Horsepasture Pools

The pools themselves are a working gravel extraction site that's been left to flood - so don't turn up expecting manicured lakeside facilities. What you get instead is something altogether more interesting: a string of water-filled quarries near Rugeley that have quietly become a proper draw for anglers, walkers and anyone after a bit of industrial archaeology with their countryside.

The appeal is straightforward. You can walk the perimeter of the pools, watch for waterfowl, and get a sense of how the landscape reshapes itself once humans stop digging. It's not dramatic or showy, but it's got character. The Cannock Chase area is pockmarked with these old workings, and Horsepasture Pools are among the more accessible ones to explore without needing permission or a fishing rod.

Anglers will tell you the fishing is decent - carp and pike mostly - so if you're a camper at Cannock Chase Camping & Caravanning Club Site just down the road, worth checking out. Others will find a decent stretch to walk if the weather's half-reasonable. Families with very young kids might get restless after twenty minutes; walkers after something meditative and a bit different will find it worth an hour or so.

No admission charge as far as I can tell, and it's free to access. Nearest town is Rugeley, which has the usual high street basics if you've forgotten anything. Go early morning if you want it quiet - weekends draw more people, especially in season.