Cannock Chase AONB - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The Cannock Forest Plan covers 2684 hectares of coniferous and broadleaf woodlands and open land in Staffordshire in the West Midlands, between the towns of Stafford to the northwest, Cannock to the south and Rugeley to the east - Birmingham city centre is 20 miles to the south. A particularly popular location for Mountain biking, Follow the Dog, The Monkey Trail and Stile Cop bike park offer the thrill-seekers the perfect routes to hone their off road biking ability.

The National Trust's Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire, incorporates a Georgian mansion house and walled garden. The hall is situated on the edge of Cannock Chase, about 5.8 miles east of Stafford and 4.7 miles from Rugeley. The estate was owned by the Bishops of Lichfield until the Dissolution of the Monasteries You can explore sweeping parkland, ancient woodland and a landscape peppered with monuments. See seasonal blooms in the formal gardens, or produce in the walled garden.

The Ancient High House is one of the finest Tudor buildings in the country. Once dominating the skyline of Stafford, it is the largest remaining timber framed town house in England. The house was constructed in 1595 by the Dorrington family, from local oak, which anecdotally came from the nearby Doxey Wood, and is the largest timber framed town house in England.

Victoria Park is a Green Flag award winning park located on the banks of the River Sow in the heart of Stafford Town Centre. The park includes a large lake, tennis courts, children's play area and a Cenotaph which was erected in 1921 in memory of the Tipton men who fallen in the Great War. The names of the Second World War dead were added after that conflict ended in 1945.

Amerton Farm is situated in superb Staffordshire countryside and is easy to access by road and rail. Amerton Farmhouse dates from 1793, has log fires, oak beams and offers a friendly and comfortable family atmosphere for Bed & Breakfast. There is a guest lounge and dining room situated on the ground floor and the first floor of the house is used totally for Bed & Breakfast visitors.

The Amerton Railway is a 2ft gauge line, set in the rolling Staffordshire countryside, and situated at the very popular Amerton Working Farm. The Railway is home to the 1897 Bagnall-built saddle tank Isabel which became such a part of Stafford life on her plinth outside the main Stafford Station. It is owned by Staffordshire Narrow Gauge Railway Limited, a registered charity, and operated by volunteers.