Woodland and parkland in Walsall and southern Staffordshire
238 sq km/92 sq miles
Community Forest
West Midlands
A "green wedge" cutting into the Black Country, managed for regeneration and recreation. The forest adjoins Cannock Chase AONB and incorporates the superb chain of parks and green spaces formerly known as the Beacon Regional Park.
Sites with good walks include:
- Barr Beacon (tel 01922 459813), a 27ha/67-acre area of heath, grassland and woodland east of Walsall
- Beacon Park, 31.5ha/78 acres of city park and formal gardens with healthy walking route in Lichfield (tel 01543 415081)
- Brownhills Common Country Park (tel 01922 458328), 40.5ha/100 acres of fine lowland heath at Brownhills
- Chasewater Country Park (tel 01543 452302), 200ha/741 acres, some of it a Site of Special Scientific Interest, around a former canal feeder reservoir northwest of Brownhills
- Hayhead Wood and Park Lime Pits Local Nature Reserves (tel 01922 459813), a total 17ha/42 acres of woodland and ponds reclaimed from limestone extraction northeast of Walsall
- Pelsall Commons including a Local Nature Reserve.
- Pipe Hall (tel 01543 414000), a 20ha/50 acre new woodland at Abnalls Lane near Lichfield, managed by the Woodland Trust.
- Shoal Hill (tel 01902 696000), a 75ha/185-acre common near Huntington north of Cannock
- Walsall Arboretum (tel 01922 724226), a historic 32ha/79-acre park with over 200 varieties of trees and shrubs.
There are several easy accessible sites and walks. Accessibility details are given in the Routes and Leaves binder below, or ask the Forest of Mercia office for more information.
Numerous public transport services, many of which fall within the Centro area: see Birmingham and the Black Country. See also West Midlands.
Publications
- Routes and Leaves: Walks for all binder, £10 + £2 p&p from Walsall council and Forest of Mercia (see below). Price includes regular additions and updates.
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