Canrug two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Canrug here.

The start of the walk from Rugeley is along a lovely wooded brook before climbing steeply up onto Cannock Chase arriving at the Visitor center. Here you can visit a Great War hut and get refreshments before caring on towards Hednesford. Once leaving Cannock Chase you start the long pavement section towards Cannock Railway Station with plenty of shops for supplies.
A Good Route easy to follow taking in good scenery would be 5 Stars but for the last section along the roads.

T.

The Rugeley end of this walk is worth 5 stars. Starting through the bus station, a great start to any Slow Way, the route soon takes you across a small park with a duck pond. Across the road from here, the walk along Rising Brook through Hagley Park is marvellous. A wooded brook with the occasional waterfall to the right and the wide open fields to the left leading up to Cannock Chase. There is a pub there which you need to leave the Slow Way for, but it's not far. The path continues to follow Rising Brook before the path turns behind some houses and comes out onto a road. This is where I think the route loses a mark. You can follow a signposted trail from the other side of the road but instead this route goes down the road (which involves verge walking) before going up a rutted bridleway to join up with the main route. Cannock Chase is very well organised and does its best to keep cyclists separate from walkers. The paths are well tended and clear. After a slow but constant climb the route comes into a clearing and joins Marquis Drive. Here you can take a short cut through where the old army camp used to be but my water bottle was empty so I followed the route past the Visitor Centre. The way from here goes through part of the Chase where old army huts used to be and when I was there, there were a large amount of caravanners. As you leave the Chase you pass through near old industrial workings and the path clearly follows the route of an old railway line. Coming into Hednesford you go through a park and join the pavement of the main road. It was at this point I wondered if there was a nicer way to finish the walk from the other side of the railway line as walking and cycle route is marked in that direction. Instead I pounded the pavement of the main road through Hednesford and then Chadsmoor to the eventual meeting place at Cannock Railway Station. A fairly uninspiring end to a walk that had started so magically. Improvements? Yes, crossing the road at Lady Hill Coppice could cut out the road walking and a bit of research might produce a more offroad section at the Cannock end. Overall a reasonably safe, direct and only occasionally strenous effort in some gorgeous surroundings.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.