News

Recent developments

Leverhulme Park

Posted On 25 Feb 2016
By John Britton
In

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Course Status
Last checked July 2026. Everything OK, though vegetation is high. Work near I and W means you can only access W from the wood.
There are unmapped new trees near U and C, a change in the path and a fence near G, and a new path West from the car park.
In summer, the path north of S gets overgrown and shorts would be a bad idea.
30/6/2022 – fallen L has been re-positioned on a Run England post on the river path. Get yourself the latest map!
Seasonal vegetation means that controls S, N and P may be hard to find (watch out for the hidden ditch near N!). I may be hidden under the trees.
The “path” West of post X is just a bundle of branches, so be careful.

Orienteering map details
A4 Portrait, Scale 1:6000. Last updated August 2023.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is a plaque at a track crossing about 100m NW of the car park.

Map detail showing the car park and the Start/Finish

Start/Finish at Leverhulme Park

How to get a map
Leverhulme Park waterproof print£1.50
Leverhulme Park waterproof print quantity
Leverhulme Park PDF£1.50
Leverhulme Park PDF quantity
Or buy any map from Get a Map

Park Facilities
K Car Park d Toilets Vending machine z Playground

l-lh

Leverhulme Park Trail

hdog-lh

Photo-bomb dog at H

Directions
On the East side of Bolton, signed from the A58 (Bury Road) just East of its junction with the A579. Approach down Blenheim Road and/or Long Lane.
OS Grid Reference: SD 738 085 , Nearest Post Code: BL2 6EX
Public transport options

Other useful information
Park contact by website only www.bolton.gov.uk
Bolton Council web site – Parks Information
Wikipedia entry for Leverhulme Park

Course Maintenance
Maintained by GMOA, supported by Bolton Council.
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

Bolton

Page last updated by John Britton on Friday, July 17, 2026 pm31 14:00 PM

Post N on the edge of a marsh.

Leverhulme Park is an extensive and varied area suitable for those new to orienteering and those with some experience. The East of the park is a large open area and the centre of the park has some interesting wooded areas. To the West is a river with some fairly steep wooded slopes in places. A park with woodland, wide open grassland areas and riverbank walks, there is much scope for exploring the local area in this POC.

The park is also home to Bolton United Harriers, a local community cafe and children's playground.

Courses available (see Course Colours)
W
White is the easiest level of course, suitable for young beginners. Controls are fairly close together, and usually at path junctions, or junctions of paths and streams or walls; distance is typically 1-1.5km; the best route should be obvious, along paths, and require very few decisions.

Y
Yellow is slightly longer and harder than White. Controls may be further apart, and are placed at junctions or obvious features; distance is typically 1-2.5km; the best route should be relatively obvious, but not necessarily along paths.

O
Orange courses are of medium difficulty and distance, suitable for adult beginners - controls may be 50m from paths, and reading map detail such as contours may be necessary; distance is typically 2-3.5km; you may have several choices of route - some of which may be across terrain rather than along paths.

R
Red, or Long Orange, is the same intermediate standard as Orange, but is longer - typically 3.5-6km.

S
Score courses are where you visit as many controls as you can, in any order you choose, usually within some kind of time limit - or see who can visit all the controls in the shortest time.

The White course (1km, 6 controls), Yellow course (2km, 7 controls) and Orange1 (3.3km, 12 controls) drop to the river and climb back up.

The Orange2 course (3.3km, 11 controls) crosses the river and climbs up the other side.

The Red course (4.3km, 15 controls) covers all areas on both sides of the river.

Course Status
Last checked July 2026. Everything OK, though vegetation is high. Work near I and W means you can only access W from the wood.
There are unmapped new trees near U and C, a change in the path and a fence near G, and a new path West from the car park.
In summer, the path north of S gets overgrown and shorts would be a bad idea.
30/6/2022 - fallen L has been re-positioned on a Run England post on the river path. Get yourself the latest map!
Seasonal vegetation means that controls S, N and P may be hard to find (watch out for the hidden ditch near N!). I may be hidden under the trees.
The "path" West of post X is just a bundle of branches, so be careful.

Orienteering map details
A4 Portrait, Scale 1:6000. Last updated August 2023.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is a plaque at a track crossing about 100m NW of the car park.
Map detail showing the car park and the Start/Finish

Start/Finish at Leverhulme Park

How to get a map
Leverhulme Park waterproof print£1.50
Leverhulme Park waterproof print quantity
Leverhulme Park PDF£1.50
Leverhulme Park PDF quantity
Or buy any map from Get a Map

Park Facilities
K Car Park d Toilets Vending machine z Playground

l-lh

Leverhulme Park Trail

hdog-lh

Photo-bomb dog at H

Directions
On the East side of Bolton, signed from the A58 (Bury Road) just East of its junction with the A579. Approach down Blenheim Road and/or Long Lane.
OS Grid Reference: SD 738 085 , Nearest Post Code: BL2 6EX
Public transport options

Other useful information
Park contact by website only www.bolton.gov.uk
Bolton Council web site - Parks Information
Wikipedia entry for Leverhulme Park

Course Maintenance
Maintained by GMOA, supported by Bolton Council.
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

About us

GMOA is a volunteer organisation which creates and looks after Permanent Orienteering Courses in and around Greater Manchester. Its members come from the two active Orienteering Clubs which cover the area - MDOC (South Manchester) and SELOC (North Manchester).

Address

Email: enquiries@gmoa.org.uk
Phone: 0161 426 0301
Post: GMOA,
28 Turncliff Cres,
Marple,
Stockport,
SK6 6JP

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