Cannock Park's new heritage trail has been celebrated with an official opening walk involving councillors, community representatives, partners and council staff.
The group was led by Christine Salmon, chair of the Friends of Cannock Park, along a route through the park and Cannock Park Golf Course.
They stopped at ten new interpretation panels, hearing about the people, places and stories connected with each location.
Three ways to explore the park
The panels support three trails designed to help individuals and families explore the park's heritage and landscape.
- Tree Trail: QR codes provide information about significant trees.
- Hear Our Heritage: an audio trail tells stories about the people, events and features that have shaped the park.
- Cannock Park Tales Trail: animations, poetry and characters offer a family-friendly way to discover its history and wildlife.
Forest of Mercia CIC supported the opening walk by sharing information about the park's trees and the new Tree Trail.
Schools and artists helped create the stories
Local artists Jennie Moore and Pep the Poet developed creative material with pupils from Hednesford Valley High School, Chaselea Alternative Provision Academy, St Luke's Primary School and Sherbrook Primary School.
Their work helped create the characters, stories and poems used in the Cannock Park Tales Trail.
The council says all three trails can be accessed through the Cannock Chase Can app, allowing visitors to unlock digital material and complete challenges while exploring.
Christine Salmon said the panels reveal different parts of the park's story and encouraged visitors to take a closer look at places they may pass regularly.
John Parkes, the council's portfolio leader for Operational Services and Parks, thanked the friends group, schools, artists and partners involved.
The official opening is a new update following the earlier announcement of the trail. The council published details of the opening walk on 5 October.
Further details are in the council's opening report. Visitors can also find the free app through Cannock Chase Can.