Wilderswood , Horwich family walk

Leo exploring on my dads back

mine adit – this is blocked after a few feet very damp and wet and full of mud !

can you see the pike ? we are going to look at the dragonflys on the pond

walking towards Ormstons farm
http://www.ss-osands.org.uk/ssosands/beep/horwich/timeline2.htm
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=4b3af9cc-9607-4e80-913b-786a61a4df87

old mine workings

one of the horses -sign says do not feed
 Leo with his hat on this walk he kept on taking it off

Leo on the walk – i picked his hat up several times

me and Evie stroking a horse

the mast and the old tramway

mine adit – this is dry but blocked after a few feet – goes towards cabin pit but does not link up 😉

this area has been felled

Evie hiding 😉

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/wilderswood


my first blog a year ago 
http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/07/wilderswood-mines-and-tunnels.html


http://justramblingon.co.uk/country-walks/rivington/to-the-wilderswood/
http://prestonwalkies.blogspot.com/2007/04/wilderswood-and-winter-hill.html
http://www.about-horwich.co.uk/horwich/Wilderswood_Mill.html
http://justramblingon.co.uk/diary/diary-2011-week-18/

route taken
http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-horwich-family-walk-312610/

Rivington Pike to Brown Hill to Back of sportsman’s cottage

looking at Leo who is in the back carrier – pike in the background

Lower Rivington reservoir

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Rivington_Reservoir

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Rivington_Reservoir

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/jed/rivington_reservoirs.htm

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/charcarea9.asp

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/underground/reservoir/history.shtml

Leo

wall marks the boundary between Chorley and Horwich

An old bottle top

on the way to the pike over the gate

view towards the mast

http://www.heatherandhillforts.co.uk/index.php/en/about/heather/71-bilberry

Yes I am eating Bilberries !

crooked edge and the two lads

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike.html

http://www.angelfire.com/in/rivington/

http://www.bolton.org.uk/pike.html

http://www.rivingtonboardingkennels.co.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivington_Pike

http://nwex.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6595

if you wanted to know what it looked like at the top of the Pike !

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/winterpike.html

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike_Folklore.html

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/Brown%20Hill
Brown Hill

someone has planted a garden on the side of  river Douglas

River Douglas  
https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/img028661.jpg
http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/12/rivington-pike-rivington-horwich-bell.html
http://prestonwalkies.blogspot.com/2010/04/quick-walk-up-winter-hill-from-belmont.html

http://www.bolton.org.uk/winterhill.html

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/cy/ymchwil/cynllunio/33512.aspx

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/River%20Douglas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Douglas
http://www.bolton.org.uk/rivington.html
http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/social-history-images/200296?term=postcard&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=199&b_start:int=0
http://www.brianherald.co.uk/home/58422_moorland-stream.html
http://www.wiganman.co.uk/Content/history/Douglas-1.html
http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike_Tower.html
https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/me-in-the-snow-two-lads-rivingtonbrown-hill-river-douglaswilderswood/

old sheepfold –

Note from Dad Pre-historic swirls?  one distict and one less you can feel the one on left , with two it is unlikely just to be random !

Bell Pit

old mine level or adit

pike in the background this is tough grass for me

yes roly poly time !

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

taking a break !

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

old shaft ? or collapse ?
nothing is marked on the circa 1900 map of the area

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/rivington-pike-brown-hill-mines-312370/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivington_Pike
http://www.about-cumbria.co.uk/section/6501/winter-hill-boundary-wall/

Winter Hill Mine trails, two lads to winter hill mast pits, Horwich

the pike and the reservoir and Wilderswood and wilders moor

across these -these cattle grids have hedgehog ramps in them 🙂

on the way up the two lads

we are with Leo today so i have my boots on !

Adam Hill ( left) and white Brow from the two lads

someone has rebuilt this

I was careful not to knock any of the stones off

two lads with the mast in the background

carefully coming off the two lads middle brook in the background

I can still run but have to wait for my dad as Leo is in the back carrier and does not like to run yet !

the mines are on the left hand side – you can just see some evidence of the tips

this shaft is blocked off

one of the flooded shafts

learning how to drink safely on the moors -dont do this unless you check to see where the water comes from

Leo looking at me eating bilberries
http://www.heatherandhillforts.co.uk/index.php/en/about/heather/71-bilberry

eating Bilberries

sitting down to eat – pike is in the background

old shaft -capped

another drinking source

Old shaft near the mast

the masts at the back of Winter hill

testing my balance

Old shaft

me doing a roly poly

Leo asleep

one area of old bell pits near the brickworks

practicing going under a fence without damaging the fence or Me!

one of the old bell pits

this area has a lot of bell pits and waste mounds

old pipe ?

someone has been digging here – this is from the area near the brickworks

Leo has just woken up !

http://www.daveweb.co.uk/whvol2.pdf
P48

“Although Winter Hill is a wonderful “playground” and a place of great
beauty and fascination for many of us, we should always be aware of the
hidden dangers at all times, and do all we can to minimise them.
Unfortunately, many of us like the bleakness and solitude of the place,
and often go wandering around on our own – and at times when there is
perhaps nobody else around on the moors – and in the most appalling
weather conditions! Some would call us foolhardy, but this is our choice
and what we choose to do – and we would defend our right to do just this
– so long as we are all aware of the possible dangers and we dress and
equip ourselves to minimise the risks.
In poor weather never underestimate Winter Hill. The bogs really ARE
there. The visibility really CAN vanish totally within 60 seconds. The
body surface temperature plus the chill factor for those unsuitablydressed, really CAN drop to –10C or more on top of the Hill.
DO take care on Winter Hill ….. but enjoy it! Remember. It CAN bite”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Hill_(North_West_England)

http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/ENG/WINTER.GIF

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=SD660144

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/winterindex.html

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Winter_Hill_Mines.html

http://www.mineexplorer.org.uk/winterhill.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT_hAN0HGEA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff69PQ0GEFU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR_1i2eCkl4

http://www.lancashirewalks.com/WinterHillArchive.pdf

http://about-cumbria.co.uk/section/5039/flooded-mine-tunnel-under-winter-hill/

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Winter_Hill_Water_Tunnels.html

Wilderswood mine trail ,Montcliffe,Rivington ,Horwich

small yellow and black ladybird

just looking at the grasses

old gatepost

old mine level

old water pipe from the pond or mine ?

by the old entrance to the mine still blowing cold air

down towards cabins pit

winter hill mast in the distance

the owners showed me a very gentle old horse – he loved polo mints

old level and tramway

old mine drain?

one of the old rail s

the old tramway bridge – rails

me on a bridge across the tramway

this bridge was reinforced by iron rails

the pike

looking for grasshoppers

me holding a grasshopper

Bell pit

one of the levels

the mast from wilderswood two lads

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-mine-trail-311592/
http://justramblingon.co.uk/country-walks/rivington/to-the-wilderswood/
http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/trails-around-the-world/europe-trails/trails-europe-united-kingdom/trail/rivington/prd_167366_4539crx.aspx
http://justramblingon.co.uk/tag/dogs/page/3/

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/winterpike.html

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike_Folklore.html

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/Rivington%20Pike

http://justramblingon.co.uk/history-pages/two-lads-hill/

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Two_Lads_Cairns.html

Rivington Pike links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivington_Pike

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike.html

Two Lads links

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Two_Lads_Cairns.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Pennine_Moors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Hill_(North_West_England)

http://www.daveweb.co.uk/whvol2.pdf

Keld ,Crack pot Hall, Beldi Lead Mines and Swinner Gill.

>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keld,_North_Yorkshire
http://www.focaldepth.co.uk/index.php?page=10&sel=1&catg=&search=
http://www.mindat.org/loc-4873.html
http://www.aucu61.dsl.pipex.com/swaledal.htm
http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/keld.asp
http://www.brillmusica.com/images/Images27/index.html
http://www.waterfallsoftheyorkshiredales.co.uk/info28981.html
http://www.pdmhs.com/PDFs/ScannedBulletinArticles/Bulletin%2011-4%20-%20The%20AD%20Lead%20Mines%20in%20Swaledale,%20Yorkshire.pdf

Keld is in the Yorkshire dales -swaledale

Fossils, they look like old worms !

searching a mine tunnel ?

old rail from one of the mines !

me on a old tractor !

http://www.magneticnorthphotography.com/photo4110347.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36652311@N03/5016709847/
http://www.mindat.org/sitegallery.php?loc=215050

Crackpot Hall , the kitchen ,

this is how they used to have a bath its a old tin bath

can you see the date ?

mine adit

river bed – swinner gill

lead vein

gill scrambling

This is a waterfall -its dry at the moment – I climbed this

http://www.walkingenglishman.com/dalesguide/waterfalls/master.htm

at the top of the  waterfall

waterfall – old mine tunnel on left blocked after a few feet

the river disappears underground but does flow down the valley normally

old mine bridge

mine adit – crackpot hall

This hill was steep

Note from dad :

This is a steep Hill decent – my trainers couldn’t cope , Jake just kept on going !!!

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Beldi-Hill-Lead-Mine/
http://beldymine.piczo.com/?cr=3
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/album/Beldi-Hill-Lead-Mine-User-Album/?uid=988
http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Beldi-hill_3046/Beldi-hill.asp
http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/view_picture.asp?id=31305
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom-swailes/3299499735/
http://www.mindat.org/locdana-4873.html

mine ore processing remains

old mine pulley ?

inside the mine tunnel

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

along the mine tunnel  please be careful !!!!!

plants do not grow – this is because its toxic waste from the minerals in the mine waste

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/keld-310160/

This is my route

Wilderswood in the snow , Horwich , Christmas day walk 0C to -3C

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/gb/rivington/203129323512595105

weather good , small family walk

old gate post at start of Wilderswood

sledging again

Rivington pike from wilderswood

deep snow

ice river

I had been down this the other day , the river goes into one of the water tunnels which is blocked ,

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img027052.jpg

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/dscn1028.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

adit for mine ,

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img027182.jpg

 

 

iron trough

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img00118.jpg

 

mine building for the main shaft at wilderswood

 

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/wilders1.html

 

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/wilders3.html

 

 

 

shaft -capped

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img00122.jpg

main colliery  winding buildings

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img00123.jpg

still blowing cold air – which is warmer than the surrounding rocks melting the snow!

cabin pit shaft buildings

https://jakeofwinterhill.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/img027252.jpg

 

 

 

quarry terrace

I love running in the snow

 

 

 

 

 

me back at the car ,

note from dad:Two lads is to the left , Georges lane in the snow , the compact snow made it easier to drive on as the road is normally heavily potholed

 

http://www.mineexplorer.org.uk/winterhill.htm another mine site
http://www.horwichheritage.co.uk/heritagecentre.htm Horwich Heritage centre
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=52990 Horwich history overview

 

Wilderswood, Winter Hill ,Horwich in the snow up to 3ft in drits -4 to -6 c

Two Lads and winter Hill mast – view from wilderswood car park

http://www.daveweb.co.uk/whvol2.pdf

P48

 

“Although Winter Hill is a wonderful “playground” and a place of great

beauty and fascination for many of us, we should always be aware of the

hidden dangers at all times, and do all we can to minimise them.

Unfortunately, many of us like the bleakness and solitude of the place,

and often go wandering around on our own – and at times when there is

perhaps nobody else around on the moors – and in the most appalling

weather conditions! Some would call us foolhardy, but this is our choice

and what we choose to do – and we would defend our right to do just this

– so long as we are all aware of the possible dangers and we dress and

equip ourselves to minimise the risks.

In poor weather never underestimate Winter Hill. The bogs really ARE

there. The visibility really CAN vanish totally within 60 seconds. The

body surface temperature plus the chill factor for those unsuitably

dressed, really CAN drop to –10C or more on top of the Hill.

DO take care on Winter Hill ….. but enjoy it! Remember. It CAN bite”

 

today the weather was – 4c dropping to -6c combined with scrambling along a  ice covered stream with a water at 3C,  the  snow was waste high for Jake in several parts of the  scramble,  The road was passable with care (I saw two local  cars get stuck and they were just moving their cars off the driveway to the small car park opposite their houses , get stuck up here and  you have a long walk in these temperature’s with wet -ice covered clothing( in this case ) is not a a positive experience for a 7 year old!

 

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-snow-304302/

 

ice stream scramble

me on the ice -scrambling down a set of steps

me stamping on the ice BANG!

me waking on the ice

 

the ice is slippery

me sliding dawn the ice

 

a branch is in the way

this snow is slippery

Note from Dad insulate yourself when sitting down -Jake enjoyed the Hot chocolate !

 

giant block of ice

Mine audit in the snow -this is blocked after a few meters

tree in the way

 

going in the and through the water tunnel

 

 

exit to a tunnel

Cabin Pit

note from Dad :change of gloves  was all that was needed to keep Jake warm – picking up ice out of the water was too much for one set of gloves!

 

see Jakes other Blogs for more information  and pictures in the summer,

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/wilderswood

 

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/Wilderswood%20water%20tunnel

 

Good local heritage site

http://www.horwichheritage.co.uk/heritagecentre.htm

Good fossil guide to this area

http://www.daveweb.co.uk/whfossil.pdf

 

Bolton Mountain rescue

http://www.boltonmrt.org.uk/go.php?page=main

 

RSPB Geltsdale, New venture drift/Howgill colliery and Forest head lime works,Cumbria

New venture drift -wast tip

“Howgill Colliery – Another early Thompson project was the Howgill Colliery which was a drift connected to the Blacksyke Branch near Forest Head. Howgill was closed in 1880 but sections of it were worked many decades later to help boost the dwindling coal resources. In 1919 the Naworth Coal Company was again considering fresh mining activities closec to the old Howgill Colliery and the Venture drift was reopened beside the Gairs Branch south of Forest Head which entered the Howgill seam this was called the New Venture Drift. At its peak in 1923 it employed 46 below ground and 16 on the surface and finally closed in 1934”.
taken from http://www.cumbria-railways.co.uk/brampton_railway_mines.html

pipes from the mine -these are used to vent gases from tunnels

entrance to the drift mine -taken from the top of the drift entrance

we heard  water which sounded like it was from a  hollow tunnel -one of the other entrances to the drift mine!

railway cutting  to Gains colliery disused

a wall – look carefully a pipe !

a pipe to fill the water tank in the  steam trains ?

a water tank – pipe to the railway cutting  + valve found to control the water flow

a rainbow

capped mine shaft

mine waste tip

red lichen flower found on mine waste tip

forest head lime works,

very windy and wet on the ground

lime kilns

info about Lime Kiln’s

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lime_kiln

inside a lime kiln

mine ?

Railway loading bay

railway cutting disused

lime kiln waste

kirkhouse brick

RSPB Geltsdale -back at last

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/g/geltsdale/

Weather: very wet ,windy high chill factor very strong winds which were very gusty visibility generally good  though, very tiring to be out and about on the high fells so we kept to the lowland parts , we will come back to this area.

Links to local area

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/uk/respb-geltsdale.html#cr

http://www.northpennines.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=12999

http://www.northpennines.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=9091

Local places to shop

http://www.alstoncraftworkers.co.uk/

http://www.made-in-northumberland.co.uk/

http://www.madeincumbria.co.uk/

local photo

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1539500

route

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/geltsdale-mines-and-quarries-302340/

lead mine clough Anglezarke – first explore of this area (back of Winter Hill)

I am starting off on my explore !

I am on a stone footbridge across one of the many streams,

this is a old farm ? we found on the way

this place is called Higher Hempshaws on the map

a old roof slate

a old mine trial near lead mines clough

mine adit at lead mines clough

where the water wheel (powered by water) was that pumped the water out of the mine at lead mines clough

war memorial to a bomber which crashed in WW2 ,I am tidying this up by putting some of the crosses back (above lead mines clough)

I am resting I am getting very tired nearly at the car !
the route we took,
http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/anglezarke-300726/

more information re this area

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Lead_Mines_Clough_Spout.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Pennine_Moors

http://justramblingon.co.uk/anglezarke/searching-for-more-waterfalls-in-lead-mines-clough/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglezarke

weather very windy, sunny -some tracks plus cross country , It was a  long way  (4.6 miles) for me !

Dusk / Night time in wilderswood !

me in the dark in high visibility clothing

me going  into the water tunnel

old mine adit blocked after a few feet !

this water tunnel is blocked always check you can get out the other side!

a small quarry  which was used to build the local houses

one water tunnel this is longer of the two tunnels ,caution a lot of fast flowing water!

second water tunnel  I fall in this one ! 😉

route that we took –

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-explore-water-tunnels-300694/

we followed the stream down – very fast flowing , weather was very windy ,