Scouting – Rivington Terraced Gardens

Last weekend, plans to get the NoSno up into the local hills and test out some new snowboard boots & bindings (more on that later), were scuppered by blizzard-like conditions on the hill.

But I had packed for bad weather, so whilst I might not be doing any riding, I made the most of the situation and went out on a trail scouting expedition.

Rivington/Winter Hill is a big hill that is visible behind Horwich, Lancs (the Bolton Reebok Stadium on the M61) that I have been meaning to explore for ages. The problem is that it’s massive and mainly moorland up top – so not great riding. However, on an OS map it looks like there could be some really long trails (4km) – it just needs exploring and a bit of a hike to get to them…

Rivington Terraced Gardens are a series of foot paths, cobbled tracks and wooded sections that rise 450m up to the summit of Winter Hill.

Even on a -5C Saturday morning, there were a good handful of people braving the elements and walking/riding/running (nutters) up from the convenient carpark at the bottom – so I expect this place is busy in summer.

It became immediately apparent that although the wider cobbled tracks would be ridable (with 10’s on), they will be ankle and knee jarring – the cobbles are the size of footballs and irregular, so you would have to constantly be hopping around the sides of the paths where it is smoother.

The footpaths are completely different however – the spot is popular with mountainbikers, who have carved some interesting trails down the hill. There are also some steep wooded sections and if they were cleaned up, there would be some fun lines to ride – especially as some have drop-offs/cross footpaths and descend through old ornamental gardens.

Towards the summit, it opens up into moor land and a number of paths lead off in different directions. Checking out a couple of these, they appear “ridable” and more paths head off the back of the hill into moorland that might be promising.

I think the most exciting thing about this place is the potential to ride from the summit and hit up a variation of paths, tracks and woodland descents, right the way down to the carpark at the bottom – true freeriding. It could be a great spot to have a race on – you start at the top, finish at the bottom and get down the fastest way you can…

More to come when I’ve managed to get some riding in.