads summit along with a woman who was throwing a ball for her Black Lab. The woman began her descent and soon she was out of sight. The light continued to fade and I could see red tail lights in the streets of Horwich below. It was 18:12pm now and I really should start making my way down too but instead I found a boulder, put my hands in my pockets and watched a Magpie atop a fence post its mate circling nearby. There was no grand finale the sun had set, the skies were darkening I guess it was time to head home.