Cannock Chase.

Cannock Chase was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1958 and was once the expansive sweep of a great medieval forest. The name derives from "cnoc", the Ango Saxon word for wooded hill. Today, the area is a surprisingly remote area of high sandstone heather and bracken heathland, with birch woodland and extensive pine plantations. The AONB has the last oak remnant of the ancient Cannock Forest and the unenclosed semi-natural landscapes provides a valuable contrast to the ordered agricultural landscapes dominating the Midlands region.

Wild deer still roam the Chase, which is an important oasis in the urban Midlands. Its heathland, woodland and valley wetland habitats are protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Here lies the largest surviving area of heathland in the Midlands and mark the transition between the high altitude moorlands of the north and the lowland heaths in the south of the country. They are valuable habitats for invertebrates along with the rare nightjar, lizards and adders. 1,214 hectares of the AONB are conserved as one of Britain's largest country parks. The motorless zone, nature trails and reserves focus on landscape and wildlife interest. Castle Ring, an Iron Age fort, has wide views across the Trent Valley.

The Forestry Commission has large commercial plantations and the Chase is an important recreational area, with nearly two million people living within 15 miles.

The Chase is crossed by many footpaths and bridleways, including Forestry Commission trails and the Staffordshire Way. The variety of landscape and woodlands and open views make it feel larger than it is.

For further information please visit http://www.cannock-chase.co.uk/