The Northern Lights make a very rare Lancashire appearance over Round Loaf (visible as a small bump in the centre of the horizon) on the 17th March.
Images
View from the barrow, looking back towards Lead Mines Clough. Mid-December 2007.
View of the barrow from the Devil's Ditch Feature, Mid-December 2007.
View of the barrow, Mid-December 2007
Round Loaf bowl barrow in October, from Hurst Hill
View of Round Loaf taken from Great Hill looking South West across Anglezarke Moor towards the Pike Stones.
View of Round Loaf, with Great Hill on the horizon.
Photograph taken from the ridge just above the Pike Stones
This is the approach from mines clough and was taken on 31/12/02
Round Loaf (centre horizon) seen from the side of Winter Hill.
Articles
visited sunday morning 13/7/08. deserted...in stark comparison with the areas toward rivington/winter hill. only approachable through peat bogland ,which had a good 3 inch of give in it this day, but well worth it.
cairn on summit ought to be removed in my opinion, obviously not ancient. some signs of erosion on top of mound (or this may be due to an attempt at digging)
great atmosphere though, with wonderful views over lancs plain. on the way down to white coppice the monument dominates, even though surrounded by the higher spots of great hill and winter hill
Visited Round Loaf for the first time since childhood last Saturday. It's very familiar shape seen from the top of Lever's gardens doesn't prepare you for it's size, it's got quite a footprint.
Starting in the morning on a good cold December day was perfect timing – easy walking on the ice and peat, entertaining too as it cracks beneath your feet.
Leaving just as the sun was high enough to begin thawing the ground, we avoided anything too boggy. This is the best time of year to visit – for ease of access, solitude, and clear skies.
Here's an aerial view, sacle 1:10 000 from the Multimap site. I've not published the image here due to copyright, so follow the link below:
What are the broad tracks? Peat extraction perhaps? When you're on the ground the difference in levels is small, in the order of three to six inches or so.
IronMan is correct in stating that this is off the beaten track; Anglezarke Moor is open access land and there are no continuous footpaths. It can be heavy going on the way here.
In answer to Stroller's query, and further to Charles's reply, there's been no known excavation of Round Loaf. Some flints have been found on the surface over the years. There's no point in visiting Bolton (or Manchester) museum as they have nothing from local, human prehistory on display whatsoever.
I think the site was excavated mid 20 C. From what I remember, some of the artefacts are on display in Bolton Museum.
I go hiking in the area quite often and use it to get my bearings.
Does any one know if this has ever been excavated?
If not, I think it should be!
This site has fascinated me for years; it is a bell barrow constructed around 1500bc probably with a central cinerery burial and perhaps side burials of later date. It is very clear on the skyline from Blackrod, but i do not know how prominent it is from the Chorley direction or if it is visible at all. If you know let me know.
Round Loaf lies off the beaten track. We were walking in the area (Tockholes), and decided to extend our walk to take in this site. The mound is worth visiting for its isolated position, but is probably best combined with a first time visit to the Pikestones site near Anglezark.
NB: It's a good idea to take a bag with you for the worrying amount of litter – we spent 10 minutes tidying the site up when we arrived.
This site is very prominent when viewed using the aerial photo feature on multimap.
Sites within 20km of Round Loaf
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Devil’s Ditch
photo 2 description 1 -
Black Hill Upper 1
photo 1 description 2 -
Rushy Brow
photo 1 description 1 -
Anglezarke Misc 1
photo 3 forum 1 description 1 -
Anglezarke Moor Standing Stone
photo 5 description 2 -
Anglezarke Misc 7
description 1 -
Pikestones Cairn
photo 8 description 3 -
Standing Stones Hill
photo 3 description 3 -
Anglezarke Misc 11
description 1 -
Anglezarke Misc 10
photo 2 description 1 -
Pikestones
photo 42 forum 4 description 13 -
Stronstrey Bank Cairns
photo 1 description 1 -
Anglezarke Misc 9
photo 6 description 2 -
Jepson’s Gate Cairn
photo 6 description 1 -
Anglezarke Misc 4
photo 8 forum 1 description 1 -
Black Coppice Chambered Cairn
photo 15 description 5 -
Anglezarke Misc 5
photo 2 description 2 -
Anglezarke Misc 3
photo 1 description 1 -
Anglezarke Misc 6
description 1 -
Stronstrey Bank Stone
photo 5 forum 1 description 5 -
Noon Hill
photo 12 description 2 link 1 -
Slipper Lowe
photo 7 description 2 -
Winter Hill Cairn
photo 11 -
Winter Hill
photo 10 forum 1 description 2 link 2 -
Hanging Stone
photo 8 description 2 link 1 -
Anderton
photo 4 forum 1 description 2 link 1 -
The Two Lads
photo 6 description 2 -
Holdens Farm Barrows
photo 2 -
Charters Moss
photo 3 description 2 -
White Brow
photo 10 description 2 -
Ashleigh Barrow
photo 3 description 3 -
Astley Hall Farm Bronze Age Burial Site
photo 1 description 1 link 1 -
Moortop Barrows
photo 4 forum 1 description 2 -
Cheetham Close
photo 25 forum 2 description 10 link 3 -
Cheetham Barrow
photo 1 description 3 -
Hawksclough
photo 4 description 2 -
Pleasington Cemetery
description 1 link 1 -
Butler’s Delf
photo 7 -
All Hallows Well
description 1 -
Revidge
photo 6 description 2 -
Carve Hill
photo 2 description 2 -
Mawdesley Blue Stone
forum 1 description 1 -
Boar’s Den
photo 5 description 2 link 3 -
Thirteen Stones Hill
photo 5 forum 1 description 3 -
Castlesteads
photo 8 description 1 -
Whitelow
photo 6 description 3 link 1 -
Little Hameldon
photo 11 description 1