Pit Mound

The climb up Pit Mound rewards you with views across Cannock Chase that on a clear day stretch all the way to the Welsh hills. It's a proper vantage point - the sort of place where you actually understand why the landscape matters. The mound itself is an industrial ghost, a reclaimed colliery spoil heap that's been left to grass over and become something altogether more useful to walkers and cyclists than it ever was to miners.

From Rugeley, it's easily reached and makes a solid hour's outing, maybe ninety minutes if you're not hurrying. The walk isn't taxing - steady gradient, nothing that will wreck your ankles - so it suits families with older kids and anyone after a gentle leg-stretch without the pretence of it being a serious hike. Younger children might find the flat parts tedious, but they'll enjoy the summit scramble.

You're right on the edge of Cannock Chase proper, so combine this with a longer day exploring the trails through the forest itself. The Cannock Chase Camping & Caravanning Club Site sits just six miles away, making it an obvious base if you're planning several days around here. It's one of those spots that doesn't demand hours of your time but absolutely earns its place in your itinerary - a viewpoint that actually delivers views rather than just the hype. Free access, no facilities at the top, so bring water if you're making a day of it.