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Nothing quite beats a crisp autumn walk and there's no shortage of places to explore around Greater Manchester. But one place that's particularly popular with walkers and cyclists is Rivington, on the border of Chorley and Bolton . While the iconic landmark of Rivington Pike is a favourite of ours - on a clear day you can see as far as Blackpool Tower and the Lake District mountains - this time we headed out for a walk around the reservoir. Being such a glorious day, the landscape here is simply stunning with views over the vast water of Rivington Reservoir. But it's not just the breathtaking surroundings bringing people here. For the best ideas on days out, shopping and parenting issues, get the Manchester Family newsletter here Sitting on the western side of the Lower Rivington Reservoir, off Horrobin Lane, we found ourselves at the Rivington Brewery Co Taproom. A contemporary, craft brewery and tap room founded in 2014 in Rivington, it focuses on innovative, modern styles of beer and features a brilliant outdoor area. The huge beer garden was predictably packed on this sunny Sunday afternoon but we still managed to grab one of the wooden picnic tables. There's a range of food available, with dough balls, garlic bread and pizzas from Char, and massive burgers from Meld. But it was Bun Chicken Bun we set our minds on and we're so glad we did. Waiting patiently for our little handheld device to buzz signalling our meals were ready for collection, we were all pretty ravenous after our stomp. Thankfully the portion sizes are decent here and with varying tastes between us, there's something to suit everyone's palate - from The O.G with fried chicken fillet, black pepper mayo and shredded lettuce (£10), to the fiery Heatwave option, with its signature hot sauce, slaw and pickles (£12). The £14 Chunks and Chips is a popular choice and our youngest loved the crispy golden chunks, dipped in the honey butter. The Rice Krispie-like coating is really something and other sauces to 'dunk your chunk' include BBQ, Korean BBQ, ranch, buffalo and blue cheese, honey mustard and more. My other half couldn't get enough of the Millionaire Fries (£7.50), topped with confit garlic truffle mayo, parmesan and parsley. But the drinks here are worth a visit on their own and plenty of people stop by simply for the tap room, which serves up a range of beers including lagers, IPAs, stouts and sours on tap, as well as Rivington's own cans, and guest brewery bottles. You could spend hours at this place - plenty of people do - and the place looks just as glorious as night falls, with strings of lights bringing a glow to the beer garden, creating a buzzing, holiday-like atmosphere. Even when the weather takes a turn there's space to sit inside the tap room and also a sheltered barn outside. Join our Family WhatsApp group HERE If you want to venture a little further afield than we did, there's dozens of stunning walks in the area, as well as the magical Rivington Terraced Gardens, a historic grounds and woodland as you head towards the Pike. Here you will find a hidden Japanese Garden and Italian-style lakes, archways, waterfalls and even caves. Of course you don't need to tie in any sort of jaunt with a visit to this place. We're not here to judge. If anything, you'll realise just how special this place is all on its own. Rivington Brewing Co Ltd Taproom is located at Home Farm, Horrobin Lane, Chorley, PR6 9HE. The taproom is open Wednesday and Thursday, 12pm until 8.30pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm until 9.30pm, and Sunday, 12pm until 7.30pm. To check the times the food vendors are open, see the website here .
