Local Life - Wigan - September 2018

Leisure 67
Wheelton Moor
by Chris Pearce
Despite the name, the moor isn’t in Wheelton; it’s
actually closer to neighbouring Brinscall and it’s from
there that we start this scenic, easy-to-follow 6 mile
route. There’s a fair amount of off road parking in the
village and we start in Lodge Bank, near to Brinscall
Swimming Pool (PR6 8QU).
Exit Lodge Bank and turn right. Instead of following
the bend in the road, go straight on into Butterworth
Brow and then take the first right up Well Lane. The
early morning sunshine quickly disappears, blocked
out by the canopy that is Wheelton Plantations, as
we climbed Well Lane.
Ignore the entrances to the Plantations on the right
and carry on up the incline until you can go no
further by road, then go through the entrance gate
to the Moor and follow the stony path that bears
slightly to the right. At this point you should take a
breather and indulge in the rural views of Chorley’s
eastern villages that have opened up behind you
before you continue up the pathway onto the 90
square miles of wild, unspoilt countryside that is the
West Pennine Moors.
Remnants of stone cottages are dotted around
Wheelton Moor, which are only inhabited nowadays