North West of Bolton is Rivington Country Park. This mountain bike route of 17.5 miles takes in many of the Parks attractions, including Rivington Pike, as well as venturing outside to visit each of the reservoirs in the valley. The terrain is not too difficult but there are a few technical sections that make this route well worth riding.
1. Start at the car park by the Great House Barn café and the Information Centre (GR628138). Head out the back of the car park towards the reservoir. Follow the dirt track 90deg right to keep the water and fence on the left. Continue along this trail to the next car park. Go straight through the car park then past the school, on the right, to a road junction (GR625144). Turn left and descend on the road to the next junction, at the edge of the reservoir, then turn right. Follow the broken tarmac that soon bears right and climbs to a junction at the crest in the road (GR625148). Turn left and step over the stone stile then climb the wide, rocky hardpack track. Continue up the gentle climb to the next junction, beneath the reservoir. Take the left hand track for a short descent that, after a tight left hand bend, comes out at a road (GR621155).
2. Go straight on across the dam, then on the opposite side continue along the road for a few hundred meters. Just after the road starts descending it comes to a junction by a house, on a left hand bend (GR617154). Turn right and follow the lane straight on to the next group of houses. Follow the lane through a few bends then go past the bank of the reservoir on the right, where it straightens out. Just after the bank finishes take the track on the right that leads to the farm, marked as a bridleway. A short distance later, directly before the entrance to the farm, turn left on the hardpack track (GR612165).
3. Follow this track up a gentle climb between the fences. The track then kicks up and goes through a few bends as it enters the trees. After the trail flattens out follow it a short distance to a junction on the left, at the next group of trees (GR611179). Turn left up the concessional bridleway and climb the thin, rocky track. At the top of the climb follow the track through a right hand bend that comes to a crossroad. Turn left and descend a short way to a gate. Go through the gate and climb up through a section of tricky rocks. The trail soon bears right into the trees and heads down hill over a few drops and loose rocks. Continue down the trail to the junction at the bottom (GR606183).
4. Turn right and climb the straight track up to a gate. At the gate turn hard right and continue climbing. A short distance later turn hard left, then go up a small but difficult rock section. After reaching the top of the climb follow the muddy trail as it descends to the right and comes to a muddy chute. At the bottom of the chute go straight on, up a short climb, to a gate on the left. Go through the gate then turn right at the junction just after and follow the trial to the previously visited crossroad. Go straight across and follow the trail, bearing left, to descend back to the wide hardpack trail (GR611179). Turn left and descend the track to the gate at a junction with a lane (GR612183).
5. Turn right and descend the lane through a couple of bends. After crossing the dam follow the lane through a left hand bend for the start of a steep road climb. After some time go left then right past the Manor House then continue up the lane to a junction at the top of the climb, where the lane turns right and descends (GR623169). Go straight on and descend gently along the dirt track through a few of gates. Just before the third gate, follow the bridleway as it turns right and descends steeply to another gate. After the gate drop through a loose left hand bend. At the bottom turn right and cross a bridge to a junction (GR630164).
6. Turn right and descend along the wide dirt track, keeping the stream on the right. Cross the next bridge then bear right to a gate at the next junction. Go straight ahead and follow the lane to a junction at the far end of the reservoir (GR624160). Turn left on the concessional bridleway to continue following the edge of the reservoir. After a few bends the trail starts to descend and comes to a previously visited junction. Go straight on and descend to the gate at the bottom (GR625148).
7. After the gate turn right and drop down the tarmac, through a left hand bend, to a junction with the road. Turn left and climb a short way to the entrance to a car park on the right (GR625144). Turn right and ride to the back of the car park then take the left hand track and climb gently to the road at the other end (GR628141). Turn left on the road and descend a short way to a junction with two tracks on the right, where the road bears left. Turn right and take the left hand track for a wide, badly cobbled climb to the car park at Rivington Hall Barn (GR633145).
8. Bear right through the car park to a junction at the back of the Barn. Turn left and go through a gate for a muddy, slightly cobbled climb. At the top of the track turn left, up a short climb, then follow the ruts to a gate. Go through the gate and follow the trail right to the next gate (GR637149). After the gate turn right and follow the lane to the next car park. Go straight on at the car park towards the two tracks ahead. Take the track on the right and go through the gate to climb a wide cobbled dirt track. Continue up this track for a while to go under the 'Seven Arch' bridge and on to a big open junction (GR638140).
9. Take the track on the left between the stone pillars and climb through the terraced gardens. Follow the concessional bridleway through a left hand hairpin, past a track on the right, and continue climbing through the gardens. Go straight on at the next junction and climb to the gate at the Pigeon Tower (GR639142). Once through the gate turn right and ride along the wide track towards Rivington Pike. At the next junction go through the gate in the wooden fence on the left, then climb the wide, broken track towards the Pike. Climb through a couple of rocky bends and turn left past the junction with the steps to the next junction, at the back of the Pike (GR643138). Take the track right and climb to the tower at the top (GR643137).
10. After taking in the view turn so the transmitter mast on Winter Hill is directly on the left, then descend steeply over the rocks slabs, then along the muddy ruts. Rejoin the wide cobbled dirt track on a left hand bend, then follow it down through a gate to a junction (GR644134). Turn left to follow the wide dirt track, which turns into tarmac at a house on the left. Bear left then right over a small crest. A short way after the crest, just before the trees meet the fence on the right, turn right through a small gate to follow the marked concessional bridleway (GR650128).
11. Descend the obvious track into the trees. The singletrack weaves through the trees then goes through a tight left hand bend before coming to a junction. Descend right for a rocky section that ends at a gate at a junction (GR647126). Turn right up a short climb then follow the track between the fences to a house. Go straight on and descend the broken tarmac and concrete to a junction on the edge of the housing estate (GR641126). Turn right onto the road then, a short distance later, take the next right. Follow the track as it bears left around the field on the left. The track soon drops right over a bridge then go straight up a short, steep climb that starts with a couple of steps. Bear slightly right up the dirt track to a lane by a school (GR638126).
12. Turn right and climb to the next junction. Take the middle of the three tracks ahead to climb left up a wide, rocky and muddy trail. Keep straight on up this track for a while and go through a couple of gates to a junction with a wide and rocky concessional bridleway that turns tightly off to the right (GR638137). Climb this track below Rivington Pike Tower to the junction at the other end. Turn left to follow the wide track to the junction at the Pigeon Tower (GR639142).
13. At the junction by the tower go straight on to follow the wide, rocky track between the tower and the broken bit of wall. Descend this track through a smooth fast right then left hand bend to the top of the most technical part of the ride. It starts with a slab section and quickly gives way to loose rocks and broken tarmac. After a brief respite the track then drops through a tricky boulder field. If you don’t like big loose rocks there is some singletrack up on the left hand side of the trail. The trail eventually comes out to a car park at the bottom (GR637148).
14. Go straight on along the lane past the car park. After the car park, at the end of the fence on the left, go through the gate on the left down the rutted track along the drystone wall. The trail bears left to a gate. After the gate continue on the track, bearing left, then descend to a junction (GR637147). Go straight on, over the stream, then bear right and follow the main track down hill to the next gate. After the gate follow the trail as it bears left. At the triangular junction keep left and descend to the next junction. Go straight on and descend a short way to the road (GR633134).
15. Go across the road and straight on down the track to the next junction a short distance later. Take the second left at the junction and follow the dirt track through the trees to the next junction (GR633129). Turn right and follow the wide track down to the castle (GR629130). Turn right at the castle and follow the track that leads away from the tower. At the next junction turn left and follow the track across the bottom of a field, on the right. The track then bears right and comes to another junction. Take the left hand track to stay on the main track, on the right hand side of the trees. Follow the main track right then left. After a short straight stay right of the fence. Descend right to a sharp left hand bend that leads on to a short sharp climb. At the top of the climb turn right to the Great House Barn cafe and the Information Centre to complete the ride (GR628138).
Not all of these trail are shown on the OS map of the area but they can be found from a leaflet, available in the Information Centre, which details all the permissive trails.
Comments
Great instructions
Followed the directions on saturday, we had the best days riding of the year loved every bit of the ride.
Step 10 i discovered was very rutty which caused a comedy OTB moment :)
Going to look through some of your other routes now to decide where to go next.
Thank You.
Rivington Pike Ride
Really good ride, well worth doing, bit complicated in places but sat nav kept me right.
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