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Visitor Centres

Birches Valley Forest Centre


VAQAS

If you are looking for fun, thrills and excitement then start your adventure here. Activities including the Route to Health sculpture trail, adventure play area, Go Ape high ropes course and arguably the Premier mountain biking destination in the West Midlands, Cannock Chase Forest offers miles of exhilarating mountain bile trails to suit all ages and abilities (including the now famous 'Follow the Dog' trail and the new 'Monkey Trail') which all start from Birches Valley.
For those looking for a more relaxing experience the Forest Centre is also close to the magnificent Fairoak fishing pools and has good access onto the Chase Heritage Trail. The award winning education team on site run a wide range of events throughout the year as well as cater for a wide range of organised groups. Seasonal highlights include live outdoor concerts in the summer as part of the Forestry Commissions Forest Tours and the Real Christmas Tree Experience during December.
While on site why not enjoy freshly made food and high quality coffee in the cafe, hire a range of bikes from Swinnerton Cycle Centre, 'more than just a bike centre', or brave the new Go Ape high ropes adventure course. Plentiful parking available, but remember, Cannock Chase is a working forest, please comply with all operation signs; high quality rest rooms and a friendly welcome are always available on site.

Open all year
Please check opening times for Swinnerton Cycle Centre at www.bikechase.co.uk and Go Ape at www.goape.co.uk

Car Parking – open dawn till dusk. £1.50 for first hour or £3.00 all day.
(Please note that this car park is monitored and enforcement action is taken for vehicles not displaying a valid car parking ticket.)

For further details contact:

Birches Valley Forest Centre
Birches Valley
Lady Hill
Rugeley
WS15 2UQ
Telephone: 01889 586593

www.forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest

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 2013
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.

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
Opening Times 2013
Summer
Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm
Winter
Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am - 4pm
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 2012 Exhibitions & Events Diary or visit our website www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/museum


The Museum of Cannock Chase
Valley Road
Hednesford
Staffordshire
WS12 1TD

Tel: 01543 877666
Fax: 01543 428272

www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/museum
museum@cannockchasedc.gov.uk


Opening Times 2013

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.

 
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 2013:
March to October:
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday & Sunday 11am - 5pm

November to February:
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday & Sunday 10am - 4pm

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

www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk

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 2013
22nd March - 25th October 2013

Gardens & Grounds, Tearoom, Shop
Open Daily, 11am until 5pm

House, Servants' Quarters & Farm
Open Wednesday to Monday, 11am to 5pm

Information and prices for events and advanced tickets can be purchased online at www.shugborough.org.uk or by telephoning the box office on 0845 459 8900.

Shugborough Estate
Milford
Stafford
ST17 0XB
www.shugborough.org.uk