West Pennine Way

The West Pennine Way is 75.35 km long with 2,155 m of climbing, so most hikers treat it as a 4 to 6 day route rather than a single-day walk. The route is commonly broken into four main sections, including Jumbles to Rivington Hall Barn at 13.3 miles, which makes it practical to split into manageable stages.

The West Pennine Way is generally rated easy, but that does not mean flat. Over 75.35 km it still packs in 2,155 m of ascent, with moorland stretches around Winter Hill, Darwen Moor, and Holcombe Moor that can feel more demanding in wind, rain, or boggy ground.

Common parking points on the West Pennine Way include Jumbles Country Park and Rivington Hall Barn. The southern section lists parking at Jumbles Café and at Rivington Hall Barn car park, postcode BL6 7SB, and the northern section also notes parking at Roddlesworth Information Centre, postcode BB3 0PA.

Yes. The West Pennine Way is regularly walked in stages, and the official route materials split it into southern, western, northern, and eastern sections. One example is the southern section from Jumbles Information Centre and Café to Rivington Hall Barn, which is 13.3 miles and can be shortened by routing more directly from Winter Hill.

The West Pennine Way passes some of the best-known landmarks in the West Pennine Moors, including Winter Hill, Rivington Pike, Rivington Terraced Gardens, Darwen Tower, Great Hill, Peel Tower, Jumbles Reservoir, and Roddlesworth. The route also links moorland, reservoirs, wooded cloughs, and villages around Bolton, Rivington, and Darwen.

Dogs can be taken on the West Pennine Way, but control matters because much of the route crosses open moorland and farmland. On open access land in England, dogs must be on a short lead between March 1 and July 31, and they should also be kept under close control near livestock at any time of year.

Yes, some sections of the West Pennine Way can be reached by bus, especially around Jumbles, Egerton, Belmont, and the Bolton side of the route. The southern section notes bus links near Jumbles on the A676, services at Egerton on the A666, and a Bolton to Belmont service, although frequencies can be limited.