The site has a number of stunning examples of traditional hay meadows. Rush pastures, wetland areas, ponds, streams and areas of arable wildflowers are all present within the reserve. The reserve is well known for its diversity of wildflowers with over two hundred and thirty species being recorded in recent years. Some of the hay meadows support over eighty species of wildflower.

The woodlands consist of a small area of ancient oak wood and newer plantations and are home to willow tits, song thrush and bullfinch. In the ancient oak wood the ground flora is noticeably richer than in the more recent plantations and contains an abundance of wildflowers in early spring with masses of bluebells and the white flowers of greater stitchwort. Bats that feed and commute though the reserve include common pipistrelle, brown long eared and soprano pipistrelle bats.

Around the pool at the Mill Green there are areas of species rich fen. Plants such as reed sweet-grass and reedmace tend to dominate but also present are species such as skull cap, meadow sweet, purple loose strife and wild angelica. In the winter the pool attracts small flocks of teal as well as the usual mallard and canada geese.

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The species rich meadows are managed by allowing the grasses to grow from April to the end of July or August. A traditional hay crop is cut once a year and aftermath grazed by our Dexter cattle. This removes the nutrients and allows wildflowers to flourish year after year.

The rush pastures are also lightly grazed through-out the year. The cattle are moved regularly to give the wildflowers a chance to flower and set seed. These wet pastures are very rich in plant species associated with damp grassland.

The woodlands are managed by a cycle of coppicing and scrub layering. Hedge rows are sensitively maintained. These are managed to benefit the bird life present on the site.

Invasive species such as Himalayan balsam is prevented from taking over reed beds.

Sensitive public access is maintained through-out the site.

This 100 acre site comprises of ecologically important areas which were identified for preservation when this former agricultural landscape was developed in the 1980’s. It is situated in the small valleys formed by Hawks Green Brook, Milking Brook and Ridings Brook and is part of the green spaces laid out in the Development  Master plan from that time. These areas have been managed by the Countryside Service since then with the aim of preserving and enhancing these increasingly scarce and important habitats. The reserve contains the last remnants of species rich grassland and ancient oak woodland in Cannock Chase District and forms a green oasis for wildlife with development bordering the site on all sides.

Mill Green has a level circular route to health walk which is 1km long. The rest of the reserve has a mixture of surfaced and un-surfaced paths. There are some kissing gates that require a RADAR key for wheel chair access. A range of short or longer walks can be undertaken throughout the reserve.

Fishing is available by permit all year at Milking Brook pool. Fishing is catch and release dawn till dusk, the pool contains a range of coarse fish. Permits are available by calling the Council Offices 01543 464621

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The reserve can be accessed from many locations. There is a large free car park (up to 3 hours)  at Mill Green, off Lichfield Road opposite the train station. There is also a car park off Deavalls Way and some smaller parking spots in the Hawks Green area.

The slopes of the site are becoming heath like in nature and on the top of the old pit mound there is a wetland area of open mosaic habitat and pools. The site also has areas of more recent deciduous woodland plantations.

The reserve is an important site for butterflies. The diverse flora supports a wide range of species including common blue, small heath, comma, ringlet, essex skipper, and dingy skipper. The site is of particular importance for the dingy skipper which has undergone a very severe decline in numbers due to habitat loss. The West Midlands area is one of its main UK strongholds where it is now almost entirely confined to brown field sites.

The dingy skipper lays its eggs on birdsfoot trefoil which grows in abundance on the reserve but chooses only those plants growing next to bare ground where the temperatures are higher.

The nature reserve provides a safe nesting site for a range of species the most important of which are associated with open treeless habitats. These open areas support declining species such as the skylark whilst wetland areas attract snipe and lapwing.

In late spring and summer the nature reserve is a mass of colour as the various plant species come into flower.  In addition to common plants such as birdsfoot trefoil, oxeye daisy, ladies bedstraw and catsear there are much rarer species present such as the pennyroyal. This legally protected plant is now very rare in England due to loss of suitable habitat. It cannot survive competition from other plants which is why it thrives on the poor soils that are typical of the site.

Although it is the open habitats that are of the greatest conservation value parts of the nature reserve support developing woodland communities. These areas include a wide range of more common species including blackcap, willow warbler, and chiffchaff.

A wide range of birds of prey have been recorded using the nature reserve including hobby, merlin, peregrine falcon, kestrel, and buzzard.

The importance of this site for wildlife conservation lies in its open nature with poor soils and abundant wildflowers. Whilst these ideal conditions may persist for decades natural processes dictate that they will not do so indefinitely without intervention. The nature reserve would eventually be taken over by scrub and trees forcing out most of the species that are of importance. Cannock Chase Council undertake regular works to set back this process by removing unwanted scrub and in selected areas scraped back the developing vegetation to reveal bare ground. This resets the clock and allows for the re-establishment of early stages of plant colonisation that are vital in maintaining the conservation value of the nature reserve.

Where woodland is being allowed to establish the edges are scalloped to provide warm sheltered habitat for butterflies and other insects. You will also see areas where hazel other shrub species have been cut back to ground level. This is traditional coppice management which is carried out on a cycle of approximately ten years. It is excellent wildlife habitat as the shrubs gradually grow back to provide a succession of habitat conditions from flower rich grassland following cutting to dense cover for nesting birds at the end of the  management cycle.

The slopes are currently being managed as a heathland re-creation under a Higher Level Countryside Stewardship scheme. This involves removing invasive scrub. The slopes and the wetland area are grazed by our Dexter cattle at suitable times of the year.

There is limited parking available off Hednesford Road and off  Newlands Lane. The site has circular route with a stone surface. A more challenging route around the pit mound may also be taken. This route is uneven and can be muddy and slippy in wet weather due to the nature of the pit spoil that makes up the site.

Part of the nature reserve is set aside from public access to provide a safe sanctuary area for wading birds such as the snipe and nesting sites for ground nesting skylarks. Please assist with their conservation by respecting the access restrictions.

The site is located on the edge of Heath Hayes near Five Ways Island. The site can be approached by Hednesford Road and Newlands Lane.

Coppice Colliery opened 1893 before closing in 1964. It took two years to sink the shafts to the 12 coal seams some 292m below, the spoil being dumped on the heathland and grassland surrounding the pit head.

One of at least seven hill forts in Staffordshire. The site is believed to have been occupied between 500BC and 43 AD, and is one of the earliest pieces of evidence of settlement in the Cannock area. It was built by the resident Brythonic tribe of the area, the Cornovii. It was likely the site was a combination of defensive feature, ceremonial site, stockade, communication beacon and symbol of power to those who saw it. Their main residence was a hill fort on the Wrekin (near present day Telford) which stood near the centre of their tribal lands, while Castle Ring is near their borders with the neighbouring Coritani tribe (who occupied lands centered on present day Leicestershire).

Whilst the purpose of such structures is a matter of national archaeological debate, what is more certain is that the structure would have been very imposing in the landscape. Castle Ring occupies the highest point on Cannock Chase and the orange sandy banks when the structure was newly built would have been very visible from a considerable distance, as the landscape would have been dominated by heath and small areas of farmland and woods. Indeed, it is probable that the name of Cannock town is a derivation of the Celtic word ‘C’noc’ translated as high place.

Little is known of the site’s use after this early period but it is thought that it was in the process of being modified when it was seemingly abandoned around the time the area was conquered by the Romans. It has indeed been suggested that the site was never completed, although it must be noted that these theories are speculative as very little in the way of archaeological surveying has been carried out on the site.

In the Mediaeval Era, Cannock Chase was in possession of the King and formed part of the Royal Hunting Ground, later passing to the Bishop of Coventry & Lichfield. This would have resulted in retention of a basic open landscape. The remnants of a medieval hunting lodge can just be made out on the surface in the Northern quarter of the inner enclosure of the monument.

In the mid 16th Century, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII confiscated the lands in the manor belonging to the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and gave then to Sir William Paget. Under his control, the Coal and Iron resources of Cannock Chase were exploited. The open wooded landscape of the hunting forest was utilised for charcoal making. And throughout the Agrian Revolution the estate prospered maintaining an open landscape through heavy grazing.

However the largest effect on Castle Ring came about between 1780-90 following development of a landscape park at Beaudesert. This involved leveling of the north and west side of the inner rampart as a walkway and for viewing the landscape, and creating two carriage drives on Castle Ring. One runs along the Northern boundary, the other running directly from the main entrance in the East, bisecting the inner enclosure and cutting through the Western embankments. Whether this route created this breach or merely used an existing Roman breach is not known.

The Cannock Chase forests that we see today were largely created after 1919 to provide a strategic reserve of timber following the First World War. And it is the establishment of forestry that has impacted most on Castle Ring.

As well as being a SAM (Scheduled Ancient Monument) the site is also an SBI (Site of Biological Importance). The nature of the site has lead to a variety of small but distinct habitats from sphagnum bog, acidic grassland to areas which are more like heathland. This variety provides home to a range of birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates. You may see species such as the black darter dragonfly, green hairstreak butterfly and lizards if you are lucky.

These habitats are fragile and easily damaged through pressures from access and disturbance, so please keep to the main paths.

Today the monument is a shadow of its former self. Human activities and weather have worn away the banks. The long term aim is to maintain and preserve the monument in its present state. This is being achieved by preventing invasive scrub taking over site. Repairing erosion scars with locally sourced materials and plastic reinforcement meshing. Due to high visitor pressure the site also requires the topping up of the paths with locally sourced sand and gravel. Recent additions have been a circle created next to the car park representing the size of an iron age round house and new notice boards have been installed to inform visitors about the site.

You can help us protect the site by:

Keeping to the footpaths.

No horse riding on the monument.

No cycling on the monument.

No sledging on the monument.

A circular route can be taken around the top of the monument via steps from the car park. Castle Ring is a great place to start longer walks off into the adjoining Beaudesert Old Park and Cannock Chase.There is also a route down to  Hazelslade Local Nature Reserve. Castle Ring is also a registered Earthcache published on geocaching.com. Web address :

https://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC1VY15&title=castle-ring-iron-age-hill-fort&guid=9e2d624a-1a41-4d68-9776-5948776da8bb

The reserve is found just at the edge of the village of Cannock Wood. There is a large free car park, off Holly Hill Road and opposite the Park Gate Inn.

Invertebrates make up the largest and most diverse group of organisms on the site. Some 546 species of moth have been recorded. Typical heathland moth species present on the site include the emperor moth, oak egger, true lover’s knot, neglected rustic, beautiful yellow underwing, northern spinach, anomalous, heath rustic, and clouded buff. Welsh Clearwings are also a notable species of moth present on the site with Cannock Chase being one of the only places outside of Wales where they are known to be present.

Perhaps the most notable butterfly species are green hairstreak and the wall brown. The former has a high fairly stable population.
The site is also home to rare solitary bees and wasps amongst the wasp species the list includes the bee wolf and Nomada signata and Nomada lathburiana.
Mammals present on site include red deer, rabbits soprano pipistrelle, brown long eared and noctule bats. There are good populations of bank vole, field vole, wood mouse, common shrew and pygmy shrew which in turn provide food for weasel, stoat and fox.

Within the woodland areas are the usual common woodland birds including great spotted woodpecker, pheasant, chafinch and coal tit. Yellowhammer, bullfinch, song thrush, and greenfinch are also regular breeding species. During the autumn and winter maturing larch plantations often attract large numbers of redpoll goldfinch and siskin.

There are good populations of lizard on the site and smooth newt, common frog and toad can be found in the ponds.

The site is managed under a Natural England Higher Level Stewardship Agreement this sets out a range of targets and indicators of success for the council to achieve and influences all management operations on the site.

Recent permissions and fencing works to almost double the amount of grazed areas on the site have lead to further rapid improvements of the heathland mosaic. Grazing was resumed on site in 2002 after about 100 year hiatus. We aim to maintain this management as it is regarded as the best way to maintain and improve the heathland mosaic.

We also have targets to control invasive scrub, improve the structure of the woodlands, manage the heather and create bare earth habitat for rare solitary bees and wasps. These targets are being met by a constant ongoing programme of conservation works employing a range of techniques.

As a surviving extensive example of heathland and acidic grassland Hednesford Hills along with Cannock Chase represent a rare example in lowland England of a traditional landscape that has remained relatively unaltered for many centuries. The majority of the land was gifted to Cannock Chase Council by the Marquis of Anglesey on the 7^th March 1933.

There is parking at the Museum of Cannock Chase, Valley Road, Hednesford just off the A460. There are other entrances and small pull-ins around the rest of the site but parking elsewhere is limited. The site has no formal paths and consists of uneven tracks and paths criss-crossing the site. Short walks are available as are larger walks around the site which can take several hours.

Hednesford Hills is located approximately 2.5km north-east of Cannock it can be accesses via the A460 Rugeley to Hednesford and surrounding Littleworth and Rawnsley roads.

Research has shown that the site was historically wood pasture, later partially destroyed during the 1960’s.The site contains numerous archaeological remains from early mining history and was designated a Local Nature reserve in the 1980’s.

Silvery arches

The wood pasture, wet woodland and pool reed beds provide valuable habitat to a wide range of species. The agriculturally unimproved grasslands are home to a range of wildflowers (notable species being adders tongue fern and moonwort) are grazed throughout the year by two of the council’s Dexter cattle. The reserve is home to at least 258 species of moths and butterflies, such as silvery arches, brown-veined wainscot and silky wainscot.

The long term aim is to restore the lost historic wood pasture landscape similar to the parkland which once existed in the surrounding Beaudesert Park estate. Another aim is to increase the size of reedbeds which support the rare wainscote moths.

A circular route can be taken round the reserve. There are footpaths leading from the reserve heading towards Beaudesert Old Park and Castle Ring SAM (Scheduled Ancient Monument).  A small car park is at the front of the reserve. Entry into the reserve is via a kissing gate with RADAR key access. The front of the pool contains surfaced paths with other paths being un-surfaced and may be muddy and slippy at certain times.

Fishing is available by permit from June 16th to March 16th each year. Fishing is catch and release dawn till dusk, the pool contains common carp, crucian carp, roach, rudd, bream, tench, gudgeon, perch. Permits are available from the council office :
Civic Centre, Beecroft Road, Cannock, WS11 7LP.

The reserve is found just off Cannock Wood Street, Hazelslade. There is a small free car park that is closed just after dusk throughout the year.

Litter bugs will get fixed penalty fines if caught dropping litter by a Cannock Chase Council Environmental Officer and will be issued with a fixed penalty fine.

Fly tippers will be prosecuted. If caught fly tippers face a £20,000 fine.

If you see anyone fly tipping then call us on 01543 462621 with a vehicle registration number, description of the vehicle and individual and of course where the offence has taken place. All calls are completely Confidential.

Alternatively, the on-line reporting form for reporting fly tipping is HERE