Walk around #RivingtonPike and the Barn

We awoke to a sunny start to the day and decided it was suitable for a quick foray into the countryside. One of the places that we hadn't visited for a while was Rivington, near Horwich.

A friend, who had visited recently, showed us some interesting photographs that he had taken of the area and so set off to make our own explorations.  We later discovered that due to heritage funding the grounds of the estate were being improved. 

We arrived and were fortunate enough to find parking although it was quite busy, The Sat Nav had taken us through the village and just before parking, we saw a small stream that looked interesting, so after crossing a small footbridge,  we decided to explore that first, 

Having not visited Rivington for a couple of years, we set off to investigate by heading up to the hill. The path was well trodden but there were some excellent hidden corners, small waterfalls and ruins of what had once been an impressive garden. 

The climb was quite strenuous but well worth it for the views. Eventually, as we reached the top, we found the Japanese Terraced Gardens and rested here for a while. Not having a map, we missed the path to the very top but now that we have our bearings, we can return there and do that in future.

We proceeded along the path, looking for a way down. As we reached the seven Arch Bridge, we met another walker who told us which path to take.  

 Although the weather had been fine when we set off, dark clouds had started to appear and just as we made our way down to the Small Barn, we had a heavy downpour of rain. Fortunately, it didn't take us too long to reach a dry haven, (the cafe!) and we were able to sample some of the excellent food. 

A really nice walk exploring the area and it's good to see the rejuvenation of the gardens and paths,