Up Winter Hill (Near Belmont, Lancashire)

While waiting at a bus stop just outside Belmont, I saw a public sign pointing up towards Winter Hill.

And of course, I had to walk up:

 This climb wasn't entirely easy, but the views were great:

About 45 minutes after starting, I found myself at the top of Winter Hill.

Soon learning about the murder of a Scotsman in the 19th century, and a few plane crashes that have happened up there:

And of course, the place was full of telecommunication pylons:

 

Had to take a few shots of this structure, which veered almost endlessly into the sky:

 

Kind of beautiful in its own way. 

Have just read that it is the Winter Hill TV mast, providing television transmission for many people in north-west England.

While up Winter Hill, I was tempted to walk down the opposite end towards Horwich.

But needing to get back to Bury quite fast, I decided to climb back down near Belmont.

It was a strange old feeling being up Winter Hill, I'm not surprised there are claims of UFO sightings up there, it just seems that kind of place.

Have just read that the three boroughs of Chorley, Blackburn and Darwen, and Bolton all meet up on Winter Hill, the highest point in the West Pennine area.

Belmont (Lancashire): Passing the Black Dog Pub

 Just before looking at St. Peter's church, I passed the impressive-looking Black Dog pub.

 Which like the church, lies at the heart of Belmont village:

 

Rather foolishly, I wasted the opportunity to have a pint inside the Black Dog, but I was in a bit of a rush, wanting to get up Winter Hill.

Have just read that the pub building:

Dates back to the 1700s, first serving as a village courthouse, then as a farmhouse, before becoming a pub in 1825.

St. Peter's, Belmont (Lancashire): Beautiful Poem

Have just read that St. Peter's church, which stands tall at the heart of Belmont village, was built in the mid-19th century.

St. Peter's church certainly is an impressive building:

 And in the surrounding burial ground, I found this uplifting poem:

It was a prize find during my early afternoon walk.

Belmont (Lancashire): Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig

Somewhere just outside the centre of Belmont village (Lancashire), I saw a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig in the distance.

The pig was walking round eating something, with his hut being visible in the background.

Belmont was turning out to be an interesting old place, just like I'd expected.

Another shot of what looks like an old toll gate house:

Passing the Blue Lagoon (Belmont, Lancashire)

While strolling round the countryside paths of Belmont, I came across Wards Reservoir, known locally as the Blue Lagoon:

Have just read that there are plans to partially fill in the Blue Lagoon and turn into an angling place.

From a distance, I got a nice view of the Anglican church in the village:

 After this, I walked up a path into quite challenging woodland:

Coming down again, I saw what looked like an old toll gate house:

Belmont Congregational Cemetery: A Quick Look

While walking down the street from the last bus stop into Belmont village, I came across the Congregational church cemetery.

Have just read that the accompanying Congregational church was knocked down in 1977.

An interesting view looking down from the edge of Congregational Cemetery:

 I guess that the water below is connected to one of the reservoirs:

As it should be, the small cemetery was a quiet, still place:

Arriving in Belmont, Lancashire

On Monday morning, I took a bus from Bury to Bolton, then caught another bus to Belmont, a picturesque village somewhere between Bolton and Blackburn/Darwen.

Getting off at the final stop, I was greeted by a reservoir on both sides of the road:

 

It immediately became clear that I was going to have a good time here.

And walking down towards Belmont village, I passed another reservoir (or another stretch of the same reservoir):