Looking for a day out that wears them out?

If you’ve ever tried to entertain a toddler, a 10-year-old and a sulky teen in the same afternoon, you’ll know it’s no small task. One wants a zipline, one wants snacks every 4.2 minutes, and one just wants to go home. You need something, somewhere, that can entertain everyone, but where??! Enter Cannock Chase – Staffordshire’s family-friendly outdoor playground!

Whether you’re local or fancy a day trip with the children, Cannock Chase has everything you need: trees to climb, bike trails to ride, mud to squelch in, and enough “woohoo!” moments to make even the grumpiest preteen crack a smile. If you’re looking for somewhere that has something for very age group (mums and dads included) then this is it!

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Go Ape Cannock Chase

This is the only activity at Cannock Chase that you will have to pay for (bar the parking of course!). If you’d normally splurge £100 at a family day out without whincing, then we highly recommend a visit here. If the smallest member of the family is over 1m tall then it’s an activity worth a try as a family. We were incredibly lucky to be gifted a voucher to a Go Ape experience from Adventure Mind, and we had the best time as a family scaring ourselves senseless several metres above the ground! (Ok, that was the parents, the children were seemingly oblivious to the height!). This place is brilliant for children of all ages, provided they are over 1m tall:

• Treetop Adventure: Great for little legs (ages 4–6), with just the right amount of wobble and zip.
• Treetop Adventure Plus: A bit more height, a bit more challenge – perfect for my fearless 8-year-old.
• Treetop Challenge: A full-on adrenaline rush for the older ones (10+), and maybe for brave parents too.

You can read our Go Ape Cannock Chase review here:
👉 Go Ape Cannock Chase Review – Worth It? Absolutely!

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Biking Trails for All Ages (Yes, Even Balance Bikers)

Cannock Chase is a dream if your family’s got the biking bug. From easy, flat trails for beginners, to longer and more daring forest loops, these well signposted trails have something for everyone:

• Pedal and Play Trail: A short, skill-building loop for the under-11s, with play features and confidence-boosters to help gain off-roading skills. Grade: Green
• Fairoak Trail: Ideal for families with mixed abilities. Flat-ish, scenic, and snack-stop-friendly – 2.5 miles. Grade: Green
• Perry’s Trail: If you’ve got confident older children or teens, this route offers berms, rollers and swooping singletrack without being too intense – 2.7 miles. Grade: Blue
  👉 Read about our Blue Trail at Cannock Chase experience here.
• Follow the Dog Trail: This is Cannock Chase’s classic red route – fast, flowing, and purpose-built for thrills. Expect berms, rock gardens, and a few sneaky climbs across around 7 miles. It’s a great trail for intermediate riders looking for a challenge, with optional features to keep things spicy. Grade: Red
  👉 Coming Soon: Our Red Trail at Cannock Chase Adventure!
• The Monkey Trail: This is the more technical extension to Follow the Dog, and it’s where the fun really levels up (and Mum’s blood pressure raises!). The Monkey Trail adds around 6 miles of rougher terrain, including rooty descents, tight switchbacks, and rocky sections that demand focus and confidence. You’ll earn your adrenaline here! Grade: Red (with Black – Severe – option)

We packed the bikes and a picnic and made a day of our visit. If you want a peek at how that went (spoiler: big smiles all round), you can read all about it here and find out why we visited TWICE!

You can check out all the trails at Cannock Chase on this helpful Cannock Chase Cycling Trails map here!

Tip: Whether you need a bike service, new gear, or to hire a bike, check out the Cannock Chase Cycle Centre.

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Woodland Walks and Fairy-Tale Fun

Sometimes it’s nice to slow things down. If your children love a scavenger hunt or spotting magical woodland creatures (imaginary or otherwise), Cannock Chase delivers:

• Ladyhill Trail: Full of Gruffalo carvings, fairy trees and wooden play sculptures, this walk is pushchair friendly and includes plenty of open space for exploration and picnics. 1 mile circular.
• Fairoak Trail: Shared with the green biking route, this easy flat-ish circular starts in the forest and skirts around the beautiful pools. It’s filled with wildife and mining history, and most of it is suitable for pushchairs (pushchair users will need to return the way they came rather than continue around the loop). 2.5 mile circular.
• Chase Heritage trail: For those with older children, and those who can handle a good few miles, this trail makes for a great hike. Linking Rugeley, Hednesford and Cannock, this linear trail is a steeped in wildlife and history. Find the route details and map here. 10 miles.
• Children’s Play Area (Birches Valley): Slides, rope bridges and balance beams. AKA: parent coffee break time.
• Sensory Walks & Nature Hunts: Bring a homemade scavenger hunt sheet, or grab a trail leaflet from the Visitor Centre.

Tip: Maps are available on site for £1.50 each.

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Extra Bits for Adventurous Families

Looking for something different? Cannock Chase has more surprises:

• Segway Forest Tours (age/weight limits apply) Available through Go Ape.
• Horseback Riding: Horses more your thing? If you have a horse, you’re welcome to ride them here. We encountered a few along some of the trails we used!

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Need-to-Know Info for Your Trip

Here’s what to know before you go:

• Parking: Cannock Chase offers a large carpark – but it can get busy! As of June 2025, prices are: Up to 1 hour – £3.80 | Up to 2 hours – £7.30 | Up to 3 hours – £10.50 | All day – £12.00. Forestry England membership holders can park for free.
• Toilets & Baby Changing: Yes, but… It was portaloos when we visited! The website states there are baby changing facilities.
• Food: There’s a café onsite, with a small number of tables inside, and various picnic benches around the site. Plenty of green space to bring a picnic blanket. There was also a coffee bar.
• Opening Hours: Cannock Chase is open from 7:30 daily (except Christmas Day) throughout the year – closing time varies with the season so check the website to be sure. For activities like Go Ape, times vary and booking is recommended, so check their websites before you go.
• Dog Friendly: Absolutely, just keep them on leads near the play areas.

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Final Thoughts from One Mum to Another

Cannock Chase ticks every box. It’s one of those rare places where no one’s bored, there’s space to go wild, and the children fall asleep in the car on the way home… No I’m just kidding. Well, my supposedly tired children didn’t anyway 😅.

We loved our day so much, we were back again 2 days later, and I’ll bet we will be back again soon!

Have you visited? What were your thoughts?

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