The Pike
Time to honour our gradely hill – The Pike, our beloved nearby green hill in Lancashire.
It is a part of the landscape I see first thing in the morning and last thing at night, if I crane my neck out off our driveway.
The rugged peak rises up 363 metres high. It is highest point on Winter Hill and on the West Pennine Moors.
One etymological definition of the name Rivington Pike dates back from Old English c1250AD. Hreof plus ing means rugged hill and pic means a pointed eminence.
On a clear day like today, from this prominent local landmark it is possible to see many other local landmarks such as the Blackpool Tower, the Lake District Mountains, the Welsh Mountains and the Isle of Man.
Even on an average day, it is one of the most popular walks in Lancashire.
Bottom photo by Helen Ashton friend of Tracey McVey from the same view in 2023.
Best Lancashire Walk — The Pike On Good Friday
Today, on Good Friday, it holds a special significance for us locals.
From days of yore, walking up a local hill on this particular Friday every year, has Judeo-Christian religious symbolism for many, relating to the crucifixion of Jesus of Mount Calvary.
The egg rolling too has multiple religious interpretations such as a parallel to the holy trinity with the shell, the yolk and the albumen.
By Victorian times, according to local genealogist Kim Hunter, people originally walked up The Pike not at Easter but at Whitsun.
In more recent times, there has been a tradition to walk up the hill going back many generations, to touch each of the four corners of the Pike Tower.
supplied by Anthony Donaghy
The Grade II listed building Pike Tower was built on the site of an ancient beacon using its stone for the foundations.
It was built as a square plan hunting lodge measuring 4.9m wide and 6.1m high. The materials were brought in by horse and cart from Warrington and windows and glass came from Chorley.
Rolling your decorated egg down the steep slope is another classic Easter tradition.
And for the more robust, there is also a rather bruising tradition of rolling yourself down the steepest part of the bank, as if you were an egg.
It looks very painful and I wouldn’t urge anyone, let alone kids, to try this at home or on any local hill at all. Especially not the steep sides of The Pike.
Have a Good Friday!
Please get in touch to let me know of any other local traditions connected to this part of the landscape.
Lancashire Day is on 27th November every year.
REAL Lancashire includes Barrow-in-Furness to Manchester. Reet.
Read more about Blackrod’s Frank Speak reading The Pike Poem, the top keywords in the Lancashire dialect and the Lancashire accent and Lindsay Hoyle…
About The Author
Nikki
Hello! I am a writer from Lancashire. I spend a lot of my time raising my daughter and hanging out with my family. I also do my own creative writing and help people who are stuck for words. That’s it really. Those two things. It’s a nice life. If you need words, do the write thing, get in touch and hire a writer. Nikki :-)
Didn’t know about the rolling down the hill bit. Sounds as dangerous as Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake in Gloucester.
I’m making a habit of getting up t’ Pike Sunday mornings now. The real trick is making sure you don’t lose your hat when you get to the top. Is windy.
Apparently, I commented on this before! Back in the good old days of 2020. Hello to 35 year old me.
That’s a good way to start a Sunday! Yes the wind is wild up there. Whips around like nobody’s business.
I painted an oil a few years ago of the evening moon rising over Winter Hill. I captioned it ‘Nearly Home’.
I’ve lived all my life in Adlington and Heath Charnock and if I went away on holiday or business, seeing Rivington Pike or the Winter Hill mast on my return gave me a real feeling of belonging.
Hi Tony, what a nice comment about belonging. That sounds like a nice feeling to have from the landscape.
Have you still got the oil painting? I would be interested in seeing that
Also have you seen my project on Instagram called Humans of Adlington? You sound like an interesting person to talk to for it.
Absolutely no worries if it’s not your thing.
Thanks once again for your thoughtful comment.
Nikki
Hi Nikki, thanks for your kind comments. The painting was bought by someone a couple of years ago from an exhibition Art In Adlington held at Astley Hall Chorley.I have a photo of it that I could send you.
Humans of Adlington? sounds interesting. I’ll take a look.
I might just about fall into that category.
Yes please I would really like to see it. My email is nikkiwordsmith@gmail.com
Just about human? Just about Adlington? Or a bit of both
Bit of both fine with me. For some reason email with pic will not be accepted at your end.
Do you have WhatSApp info where I can send pic ?
That’s strange. I’ll check my email settings. Here’s my mobile 07905 456704
Coming to this one a little late, I know, but we share an affection for the Pike. I too had a view of it from my bedroom window for most of my growing up, when lived at Coppull.
Ah that’s good to read. It’s good to connect with your environment.
I went into town on Sunday for the first time since the wall was taken down. So pleased to see the back of the horrible thing! It looks so much better now.
Ahh fantastic good to know Thanks for the post like.
Awesome!
Yeah, I grew up and the Pike was always there off in the distance. Not been up top for many a year, but it’s a stunning spot.
It really is. It seems to me the landscape that surrounds you becomes you too. Whitworth Street in Manchester is magical to me too.
I live near there! That area of the centre is glorious. They even tore the Berlin Wall down in Picc Gardens recently!
It’s really nice and spacious and surprisingly quiet. I still have my first flat on the street so I get to go back fairly often.
Oooh good. It was an eyesore and a half. Those metal trees kill me. Did David Hasselhoff sing as it was pulled down?
The Hoff should have been there but, alas, I believe he wasn’t. A tragedy.
So nice!
!Brilliant!
Thank you