An appealing walk and Sunday lunch

Emma Gill works up an appetite by heading to the Peel Tower

THERE are few things in life I enjoy more than a walk followed by a pub lunch.

Yet while the dog is always raring to go, the same can't be said for my teenage kids, who would much rather have the food without the stomp with mum and dad beforehand.

We managed to drag them out on a blustery Sunday lunchtime regardless, failing to mention that this week's walk was an uphill one to Peel Tower, in Ramsbottom, Bury.

Built in 1852, this well-known Bury landmark was erected in tribute to one of the borough's most famous sons, Sir Robert Peel; founder of the police force and prime minister from 1841 to 1846.

There were quite a lot of steps to tackle, but it didn't actually take us that long to reach the top of the Holcombe Hill, so we had a bit of a wander while we were up there - following the stepping stone path through vast fields where the dog was able to burn off some steam. The views from the tower are incredible and you can see the high-rise buildings of city centre Manchester in the distance like some sort of miniature New York skyline.