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Take time to explore 1 Contents Your How-To-Guide on getting the most out of Cannock Chase 3 Stafordshire Wildlife Trust’s HQ 17 The Wolseley Centre Location of visitor centres 4 Cannock Chase Heritage Trail 18 Birches Valley 5 Chase Fit 19 Cycling on Cannock Chase 6 Castle Ring 20 Leisure Cycling Trails 7 Friends of Cannock Chase 21 Cross Country MTB Trails 8 Cannock Chase District 22 Go Ape. The UK’s No.1 Forest Adventure 9 Cannock Town Centre 23 Museum of Cannock Chase 10 Rugeley Town Centre 25 An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) 11 Accommodation providers location map 26 The Cannock Chase SAC (Special area of conservation) 11 Accommodation in and around Cannock Chase 27 Chasewater Innovation Centre 13 Where to Eat in Cannock Chase 32 Cannock Chase Visitor Centre 14 Rail and road network 33 Cannock Chase German Military and War Cemeteries 15 Useful contact numbers 34 Hednesford Hills Raceway 16 2 YOUR How-To-Guide on getting the most out of Cannock Chase Cannock Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is located within the county of Stafordshire in the West Midlands. The area ofers visitors a scenic landscape, the natural beauty of the English countryside and a place to enjoy the great outdoors. Historically the area was once a royal hunting forest; currently the area includes bracken heathland, high sandstone heather, pine plantations and birch woodland. The area is noted for its heathland and for providing habitats for wildlife including adders, lizards and nightjar. The special qualities relating to the areas landscape, wildlife, cultural heritage and history make the Cannock Chase a special place. Immerse yourself in an oasis of tranquility or enjoy faster paced, more thrilling activities such as horse treking and mountain biking around the miles of exhilarating mountain biking and trekking trails to suit all ages and abilities. Share your photographs of Cannock Chase #visitcannockchase | 3 Location of visitor centres There are several visitor centres and places of interest around the district. These ofer a great starting point for self-guided walks and family day trips. Click on the points for more information. 4 Tixall Shugborough Little Birches Valley A513 Milford Haywood 1 A513 9 Bellamour Ln A51 Cycling on Cannock Chase Brocton A51 Go Ape C 2 a m p AONB R Rugeley Bednall d 2 Silver A51 Trees d 3 Museum of Cannock Chase A34 Springslade k R d an R Lodge B l e l dg i Penkri y M le l g a V Tackeroo n s i e t h A460 t c i ir S B l 7 t S i l Armitage SHUGBOROUGH ESTATE 4 d Cannock Chase e R C k d Holiday Cottages d an R o R y p e B le 6 ry d e g R l rid in l k r d d o n B R C e P A51 d r Upper o f s Chasewater Innovation Centre ne Longdon 5 ed Rd H d ool R n To Penkridge Pottal P ld y L O e B l h A34 r e g a g u d b u o ur R or y L A460 B n 6 CANNOCK CHASE VISITOR Centre Hazelslade B Huntington elt R d Hednesford 3 8 d d R oir R ck erv Rd Gentleshaw 7 o es rth Cannock Chase German Military nn R wo a tle C it L and War Cemeteries Cannock Heath Hayes A5190 8 Hednesford Hills Raceway H e Burntwood d n e Key s f o A5 r d Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s HQ R Camping 9 d d M6 Toll Caravan The Wolseley Centre Norton Canes 5 Motor home Great Wyrley A5 to Lichÿeld, Static caravan Tamworth & M42 A5 Little Wyrley Police station A452 Train station Maps ‘Not to scale’ The Ordnance Survey map data included is provided by Cannock Chase District Council under license from the Ordnance Survey in order to assist visitors and the community to locate car parking and key services. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to license Ordnance Survey map data for their own use. 4 Contents 1 Birches Valley Birches Valley Forest Centre is an excellent starting point for an exhilarating day out on Cannock Chase. From the Midlands best bike trails and woodland walks to adventure play and Go Ape we’ve got a great day out just waiting for you. There’s lots to see and do including our Fairy Trees, Grufalo sculpture and Play Houses, to the picturesque Sherbrook Valley with its mixture of woodlands and open heathland. Bring along your dog and see if you can complete our Dog Activity Challenge! We have a wide variety of walks including our 1 mile Zog Activity Trail. £3 Activity packs available. For more information visit www.forestryengland.uk/cannock-chase-forest/ zog-activity-trail-cannock-chase Birches Valley is also the home to Birches Valley Café, Swinnerton Cycles Bike Shop and Go Ape. Opening Times The car park is open all year from dawn to dusk. Pay and Display charges apply. For more information, please contact: Forestry Commission, Birches Valley Forest Centre, Birches Valley, Rugeley, WS15 2UQ. [email protected] 0300 067 4340 www.forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest www.facebook.com/cannockforest 5 Cycling on Cannock Chase Cannock Chase is the premier location for mountain biking in the West Midlands and will be a mountain biking venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This is the largest sporting and cultural event to come to the region. 2022 Commonwealth Games Over 11 days, 17 diferent sports will take place from 17 July - 7 August across Birmingham and the West Midlands with athletes from 71 nations and countries arriving for the Games and millions will be tuning in to watch this momentous sporting event. For more information visit www.birmingham2022.com/ We have routes to suit all abilities and ages, relaxing family rides around the Fairoak Pools and through the picturesque valleys on the Sherbrook trail. The Fairoak Trail covers 2.5 miles of the forest, with the easy path leading into the magnifcent valley and past the pretty Fairoak Pools. The area is home to tons of Swinnerton Cycle Centre species including deer, woodpeckers and adders. Sharing a path with the Fairoak Trail to begin with, the Sherbrook Trail ofers two routes to choose from: the Pepper Slade loop and the Abraham’s Valley loop. At 7.5 miles, the Pepper Slade loop is the shorter of the two, but still takes in the beautiful Sherbrook Valley. The Abraham’s Valley loop is 12.5 miles and includes the Stepping Stones. For serious mountain bikers we have two red graded trails ‘Follow the Dog’ and ‘The Monkey Trail’. These have been built in partnership with local volunteer group ‘Chase Trails’ to ofer riders an exciting challenging ride. Swinnerton Cycle Centre, based at Birches Valley, have experts on hand who can provide information and tuition for all abilities, tips on service and maintenance, hire facilities, bike wash and much, much more. For more information please call 01889 575170 or visit www.bikechase.co.uk. Parking for the cross country trails is available at the Birches Valley Visitor Centre (postcode WS15 2UQ). 6 Contents Leisure Cycling Trails Explore Cannockw Chase trails o r S ve Little Haywood Trail information Milford N From Birches Valley Forest Centre A51 A513 Tre Route to Health nt a nd M 1.6km/1 miles ersey Can al S5 An easy, mostly fat, circular arts trail Wolsey Bridges Pub, Gravel Garden Centre River Trent created by local artists, students, & Wolsey Centre Quarry Seven Springs schools and community groups. The unique art pieces are all S4 Stepping Stones A51 themed around health issues and are designed to generate interest in areas such as exercise, relaxation, mental health and a healthy heart. Includes the popular ‘Fairy Trees’. s Valley Start of trails: ConservationRoute area to Health Fairoak Trail • • • Abraham’ (No publicGravel access)Fairoak Trail Gravel 4km/2.5 miles QuarryQuarry An easy circular trail that takes in the magnifcent Fairoak Valley and pools, a rich and important habitat Sherbrook Valley Chase Road that is home to many wildlife Gravel Quarry species. The area has an interesting Gravel d a coal mining past and was the Quarry o R RugeleyStart of trails: k Start of trails: location of a colliery in the late roo Route toRoute Health to Health Gravel rd B Fairoak Trail 19th century. This trail also provides Staffo Fairoak Trail h e a t h l a n Quarry access to the Cannock Chase Visitor S6 Shooting Butts Road Centre at Marquis Drive and to the Start of trails: blue graded Sherbrook Trail. Route to Health S3 Fairoak Trail StartSlitting of trails: Pepper Slade RouteMill to Health Fairoak Trail Sherbrook Trail • • • Kingsley Wood Road Birches Valley Pepper Slade loop: Conservation area Start of trails: Forest Centre (Please keep to paths) SilvertreesRoute static to Health 12km/7.5 miles caravanFairoak site Trail (Distances include Fairoak Trail) S7 (some for hire) The Horns Pub Abraham’s Valley loop: Pingle 20km/12.5 miles Slade Penkridge Bank Road (Distances include Fairoak Trail) Swinnerton Cycles Forest road and multi-use trail S2 Tackeroo Railway This trail takes in the picturesque Katyn caravan site Sherbrook Valley with its mixture Memorial Start here: d d F1 Sherbrook Trail a of woodlands and open heathland. alley Road o R l Two loops are available, the shorter Fairoak Pools l Springslade Mi Pepper Slade loop and the longer Birches V Lodge g Camp Road n Abraham’s Valley loop which i t Start here: t S1 i Start here: l visits the Stepping Stones and F2 A460 Sherbrook Trail S Sherbrook Trail Abrahams Valley.