I’m Heading up to Coventry for Easter to visit the out laws this weekend.
I’m planning on taking my beast and heading to Cannock Chase to try out Follow the Dog/Monkey trails.
What are the conditions there like at the moment?

I think the car park is still closed, info here;
https://www.facebook.com/cannockforest?ref=stream

Someone’s pictures of the trails on Monday;
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151555401276894.1073741826.633611893&type=1&l=9767fadfef

The Forestry Centre at Birches Valley is still closed and it’s probably fair to say that the trails will be “challenging”.

The thaw seems to be going slowly but if you’re keen to ride you’ll be able to get out.

I went up on Monday and sackedit off…the snow was pretty damn deep. The part of the Dog that I tried to ride did me head in…the snow was deep enough that on the down stroke, my pedals and feet were going into the snow making it very, very hard work. Unlike last time when it snowed, there didn’t appear to be any evidence of other people riding up there. The car park, visitor centre and bike shop were closed again.

I’m fairly local (Tamworth) and its just started snowing again, admittedly very lightly but it’s pretty grey. I was hoping hat it would have thawed a bit by Friday, but I’m not so hopeful now.

Me and some mates supposed to be heading to cannock from derby on Sunday.

Hope the snow has gone by then, but I’m not to sure 🙁

I was hoping to go early sunday, (from wolverhampton so not far) but could be off. Fingers crossed for a thaw. A friend of mine is from cannock and they copped the worst of the snow.

I was pretty surprised at how much was still up there. Most of it has gone at home.

Some of it was properly deep…I was able to stand the bike up on its own in some of it! It did look lovely up there though, with the sun out.

Mmm might not bother then!

Have a look here:

http://www.bikeadventuresuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12707

It has a link to some recent photos.

Pretty mc my experience of it too…didn’t even bother with a full lap because I was walking so much of it.

It’s snowing quite a lot here now, so I guess the chase will be getting topped up nicely. Balls.

A least the wind has dead down a bit…I went out on my road bike yesterday and just couldn’t get warm. Nearly got blown off the bike a few times too.

Couldnt even ride along Sherbrook valley on Sat afternoon, did 3 miles and sacked it off. Nightride tomorrow may be short pub run.

It’s snowing quite a lot here now

Really?

FFS I’m fed up of this I want some dry roads so I can try and build a little fitness on my road bike.

As for the OP, don’t bother nothing to see round the chase. Move along please.

Nightride tomorrow may be short pub run.

No change there then 😉

It is indeed. It’s not really settling, but is just making everything wet. But it’ll be toping the Chase up.

I’m sick of it too….I have some nice new Easton wheels that need riding! I’m off this week so was hoping to get a descent amount of riding in. Instead I’m inside getting grumpy because I can’t ride.

Mmm – a few of us from work are planning a ride up there tonight.

Could be interesting!

I had a choice this morning – Cannondale Rush with normal tyres or singlespeed rigid with ice spikers. Guess which one I bought…

Doh!

Snowing as I type and the stuff up the Chase is’nt going anywhere fast. Be prepared for a grind/walk for the next few days up there.

Roadbike pub trip then!

Well, last night was interesting!

It was more rideable than I expected to be honest, but some ice spikers would have been useful for the fire road sections. It was a struggle no doubt about it but lovely over there and good fun.

We did quite a bit of the Monkey but cut it short as we’d been out for a looooong time. Average speed #cough#4mph#cough#

I am sure that once it starts to thaw it will get a lot worse before getting better – it just depends what your expectations are really. Think of it as a challenge!

Cool. It’s a cracking day here today….clear blue sky and the sun is out. Don’t think it’s going to get that warm.

Think I’m going to give it a whirl tomorrow morning in the vain hope that it will have thawed slightly.

I think that once the thaw starts it will get a whole lot worse to be honest. The powder snow was rideable, the compressed stuff was slippery but rideable, but where it had started to thaw in places it was extremely hard going.

Please stay of FYD / Monkey, you’ll really eff the surface up riding it in the thaw.

Then close it dude make it official , or does the FC loose revenue if the words out its closed.But i do agree there comes a time when really do folk have to ride in such conditions and give the trail a battering and screw it up ready for when the good weather arrives.Fire roads by the miles crunch in the distance on those for a while pop to the shop and cafe and show your support still.

It IS officially closed dude.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest

Doesn’t look like I’ll be up there this weekend if its closed.

Road bike it is then!

Baws! Glad I saw this, just built up new fork and was about to load the car 🙁

Sorry to resurrect this, but I presume the trail have not had much time to thaw/dry out? Is the car park closed?

How long is it taking to ride the full 15 miles at the moment and are there any options to get a shower locally?

They’re hoping to have them open by the end of the week…

“Trails are still closed, hoping to have the last of the trees removed and any emergency repairs done by Friday!”

Trails are still closed, hoping to have the last of the trees removed and any emergency repairs done by Friday!

— Chase Trails Volunteer Trailbuilders (@ChaseTrails) April 2, 2013

I think people would be well advised to stay clear of the Dog & Monkey for a bit. I went out on Sunday and the fire roads were almost the only passable bits and they were very slidy with some of the nastiest mud lurking underneath. We looked at the start of the Tackeroo section of the Dog which looked impassible.

If you do insist on riding it you will be doing a lot of damage to your drive train and washing machine let alone the trail.

The off piste stuff was a great laugh in the snow Sunday.

Thanks. I was hoping for a pre-work ride on Thursday, but looking unlikely. Now sunny and dry in the soft south.

Shame I changed the tyres on my car last weekend for the regular summer slicks, are the roads still bad?

Roads are all fine, there is still a surprising amount of snow on the Chase itself.

I’ve kept off the bike for the last week but took the kids for a walk yesterday and there are many sheltered spots where the snow is as thick as when it first fell but now more icy.

We’ve had some reasonable weather but it’s been freezing overnight and staying cool during the day. Factor in that it’s not really rained in the last week and the snow is hanging in there.

The FC are now working through to clear snow fallen and damaged trees from the trails.

It’s not as though there are apocalypse levels of snow but there’s enough to make the riding pretty crap and give us upcoming problems when the thaw is over and rider numbers pick up again on the temporarily weakened surface. In a few days it’ll be the chicken korma surface that our local trail material yields during a soggy thaw :o(

Thanks ST. I like a good Korma, but won’t contribute to mucking up your local trails. Will save the ride for the summer.

The trails down south are getting drier, but just wanted the chance to ride something different. Still, dust is much better than sludge.

Was in and around the Mendips over the weekend (sadly not riding) & it really was bone dry compared to Cannock. Bitterly cold but ground was almost dusty in places.

Chicken Korma already forming due to glacial melt in the Northern Valleys.

Vindaloo in my pants from excitement at seeing dry trails (Swinley). Can’t tell you how excited I was to see dry trails, with a hint of dust. I have missed the sun.

I was banking on things being better by this weekend, but it looks doubtful.

I live just the other side of Tamworth and its pretty much bone dry now (mostly I think due to the wind). There are a few drifts left in sheltered spots, but other than that its all good.

The welsh centres close to the Midlands are suffering too – Llandegla was my back up for the weekend but that’s still closed. Is CYB ridable / open?

Has it thawed at the chase in the last few days?

Still plenty of dirty, hard, rutted snow under the trees and off-piste but otherwise ok. Was a day of extremes today. Extremely dry in places and extremely wet in others. Bizzare temperatures too – some real heat in the sun but a biting Northerly wind.

All rideable though (S8 is closed)

Thanks rocketman, it sounds worth a trip, ive not been out since the snow, getting a bit grumpy now