Go Ape Cannock

You're strapped into a harness about fifteen metres up, gripping a wooden handle bolted to a tree, about to launch yourself across a rope course that suddenly seems a lot higher than it looked from the ground. Welcome to Go Ape Cannock, a treetop adventure park set within Cannock Chase near Rugeley - proper adrenaline territory if you're after something that gets the heart pumping.

It's a self-guided obstacle course through the trees: zip lines, rope bridges, Tarzan swings, and various platforms designed to test your nerve more than your fitness. Most people spend two to three hours working their way through the course, though you can go at your own pace. The site works well for teenagers and adults confident on heights; younger kids might find some sections daunting, though there are usually easier routes on offer.

You'll pay for entry and they kit you out with all the safety gear before you start. It's not cheap, but the outdoor setting beats being cooped up indoors. Go on a weekday if you can - weekends get rammed with school groups and it loses some of its appeal when you're queuing for each platform.

If you're camping at Chase Camping at Four Oaks Farm or Silver Trees Holiday Park just down the road, this works as a decent half-day activity. Pair it with walks across Cannock Chase itself for a proper woodland break - the parkland has miles of decent trails that won't leave you exhausted like dangling from trees will.