Sunset Hill viewpoint

The drive up to Sunset Hill takes you past terraced streets and onto rising moorland just outside Bury - suddenly Lancashire opens up beneath you. It's not a manicured attraction with visitor facilities, just a proper viewpoint where the land drops away to reveal the sprawl of the valleys below. On a clear day you can see right across to the Pennines, and when the light's going you understand why it's got the name it's got.

Walkers get the most from this one. It's the kind of spot you'd reach as part of a longer tramp across the hills rather than drive up to in isolation, though the road access is straightforward enough. Give yourself twenty minutes if you're stopping for photos and a breather, longer if you're planning to stretch your legs further across the moor. The wind can be sharp up here even when it's calm elsewhere, so bring a layer.

If you're based at Burrs Country Park Caravan and Motorhome Club just down the road - a solid 4.8 rating spot - Sunset Hill makes an easy half-hour excursion for late afternoon exploring. It's free, obviously, and there's no particular season when it's better or worse, though moorland weather being what it is, you'll want decent visibility. Not a grand tourist set piece, but exactly the kind of local vantage point that reminds you why people actually chose to live round here.