Woodland, heath and hills northeast of Birmingham
68 sq km/26 sq miles
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
West Midlands
Deer still roam this remnant of mediaeval hunting forest, an extensive area of mainly open access woodland, heather-clad heath and rolling hills to the northeast of Cannock in Staffordshire that forms Britain's smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In the south it adjoins the Forest of Mercia and the edge of the Black Country.
The AONB is split into several areas with different ownership:
- Cannock Chase Country Park, one of the largest of its kind in Britain, managed by Cannock Chase council. Within the park is an Iron Age fort, Castle Ring.
- Cannock Forest, managed by the Forestry Commission, takes up most of the rest of the AONB.
- Shugborough House and Estate, owned by the National Trust and managed by Staffordshire council, is to the North.
- Hazelslade Local Nature Reserve near Hednesford, a small but interesting site in the southeast of the AONB, managed by the council.
- Wolseley Garden Park, managed by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, with visitor centre, circular nature trails and lakes on the northeast edge of the AONB.
There are several easy access sites and paths and powered wheelchairs can be loaned from the Visitor Centre. See contacts below for more information.
Nearest stations are Hednesford (with a walking link to the Country Park and visitor centre) and Rugeley Town, with frequent services to Stafford and Birmingham. Buses connecting Cannock and Rugeley cross the Chase via Hednesford, and also serve the major roads around the edge of the Chase via Stafford, Walton, Wolseley, Great Haywood, Rugeley, Huntington and Cannock.
Publications
- Cannock Chase guide and shorter walk leaflets (cheap or free) available from the Visitor Centre (below)
- DaywalkS: Cannock Chase by John Roberts, ISBN 0 947708 28 6. Walkways, £4.95
- Short Circular Walks in Cannock Chase by John N Merrill, ISBN 1 903627 38 9. Walk & Write £4.95.
Contacts
- Cannock Chase AONB Unit Dairy Cottage, Shugborough Park Farm, Milford, Stafford ST17 0XB, tel 01889 882613
- Cannock Chase Visitor Centre Marquis Drive, Hednesford, Cannock WS12 4PN, tel 01543 876741
www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/cannockchase/countryside.htm - Cannock Forest Centre (Forestry Commission) Lady Hill, Birches Valley, Rugeley WS15 2UQ, tel 01889 586593
Forestry Commission Pages: Cannock Forest - Shugborough Estate Milford, Stafford ST17 0XB, tel 01889 881388
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/shugborough - Museum of Cannock Chase Valley Road, Hednesford, Cannock WS12 1TD, tel 01543 877666
- Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Regions
Local authorities
Visitor Information
Accommodation
