What is Chasewater County Park?
Chasewater is a beautiful county park in Staffordshire, England. It is also the home of Pier 52 where we host Paddleboarding, Cable Wakeboarding and more. Chasewater is the site of the country's first canals, which were built between 1770 and 1810. The park is just south of Lichfield and has lots of outdoor activities like walking trails, cycling paths and horse riding. There are also water sports clubs in the area if you want to sail out on the lake!
Chasewater
Chasewater Country Park is located just off the A5, between Cannock, Lichfield and Brownhills in Walsall. 7.4 miles from motorway M6 junction 12.
Chasewater County Park is over 700 acres of grassland, woodland and lakeside, covering everything from the riverbank to rolling hills. There's also a network of footpaths through ancient woods and over wildflower meadows.
Chasewater is home to an abundance of wildlife—there are nearly five hundred species recorded on the site—including red deer, water voles, shore larks, 20 species of dragonfly, kingfishers and swans. More than 120 bird species have been spotted here too! The park also hosts several events throughout the year; keep an eye out for their annual pudding dash!
The park has a café located in the innovation centre, which serves hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and snacks. The Shed sells amazing cakes, cannoli, snacks and fantastic gelato ice cream, unbeaten in the area. There's also a big outdoor play area for children, including a junior adventure trail with things like tunnels and bridges to explore.
For those looking for a more leisurely day out, miles of walking trails and ample picnic tables and benches are located around the lake's perimeter fr you to rest and take in the view.
The Reservoir
Originally known as Norton Pool and Cannock Chase Reservoir, Chasewater was created as a canal feeder reservoir in 1797. The reservoir was created to directly supply the Wyrley and Essington Canal and maintain levels in the 160-mile (260 km) Birmingham Canal Network. As canals became less essential for the transport of goods during the mid-20th century, the reservoir diversified and became a popular public amenity with activities such as paddleboarding and wakeboarding at Pier52, as well as water-skiing, sailing, wakeboarding and cycling.
The reservoir is approximately 3 miles (4,8km) in circumference and has a capacity of 4,400,000m3 (4.4 billion litres) a surface area of 1.08 km2 (270 acres) with a maximum water depth of 11.3 metres (37 ft) near its eastern end. Chasewater is the third largest reservoir in Staffordshire by capacity and second by surface area.
The Local Area
The park is host to a steam railway which is open throughout the year of enthusiasts and those wanting to see steam locomotion in action. Lichfield is about 7 miles away and was home to Samuel Johnson (the dictionary guy) and was a prominent coaching town. Lichfield also has a statue of the Captain of the Titanic! Captain Smith never visited Lichfield (he comes from Hanley) but Lichfield is the central location between London and Liverpool, home of the White Star Lines
The closest towns are Burntwood, accessible on foot from Pier52, Brownhills and Norton Canes. The closest EV charging location is Morrisons or McDonald's in Burntwood.
So Why Visit?
Chasewater is an amazing place to visit, with many different things to do. Whether you're looking for a photography spot, an exhilarating wakeboarding session, a walk in the countryside or just somewhere quiet to relax with friends and family, this park has it all. Come along and pop into Pier52 while you're in the area, we'd love to see you.
