Winter Hill (North West England)

Winter Hill
Winter Hill from Blackrod. The mast can be seen for many miles around
Highest point
Elevation	1,496 ft (456 m)
Prominence	715 ft (218 m)
Parent peak	Hail Storm Hill
Listing	Marilyn
Coordinates	53°37′48″N 2°30′54″W / 53.63000°N 2.51500°W / 53.63000; -2.51500Coordinates: 53°37′48″N 2°30′54″W / 53.63000°N 2.51500°W / 53.63000; -2.51500
Geography
Winter Hill Location of Winter Hill in Lancashire
Location	North West England
OS grid	SD659149
Topo map	OS Landranger 109

Winter Hill is a hill on the border of the boroughs of Chorley, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton, in North West England. It is located on Rivington Moor, Chorley and is 1,496 feet (456 m) high. Part of the West Pennine Moors, it is a popular walking area, and has been the site of mining activity, aeroplane disasters and murders.

Its prominent position made it the ideal site for the Winter Hill TV Mast, transmitting to a large part of North West England. There is also a number of other telecommunication masts and towers around the summit and side of the hill for mobile phones, Professional Mobile Radio users and emergency services. Lancashire Constabulary was the first to use the site for one of their base stations in 1950; they had to build the road and it is said to have been built by policemen.

Paths to the summit lead from Belmont & Rivington in Chorley Borough, as well as Horwich and Blackrod in Bolton Borough. The summit can be reached via a short walk from the top of a road pass 1¼ miles west of Belmont. The hill is a distinctive feature on the skyline for most of the borough of Chorley and further afield due to its unusual shape. Winter Hill's topographic prominence results in it being classified as a Marilyn. The trig point on its summit marks the highest point in Blackburn with Darwen whereas the highest point in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton appears 440 yards away on its south east slope at 1,467 feet above sea level.