Well with the Bank Holiday Monday approaching soon and my partner having to work (I’m not smirking) I want to get out and about and do another walk in the country. There is still a lot of Pendle Hill I have yet to explore – Lord above knows why but I long to do the most difficult trek from Pendleton or Worston …and that’s why I have not chosen to go there…you can get too much of a good thing, over-familiarity does breed a diminished respect and having just walked up it and across it last weekend…well I might leave that until October – unless there is an organised sponsored event and then I’ll do whatever route is scheduled.
Counting Hill
As with Pendle, the slightly nearer hill of Winter Hill still has a lot to offer me – it has just as many minor summits for me to explore and another trig point (ordnance survey column) on Whimberry Hill for me to tap! The idea is to park at Barrow Bridge 53.601597, -2.475286 walk up the slope to Walker Fold Road / Colliers Row Road then up a footpath that doesn’t stand out very well on Bing Maps: Coal Pit Road, Bolton BL1 7, 53.609937, -2.470737. At Lomax Wife’s farm should be the o/s column then I may run into difficulties getting onto the Dean Ditch as there appear to be a few walls in the way. Once there I believe it should just be a matter of walking over Counting Hill – which has no trig point but I’m willing to bet that there is a cairn (or two). From there I’ll head off to Winter Hill, come down the north west path and onto Belmont Road / Rivington Road (don’t get me started on that one again!) and essentially walk around the main hill passing Catter Nab and onto the road passed Pigeon (Dovecote) Tower. Next step is to turn off the main path and onto the cobbled path up to Rivington Pike.
By now exhausted; I shall have a good stay at the Pike admiring the view and the energy being expended by everyone else ascending the steps. I shall then head in the general direction of Two Lads but for a change will not carry on up to Winter Hill but will head off towards the lovely path that heads to and through Burnt Edge. The final stretch of the walk should see me traverse Walker Fold Road – pass the Walker fold Farm and drop on to Barrow Bridge with Dakins Brook on my right hand side.
View Counting Hill (South) in a larger map