Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation Partnership

24/08/2026

Come along for a fun afternoon on Friday. Can you find all of the Chase Creatures? Which one is your favorite?

Step into the magical world of the Chase Creatures Trail this summer!

Join us on Friday 28 August, 1pm – 3pm at Marquis Drive Visitor Centre for an afternoon filled with adventure, creativity and fresh air.

The trail was first launched in 2023 in partnership with Cannock Chase SAC Partnership, created with the help of local schoolchildren and professional artists who brought all 12 characters to life. This special event forms part of our Cannock Chase CAN Kids Summer Festival and invites families to explore Cannock Chase, discover the creatures and enjoy hands‑on activities inspired by nature.

Free, family friendly and no booking needed.

Bring your curiosity — the Chase Creatures are waiting!



Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation Partnership

23/08/2026

A path through the heather for a Sunday afternoon

23/08/2026

Very sad to see but this is the reality of what is found after a fire like this at Sherbrook Valley. Even though it has rained the fire risk is still high so please continue to be vigilant and help look after the chase.

22/08/2026

The very heavy rain shower last night has washed the surface away in places on the chase. Please be thoughtful and stay on the main tracks to avoid further erosion.

20/08/2026

Did you know that lowland heath is rarer than tropical rainforest?

In the UK we have 20% of the world’s heathland!

Cannock Chase has the largest area of lowland heath in the West Midlands region.

What is lowland heath?
Lowland heath is found from sea-level up to about 300m and is characterised by heathers, gorse and grasses. They are found on poor fertility soils, which discourages other plants.

Most heathlands are thought to date from the Bronze Age some 3000 years ago. Humans started clearing trees growing on infertile soils, probably to entice game into clearings to make hunting easier. Later, they used these cleared areas to graze livestock.

These conditions suited heathland plants, which were previously limited to coasts, cliff tops and mountainsides. Heathlands became part of the farming system, providing livestock grazing, heather for thatch, turves for fuel, bracken for bedding and potash, gorse for bread ovens and livestock fodder, and sands and gravels for building.

Constant disturbance resulted in a landscape that is now valued for cultural reasons as well as its unique wildlife.

Each time we walk through the heather & heathland plants we create ‘edges’ on either side of us. Most species will move away from these ‘edges’ to reduce the risk of disturbance. Over time the amount of undisturbed heathland reduces as the routes through the heath increase (you may have heard this called fragmentation). This is why we ask visitors to keep to the paths when enjoying the Chase.

19/08/2026

Come along to Holyoake Place Rugeley for this weeks Summer Kids Club. Our Engagement Officer will be there with a range of activities for children to learn about Cannock Chase.

18/08/2026

Our Engagement Officer is at Cannock Family Hub. Fun Day. (10am till 2p).

Have a go at Catch a Chase Creature, Chase Creature colouring, make a heathland food web, and more !

17/08/2026

Although there is rain in the forecast and the temperature is dropping the high risk of fire is still with us.

The protected landscape of Cannock Chase is still exceptionally dry and it will take a considerable amount of rain over several weeks to change that.

Please help us keep our open spaces safe by:
✅ Taking all litter home with you
✅ Disposing of ci******es safely and responsibly
✅ Never using disposable barbecues or light fires on the Chase, not the car parks, not the woods and forests, not the visitor centres, grassland or heathland.
✅ Reporting any signs of fire or smoke immediately by calling 999

Photo: part of our information on how wildfires start.

16/08/2026

The team are at Cannock Chase Visitor Centre's summer fair today until 3, come and make a moth, have a go at our games and say hi.