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Photo of Barton Swing Aqueduct, a landmark near Worsley, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Barton Swing Aqueduct© Andrew / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Places to explore near Bolton

A cotton-spinning town at the foot of the moors, Bolton grew on the spinning mule that Samuel Crompton perfected here in 1779, and its mill chimneys once crowded the valleys below the hills. Those hills are the reward now. The West Pennine Moors rise straight from the northern edge of town to Winter Hill and its mast, and below them Lord Leverhulme laid out the terraced gardens and reservoirs of Rivington and Lever Park. Smithills and the reservoir walks around Anglezarke fill the moorland fringe.

83 places within 25 km — the standouts first, nearest first within each group.

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Worth the tripnational icons and local highlights within reach

Photo of Rivington Terraced Gardens, a garden in Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Rivington Terraced Gardens

Garden near Rivington

Lord Leverhulme's atmospheric hillside gardens on Winter Hill, terraces and follies half-reclaimed by woodland.

9.2 km NW

Photo of Pigeon Tower, a folly near Rivington, Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Pigeon Tower

Folly near Rivington

Slender three-storey folly tower on the Rivington Terraced Gardens ridge, a landmark of the West Pennine Moors.

9.3 km NW

Photo of Peel Tower, Holcombe Hill, a folly near Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, north west England.Highlight

Peel Tower, Holcombe Hill

Folly near Ramsbottom

Tall Victorian monument to Sir Robert Peel crowning Holcombe Hill above Ramsbottom, with wide Pennine views.

9.4 km NE

Photo of Rivington, a village in Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Rivington

Village

Scattered West Pennine village below Rivington Pike, with a green, two churches and Lord Leverhulme's terraced gardens above.

10.5 km NW · Lancashire

Photo of Rivington Reservoirs, a reservoir in Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Rivington Reservoirs

Reservoir near Rivington

String of reservoirs below the West Pennine Moors, ringed by walking, cycling and riding trails.

10.7 km NW

Photo of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, a 127-mile canal running from Leeds to Liverpool, England.Highlight

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Canal

The longest single canal in Britain, crossing the Pennines by Bingley's Five Rise Locks and the moors above Burnley.

11.1 km W · spans 5 counties

Photo of Anglezarke Reservoir, a reservoir near Rivington, Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Anglezarke Reservoir

Reservoir near Rivington

Picturesque reservoir edged by woods and moorland trails in the West Pennine Moors above Chorley.

12.5 km NW

Photo of Barton Swing Aqueduct, a landmark near Worsley, Greater Manchester, north west England.Highlight

Barton Swing Aqueduct

Landmark near Worsley

The world's first swing aqueduct — a 235-foot iron trough that pivots aside, water and all, to let ships pass on the Manchester Ship Canal.

12.6 km SE

Photo of Wigan Pier, a landmark in Greater Manchester, north west England.Highlight

Wigan Pier

Landmark near Wigan

The Leeds & Liverpool waterfront Orwell made shorthand for hard times, its old warehouses now the heart of a canalside quarter.

14.5 km W

Photo along the Pennine Bridleway, a 205-mile National Trail running from Middleton Top or Hartington to A683 at Cote Moor, England.Highlight

Pennine Bridleway

National Trail

The Pennines for horse and bike — old packhorse trails and drovers' roads.

15.7 km NE · spans 6 counties

Photo of Hoghton Tower, a Grade II registered house & garden near Mellor, Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Hoghton Tower

House & garden near Mellor

A Grade II-listed historic park and garden in Lancashire.

19.7 km NW

Photo of Dunham Massey, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Rostherne, Greater Manchester, north west England.Highlight

Dunham Massey

House & garden near Rostherne

An early-Georgian mansion with one of Britain's largest winter gardens and a deer park.

22 km S

Photo of Lymm Dam, a Lake in Cheshire, north west England.Highlight

Lymm Dam

Lake near Lymm

Wooded reservoir on the edge of Lymm village, a peaceful circular walk of water, dingle and gorge.

22.7 km S

Photo of Samlesbury Hall, a house in Lancashire, north west England.Highlight

Samlesbury Hall

House near Samlesbury

Black-and-white timbered manor of 1325 near Preston, reputedly haunted, with craft shops and a bee centre.

23.3 km NW

Also nearbygood places nearby, nearest first

Photo of Seven Acres Country Park, a country park near Bolton, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Seven Acres Country Park

Country park near Bolton

A country park in Greater Manchester.

2 km E

Photo of Moses Gate Country Park, a country park near Bolton, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Moses Gate Country Park

Country park near Bolton

A country park in Greater Manchester.

2.2 km SE

Photo of Smithills Country Park, a country park near Rivington, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Smithills Country Park

Country park near Rivington

A country park in Greater Manchester.

2.6 km NW

Photo of Jumbles Country Park, a country park near Turton, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Jumbles Country Park

Country park near Turton

A country park in Greater Manchester.

5 km N

Photo of Blackleach Country Park, a country park near Worsley, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Blackleach Country Park

Country park near Worsley

A country park in Greater Manchester.

5.2 km SE

Photo of Clifton Country Park, a country park near Worsley, Greater Manchester, north west England.

Clifton Country Park

Country park near Worsley

A country park in Greater Manchester.

6.9 km SE

Photo: Winter Hill, a 457m hill near Rivington, Lancashire, north west England.

Winter Hill

Marilyn · County top near Rivington

A Marilyn — a hill with 150 m of drop on every side in Lancashire.

8.1 km NW

Photo of Worsley, a village in Greater Manchester, north west England.

Worsley

Village

Canal village on the Bridgewater with a distinctive black-and-white green and ochre-tinted water, now home to RHS Bridgewater.

8.2 km S · Greater Manchester

Photo of The Strawbury Duck, a pub near Entwistle, Lancashire, north west England.

The Strawbury Duck

Pub near Entwistle

Isolated stone pub by Entwistle station in the West Pennine Moors, ringed by reservoirs and moor.

8.4 km N

Everything else within 25 km (60) — reserves, earthworks & places to check before travelling

Ordered by how far each place is worth travelling for, then by distance. Distances are straight-line to the nearest edge of each place — paths wind, of course.