Cannock Chase AONB Reviews Summary

Category: Nature preserve

Address: Cannock, United Kingdom

Rating: 4.7
based on 377 reviews.

Recreational Activities

Pros:

  • "There's something for everyone here. You can take a dog for a walk, ride your bike on varied difficulty tracks, spend time with the kids on a wooden playground or doing a themed trail, build a den, enjoy a view of the ponds or challenge yourself to 'Go Ape'!"
  • "Free mountain biking trails to suit all abilities."
  • "Great place for walking cycling running or just chill out."
  • "It has a place for coffee and food and also an ice cream parlour."
  • "The visitor centre is a good place to start if you have not been before."
  • "Great place to visit, if you can get away from the crowds."
  • "Great set up here, shop is great and very well stocked, lovely cafe for the end of the ride."

Cons:

  • "The café, car park and toilets are all closed at 6pm!"
  • "Seriously just find a wood and cycle around that."
  • "Let down only by a number of people walking on the mountain bike trails."
  • "Carpark is £8 for a walk!"
  • "Often the concerts are awful though with only cheap or declining bands playing."
  • "They make a terrible mess of the paths."
  • "As a down side some routes are rammed with people, especially the ones near the main, paid car park."

Natural Beauty & Wildlife

Pros:

  • "Massive area of green and open spaces. Go here enjoy the outside. See wildlife from bees to deers and everything in between."
  • "Cannock Chase is excellent for horse riding, walking and cycling."
  • "There are lots to see like wild deers, birds and other small animals."
  • "A fantastic place to go for a walk, also packed with history. It has a graveyard with the dead from both great Britain an Germany and information regarding the second world war and the losses from both sides."
  • "It has lots of Deers which can be spotted with consistency at dusk in the right areas, and even sometimes in the day."
  • "Wonderful experience. Went Cannock Chase for a nice long walk in the woods, bonus I got to see a real life deer in the wild."
  • "Stunning place to visit and go for a walk. Lots of wild areas and interesting trails to explore."

Cons:

  • "Think Forestry Commission more interested in the cyclists though as they seem to get the priority over walkers and horse riders sadly."
  • "Very pleasant place wet or dry for a quiet walk with the dogs, only spoilt by some Kamikaze off road bike riders."
  • "Why so many dogs running off track in the undergrowth. Deer and wildlife at risk."
  • "Sadly the place is over-run by cyclists making it quite dangerous and unnerving."
  • "I haven't visited the Chase for over 30 years and discovered it has now become simply a place for dogs to use as a toilet."
  • "Pity people are so disgusting, dropping every piece of rubbish they can find in their cars onto the surrounding trees and bushes."
  • "It's a shame though not everyone treats it with respect. Litter and dog muck can be a problem."

Parking & Accessibility

Pros:

  • "Parking can be hard to find sometimes and maybe a little expensive, if you only want to stay a few hours, but there are free alternatives that are a little less central but still have great sights to offer."
  • "Most places parking is free."
  • "Parking is cheap and can be payed for by card at the FC offices."
  • "There's ample car parking and some public restrooms at the Marquis Drive Visitor Centre."
  • "Parking is free in most places with the exception of inside the visitor center and Go Ape areas."
  • "Lots of free parking and great walks on fairly flat ground."
  • "Car parking is free and plentiful."

Cons:

  • "Parking at Birches valley expensive to park if nip up for an hour."
  • "Car parks and approach roads in serious need of repair/maintenance."
  • "Parking has to be paid for. £2 per hour for short term."
  • "Parking is easy to access if a little higher in price than I'd like."
  • "Birches Valley carpark prices have taken a hike up; used to be £3 all day now £6."
  • "Parking prices are stupidly high, and more car parks are set to become payable shortly."
  • "Used to be really good for a day out but after parking changes at Birches Valley it is now impossible to find anywhere to park at busy times."

Facilities & Services

Pros:

  • "Toilet facilities are available and also a nice little seating area and cafe."
  • "All very helpful and knowledgeable."
  • "Cafe is very well stocked too for the hungry people that have earned their fuel stops."
  • "There are two excellent cafes one at the farm and one up at the main house and these are much improved."
  • "Nice cafe, reasonably priced."
  • "The Visitor centre is good, serves food and drinks and has toilet facilities available - would recommend a visit."
  • "Great place for taking the kids, loads of exciting stuff for the little and bigger ones to do."

Cons:

  • "if you visit the chase as soon as you leave your vehicle they smash your windows to steal your belongings."
  • "What is a little bit bothering me, there is no bin at all. No near the benches as well. And the toilet."
  • "The cafe can seem a little pricey and get very busy, particularly on warm summer days."
  • "The only let down were the staff in the coffee shop. Rude, no customer service at all."
  • "Cafe is okay limited choice & gets extremely busy which then decends into choas."
  • "But the cafe only had hot drinks, cold drinks, crisps, chocolate and ice-cream."
  • "Unfortunately, they ran out of ice cream by mid morning."

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