Situated 20 miles north of Birmingham city centre, Cannock Chase Forest covers 2,684 hectares of coniferous and ancient woodlands, wetlands, wood pasture and open heathland. It is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and has two local nature reserves which are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
A popular spot, the Birches Valley Visitor Centre welcomes nearly 350,000 visitors to the forest annually, offering a wide range of outdoor activities. It is a prime location for mountain biking and has two established signposted trails, known as Follow the Dog and the Monkey Trail.
Cannock Chase Forest is the northernmost venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and it will host the Mountain Biking events scheduled for August 3rd.
As Official Overlay Supporter to Birmingham 2022, GL events will be delivering grandstand seating, temporary structures, fencing, containment, tribunes, rigging, carpets, cabin showers and toilets, office cabins, site lighting, trackway, portable toilets and scaffolding.
An impressive new cycling trail has officially opened at Cannock Chase Forest. Facilities include the ‘Perry Trail’, a cross-country trail for intermediate cyclists that will be used during the Mountain Biking event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In addition, a mountain bike trail called ‘Pedal and Play’ is intended for children between the ages of 3 and 11.
The total investment for the new trails is estimated at £900,000, with funding from Sport England, British Cycling and local councils. The trails were developed as part of the Birmingham 2022 Legacy Project to encourage more participation in mountain biking at all levels for both local residents and tourists.
