Forest bathing at Sherbrook Valley, Cannock Chase Country Park

Cannock Chase Country Park covers about 3,000 acres of the Chase, run by Staffordshire County Council. On its northern side, Sherbrook Valley sits within the Special Area of Conservation, protected for its heathland and wood pasture. The mix of open heather, scattered old trees and wooded slopes gives a different feel from the conifer forest further south.

Milford Common is a common start, with a pay and display car park and a volunteer-run information hut at weekends; Seven Springs and the Punch Bowl are other car parks nearby. From there, paths lead up into the valley, which gets quieter the further you go. The valley floor can be wet and boggy after rain, and the heath tops are exposed, so the wooded sides are the better spot on a windy day. The main visitor centre and café are at Marquis Drive, near Hednesford.