There are several visitor centres around the district.
See below for details and loacations of each.
Birches Valley Forest Centre
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…
Activities include the Gruffalo Spotters, Follow the Dog and the Monkey mountain bike trails, adventure play area, Go Ape tree top adventure course, Go Ape Tree Top Junior and Forest Segway Experience.
Birches Valley Forest Centre is also home to Birches Valley Café and Swinnerton Cycles bike shop offering sales, service and bike hire.
Car park open all year round from dawn to dusk, £1.50 for first hour or £4 all day.
Open all year
Please check opening times for Swinnerton Cycle Centre at www.bikechase.co.uk and Go Ape
SOME AREAS IN BIRCHES VALLEY WILL BE CLOSED DUE TO WORKS/RE-FURBISHMENTS AND THE FOREST LIVE CONCERTS. PLEASE CALL THE NUMBER BELOW OR CHECK THE WEBSITE BEFORE VISITING TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
PLEASE ENSURE YOU FOLLOW ANY SAFETY SIGNAGE AND INSTRUCTION.
For further details contact:
Birches Valley Forest CentreBirches Valley
Lady Hill
Rugeley
WS15 2UQ
Tel: 0300 067 4340
For more details visit www.forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest
Or email info-cannock@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Cannock Chase Visitor Centre (Marquis Drive)
The Visitor Centre and Café at Marquis Drive is open 7 days a week and is the starting point for numerous self-guided walking and family cycling trails, including routes for people with disabilities. Electric scooters are available, free of charge, for people with mobility problems. There is an adventure playground, picnic sites, BBQ stands, bird watching area and a recently reconstructed Great War Hut (limited opening). The shop sells maps and souvenirs. There are toilets including disabled provision. The Chase has internationally important heathlands and woodlands, a rich industrial history and longstanding connections with the military.
Staffordshire County Council Countryside Service organises a full programme of walks and events across the County, details of these are published in a free leaflet which is available from Cannock Chase Visitor Centre and all other centres on the Chase.
Opening Times 2017
Summer 10am - 5.30pm
Winter 10am - 4pm
Marquis Drive
Hednesford
Near Cannock
WS12 4PW
Visitor Centre: 01543 876741
Café: 01543 878690
Chasewater Country Park
Leisure pursuits at Chasewater Country Park including walking, cycling, angling, crazy golf, boating and a pedal go-kart track. The site also supports a number of organisations offering power boating, sailing, a heritage steam railway, an outdoor education centre and the Forest of Mercia Community Forest Partnership.
For further details please contact
Countryside Team Tel: 01543 308860 / 370607
chasewater@lichfielddc.gov.uk
www.lichfielddc.gov.uk
Chasewater Innovation Centre
Chasewater Innovation Centre is an environmentally friendly visitor and conferencing centre situated in a prime position at the entrance to Chasewater Country Park and Reservoir.The Visitor Centre has a cafe, gift shop and changing programme of temporary exhibitions and recreational workshops and is open 7 days a week. Leisure pursuits within the Country Park include walking, cycling, angling, sailing, water skiing, crazy golf, boating, pedal go-kart track and a heritage steam railway. The innovative design and construction of the Centre promotes the use of timber as a sustainable material for both building purposes and as a source of renewable energy.
The Country park is also recognised by Natural England as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its unique and varied ecological habitat
Opening Times 2017
Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm
For more information contact:
Chasewater Innovation Centre
Chasewater Country Park
Pool Road
Nr Brownhills
WS8 7NL
Visitor Centre Tel: 01543 370737
Park Rangers Tel: 01543 370607
chasewater.ic@staffordshire.gov.uk
Museum of Cannock Chase
A Great Day Out on your doorstep!
Located on the edge of Hednesford Hills, the Museum of Cannock Chase illustrates the rich industrial heritage of the area, and the social and domestic life of times past.
Trace the history of Cannock Chase in our Local History gallery. Visit our Coal Mining Gallery to discover how coal shaped our area. Find out how local families lived in our Victorian Miner’s Cottage gallery, and our 1940s Room. Our History of Toys and Coal Face galleries provide an exciting interactive experience for families!
Gift Shop, Coffee Shop, Visitor Information Point.
We also have an ever-changing temporary exhibition and events programme throughout the year. Please call for a 2016 Exhibitions & Events Diary or visit our website www.museumofcannockchase.org
Opening Times 2017
Easter to the end of September:
Daily, 11am - 5pm
October to Easter:
Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm
Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time.
Closed for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.
The Museum of Cannock Chase
Valley Road
Hednesford
Staffordshire
WS12 1TD
Tel: 01543 877666
Fax: 01543 428272
www.museumofcannockchase.org
museumofcannockchase@wlct.org
Shugborough Estate
Journey through the historic estate of Shugborough and experience the nation's best 'upstairs downstairs' experience.
Located on the fringes of Cannock Chase, the estate is set in 900 acres of stunning parkland and riverside gardens with an elegant mansion house, working Victorian servants’ quarters, Georgian farm & mill and restored walled garden, all brought to life by costumed living history characters who share their lives and powerful stories from the past with visitors.
In addition, the attraction also features a land train ride, play park, rare breed animals, restaurant & tea rooms, gift shop, craft workshops, ice cream kiosks, old fashioned sweet shop and offers a fantastic full day out.
NEW Shugborough Revisited: Explore Lord Lichfield's private rooms and hear the stories of one of the nation's grandest families.
Opening Times 2017
For opening times please visit the website
Information and prices for events and advanced tickets can be purchased online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shugborough-estate or by telephoning the box office on 0344 800 1895.
Shugborough Estate
Milford
Stafford
ST17 0XB
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shugborough-estate
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's Visitor & Education Centre
The Wolseley Centre is Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Visitor & Education Centre, set in 26 acres of landscaped gardens.
The grounds were once the ancestral home of the Wolseley family, now managed with wildlife in mind, yet still cater for people of all ages and mobility. Why not try a self-guided circular nature walk alongside the Stafford Brook and River Trent, explore our woodland and wetland habitats or spend a while relaxing in our wildlife and sensory gardens? Interactive visitor displays, gift shop and refreshments, there is everything for a great day out!
Parking to the centre and grounds are free, and an average visit can take between one and three hours.
Opening Times 2017:
Open 10.00am until 4.00pm all year round
Why not combine a visit to the Wolseley Centre with some time at the other attractions at Wolseley Bridge, which include craft shops, public house, garden centre or Indian restaurant? They’re all just a walking distance away.
For more information contact:
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
The Wolseley Centre
Wolseley Bridge
Stafford
ST17 0WT
Tel: 01889 880100 Fax: 01889 880101
Last Updated: 04/07/2017