Maddocks Hill

The walk up Maddocks Hill rewards you with proper views across the Ironbridge Gorge - it's one of those peaks that doesn't look much from the car park but absolutely delivers once you're up there. The climb itself is straightforward enough, taking about twenty minutes from Coalbrookdale, and the summit gives you the whole sweep of this industrial heritage landscape laid out below. On a clear day you can pick out the famous Iron Bridge itself, plus the terraced houses climbing the valley sides - it's the sort of vantage point that makes you understand why this corner of Shropshire mattered so much during the Industrial Revolution.

This isn't a destination for epic hiking - you're looking at an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're taking photos and enjoying the view - but it's brilliant for families who want their kids to actually reach a summit without a three-hour slog. Walkers heading into the Ironbridge area will find it a natural stop-off rather than a day out on its own. The approach path is muddy in wet weather, so proper footwear beats trainers.

Based near Coalbrookdale, you're well-placed for camping at either Irongorge Camping or Sytche, both within easy striking distance. Pair this with visits to the museums and heritage sites dotted through the valley - the view from the top will make much more sense once you've learned what all those old industrial buildings actually were. Free to visit, obviously, since it's just a hill.