Canrug three

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Canrug here.

I commend this walk to you as a 5 star Slow Way. No stiles but some steps and a sign on the Chase did report cattle as summer visitors. Good services at Hednesford and/or with a detour to the Visitor Centre via Canrug-2.

Canrug has been failed due to a locked gate. David Sanderson offered a way around this but didn’t enjoy the long pounding of pavements so here on offer is a tried and tested off road walk from Cannock (station) to Hednesford then a roam over the Chase with a slight variation from Canrug-2 so an opportunity to mix and match. Only today another suggestion that the pavement section needs a better route. I hope you agree this could be it.

I started from Cannock platform 1 and wondered if we need a node on platford 2? I also wondered why maps showed a detour to the green space? I can confirm that it encourages use of the Pelican crossing. The excellent tarmac path needs treating with care because we soon bear left onto a well trodden earth path alongside the railway. Initially open among trees it then crosses a stream and a short section is between the railway fence and industrial buildings but it remains friendly and ends with a wide green corridor heading east to a road.

I had originally plotted a route along Phoenix Road as shown but not fully explored by Google. This was gated and signed private so a short detour under the railway, now plotted, added little distance to the route. Back in green space alongside blue the tarmac path offered an excellent and easy surface for the Slow Way.

Meeting another road, there is a light controlled crossing. Orange dots on the map offer a cycle route while signs encourage bikes to take a different route. Onto the shopping street of Hednesford where lots of services are on offer including a well known pub chain and a large supermarket both likely to offer a loo and lots more.

The town exit is across the front of said supermarket and then down steps, I couldn’t see an alternative slope, into a park. Here I spotted signs for Rugeley but we do stray from the promoted route so beware. The path uses a short section of disused railway then drops to the road where we cross the active line, by bridge, and turn north.

The plot may appear to be along the road but there is a path just over the hedge offering an excellent approach to Cannock Chase. The path climbs gently and information boards inform us of previous site use. At an area of concrete apron we turn right and the climb continues. Grass and other plants struggle to grow here confirmation of the map, 'disused workings', which stripped any decent top soil.

I decided to offer a direct route but if you need services at the visitor centre then look at Canrug-2 because we take a different line to Marquise’s Drive and Jockey Hill which provides good open view to the east and seats to take a break. This area was cycle free as I passed through on a Saturday.

From Marquis’s Drive we rejoin Canrug-2 and here bikes may suddenly appear on rough cross tracks. It’s now down hill with limited views to the road which provides a short link to the next footpath along Rising Brook.

This path offers a very pleasant and interesting walk into Rugeley. I was pleased to see that the path by the mill pond, popular for anglers, has been repaired and is well used but there is an alternative that stays east of the brook. There is a gate leading to the cross field footpath but this is unused, walkers and cyclists preferring to take the surfaced path to the south as plotted here.

The fast flowing clear waters of the Rising Brook are a good companion, that is unless the brook is in flood across the path and into the fields. The path stops being a right of way and at the same time improves, now with a tarmac surface. The final path through the park leads directly into the town centre through the bus station.

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