Places of Interest
These quarries are clearly visible from White Coppice and are easily accessible after a short steep climb. They are high up and to the right of Black Dean Brook. There are several millstones left in situ so the quarry must have closed very quickly. This is an ideal area to roam if you only have an hour or so to spare. There are also fantastic views from here.
The Chinese Gardens
Click the thumbnail below to go to a page of photos of the Gardens.
Leicester Mill Quarry
Leicester Mill quarry took its name from an old bleaching factory that was near by. Until the building of the reservoirs in the 1850's, the quarry was a very small concern. However, the reservoirs scheme needed thousands of tons of stone and production at the quarry increased significantly.
Today the quarries are silent, apart from the hum of distant cars. There are many walks around the area and a metalled path through the quarry itself. Views from the top of the quarry are extensive on clear days. Car parking is plentiful.
Winter Hill
See Walks for information on how to get here.
There are three main items of interest on the Summit of Winter Hill
Winter Hill can be an inhospitable place, but when the weather is clear the views are magnificent and warrant the climb. There are several transmitters, with the largest being the TV mast. There is also an Ordnance Survey trig. point
Rivington Pike
Standing 1198 ft above sea level the Pike has a fair amount of history. The building on the summit is a grade two listed building. The present tower was built in 1733 by John Andrews. He built it on the foundations of a beacon that was used to warn of danger. The original beacon is known to have existed in the 1100's and is also known to have been lit in July 1588 to warn of the Spanish Armada when it was seen in the English Channel. The Tower originally had a wooden roof and a fire place within it. Since it was renovated in 1974 access to the tower has been prohibited.
It is a tradition within the area to walk up the Pike on Good Friday and visit the fair which is held on the summit each year for that day only. There is also a fell race held on the same day.
The Reservoirs
Click here to read an article written in 1904 about the construction and other information concerning the reservoirs including pictures of the drained Rivington reservoir in Jan 2002.