Rivington Pike

Rivington Pike stands on Winter Hill in the West Pennine Moors near Chorley, Lancashire. The 363-metre hill rises above the Lancashire Plain and overlooks Greater Manchester to the south. Its summit offers views of Blackpool Tower, the Lake District and the Isle of Man. The Pike Tower, a Grade II* listed building, sits below the summit and was built in 1733 as a hunting lodge. The land and tower are managed by Chorley Council and form part of Lever Park. The Pike has strong historical links. A prehistoric mound at the summit may have been a standing stone in ancient times. In 1801, political activists known as the United Englishmen met here to plan uprisings for universal suffrage. The site was also part of the 1896 Winter Hill mass trespass, when 10,000 people marched to assert their right to roam. Beacons lit here warned of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and later marked royal jubilees. Visitors reach the Pike via Belmont Road or Roynton Road, both public roads with speed limits. The Pike Tower’s stone base remains from the original beacon site. The moorland around the Pike is open access land, popular for walking, mountain biking and horse riding. The nearby Terraced Gardens and Japanese Gardens add to the landscape. The Pike’s summit and tower stand as landmarks against the wide Lancashire horizon.