Cannock Chase Wayfinding Wonders Project

Cannock Chase Wayfinding Wonders is a new project helping locals and visitors explore the Chase with confidence, thanks to National Lottery funding from Sport England. It’s a partnership between Staffordshire County Council, Together Active, Cannock Chase District Council and Hednesford Town Council, with additional accessibility funding from Cannock Chase National Landscape.

A Lasting Legacy

The project builds on the legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games mountain biking event, hosted at Cannock Chase, by making the area more welcoming for everyone — not just mountain bikers.

Our Aim

Cannock Chase is a place of outstanding natural beauty, rich wildlife and fascinating history. The project has created accessible walking routes, easy to follow and enjoyable for all ages and abilities. Along each route, distinctive benches act as waymarkers and resting spots, inviting you to pause and take in the sights, sounds and wildlife of the Chase.

Created with the Community

Local schools and community groups worked alongside commissioned outdoor artist Anthony Hammond and artists Charis McRoberts, Nicola Colclough, Dan Cippico and Eugenia Hamilton to co-design unique benches that tell the story of Cannock Chase through the design and digital content.

There have been 4 trails created for you to enjoy. These include a wellbeing trail, nature trail, mining stories trail and military stories trail. A big ‘thank you’ to the following groups:

Brighter Futures Group

Creative Wellbeing Group at Cannock Library

Friends of Cannock Chase

Friends of Hednesford Park Art Group

Heath Hayes Art Society

Hednesford Valley High School Sixth Form

Kingsmead High School

Littleton Lodge Care Home

Pye Green Academy

Pye Green Community Centre Walking Group

St Joseph’s Primary School, Hednesford

Tower Players

West Hill Primary School

The bench ends are inspired by Ordnance Survey Trig Points, first introduced in 1936, and each bench features images celebrating local wildlife — nightjar, deer, adder — and heritage including the miner’s Davy lamp, Brindley Village huts, the War Memorial and the Communications Tower.

Following the benches in sequence guides you around an accessible walking loop between North Hednesford (Brindley Heath Road Car Park) and Marquis Drive Visitor Centre, back to your start.

Discover Stories and Activities Create by our Community

Keep an eye out for butterflies, dragonflies, woodland birds, deer and reptiles as you walk — and listen as well as look, since some of the Chase’s best wildlife is heard before it’s seen.

Viewing Platform and Accessible 1km Trail

For a shorter or more accessible walk, the project also funded a resurfaced 1km trail from Camp Field Car Park, leading to a refurbished viewing platform over Brindley Heath. On a summer evening, you might catch the churring call and wing-clapping display of the elusive nightjar.

Whether you’re here for fresh air, gentle exercise, wildlife watching or a peaceful moment in nature, we hope this project helps you discover something new every time you visit.