Winter Hill & Two Lads Sunset


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17th December 2023

I worked yesterday, but David and Rod braved the cloud and drizzle for a walk up Wansfell Pike. I spent the afternoon tidying up the garden before ending the afternoon walking Brad, Holly, and Vinnie, the Cavapoo we're minding, while my wife's best friend, spends Christmas in New Zealand with family.

The chores continued into Sunday, and after another dog walk, I thought I might catch the last hour of light nipping up to Winter Hill and back from Wilderswood. Its a walk I've repeated many times when I'm not on the fells; most go unrecorded; others, like this todays make it to the website.

Overview

Ascent:	601 Feet - 184 Metres
Summits:	2, Winter Hill - Two Lads
Weather:	Sporadic Sunshine, Feeling Mild Freezing At Summit Level. Highs of 10°C Lows of 5°C
Parking:	Parking Spaces, Wikderwood
Area:	West Pennine Moors
Miles:	4
Walking With:	On My Own
Ordnance Survey:	Explorer 287
Time Taken:	1 Hour 10 Minutes
Route:	Wilderswood - Rotary Way - Smithills Moor - Winter Hill - Rotary Way - Two Lads - Pike Cottage - Wilderswood

Map and Photo Gallery

Looking beyond Wilderwood towards Blackrod and Wigan 14:50pm 10°C

I'd only given myself one hour to walk the two miles to Winter Hill and back which meant there was no dawdling despite the fantastic sunset unfolding behind me.

Sunset over Two Lads.

If these views were anything to go by I'm in for a cracking sunset once the sun dips below the cloud. Little did I know a band of cloud is already building just above the horizon.

Winter Hill transmitter mast.

Other than a chap and his young son I had just passed I had Rotary Way to myself.

Looking back on Two Lads from Rotary Way.

I'm running slighty behind with just twenty minutes to sun down, I'd better pick my pace up and stop taking pictures!

Ancor and cable.

Another chap appeared from the direction of Winter Hill, who had stopped at the transmitter station just a short distance ahead, when suddenly a loud speaker alerted that I, or we, were being watched on CCTV and would we leave the area?

Not only was this the first time I've heard such a warning I wasn't even sure if it was directed at me or the chap who was eating his sandwhiches snugged into one of the transmitter stations doorways. We shared a laugh, blaming each other as we passed.

Damp tarmac reflections.

With light edging away I summited Winter Hill in time to notice that cloud had started to build just above the horizon which stretched from Liverpool Bay as far as the Fylde Coast, bugger.

Sunset 15:50pm

The sunset was a bit of an anti-climaz but I've been lucky enough to have some amazing views inbetween.

Heading home.

By the time I'd reached Two Lads, the sun had set minutes earlier, leaving a weak streak of light from south to north. The light grew deeper, but it was mostly swallowed up by the buildup of clouds. I arrived at Two Lads at the same time as a chap who explained he'd come up to see the sunset, and he too was a tad disappointed at its outcome. "Been out long," he asked. "Just an hour," I replied.