I’ll have a few hours to kill near Cannock Chase next Friday, can someone suggest a descent loop. Ideally one where I can’t get too lost……

There are two waymarked loops, The dog and the monkey trails. Generally you ride the dog on to the monkey trail but depending on time you can just ride the dog which will be about an hour or the dog and monkey which will be about 2.

There are also a couple of blue loops to blast around.

For ease, do the Dog & Monkey. Much easier than trying to link up off-piste – good though it can be.

You’ll need a separate permit for either trail. Best cake is in the converted shed/garage by the rail bridge if your there weekends

If you are new to the area and only got 2 hours stick to the main trails. The dog/money loop give yourself 2hrs with a few stops. Cucumbers, sex dens, porn shoots and black eyed girls used for way markers.

I thought they had phased out the permits been along time since I,ve been, but I suppose you have to pay for polishing the pebbles some how?

If you don’t know the area do the Dog/Monkey.

Beware of The Panther……………………………………………………. and the doggers.

Don’t even joke, the chase is haunted.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannock_Chase_murders

The Marquis Drive visitor centre has a great cafe and free on road parking and is just 100 yds from the follow the dog trail. Birches valley is the official start point, has a great bike shop, medium cafe and £4 parking. Need coins.

You do not need a permit!

Permits and porn? What are you lot on about?!

I’ve been a couple of times, parked in the main car park and had a good day. Hoping to get back some time this summer.

Off piste, you would sometimes surprise couples either mid-shoot or mid act as you pedalled by… Seems to be less common now. The cucumber in a condom thing was legendary for a while.

Do park near or in a visitors centre though. There are frequent accounts of car break ins.

Rode without a permit today, was on edge the whole time & wouldn’t risk it again……..

But as others have said – If you don’t know the area & only have a couple of hours you’re best sticking to the dog & monkey trails.

Watch out for dosser chavs in jeans, not wearing helmets, razzing round on decade old halford’s bikes with a mobile in their backpack with speaker pumping out top tunes man. 😐
Often they will travel in large packs, inevitably one of the group will have a bike that doesn’t work because it hasn’t seen the outside of the shed in 4 years. However the owner will be convinced he can make it work by kicking it or throwing it to the ground whilst declaring ‘oi dun now why it dun **** work man’ in a yamyam accent. 🙂
Also to be found on the chase is the ‘Happy Couple’ – where Mr has convinced his partner to come for a ride round cannock trails coz it’s great fun. However 3 miles in and mrs is not happy, to her dismay she has found that going round on a bike actually involves some actual physical effort. This couple can usually be found on Cardiac hill where Mrs will be pushing her bike and Mr will be riding his slowly alongside. As you pass you might hear mrs declare ‘why didn’t you tell me it would be so far’ or ‘oh god I hate cycling up hills, you know I don’t like them, why did you suggest this’ or ‘you go on, I’ll just walk back’ 😀

You do not need a permit!

Don’t be cruel! Last think he wants is a confrontation with a ranger.

You can get permits from the bike shop at Birches,just ask any of the staff & they’ll be happy to help

whilst declaring ‘oi dun now why it dun **** work man’ in a yamyam accent.

I think they spake brummy over the chase dow they.

The locals don’t ! But all those dumb fecker Brummies that keep coming over here do…..

As above, stick to the waymarked dog/monkey/stile cop DH runs. The off piste is fun but difficult to navigate on a set timescale and you will come out of it looking like you’ve had a fight with a bear at the moment.

You can get permits from the bike shop at Birches,just ask any of the staff & they’ll be happy to help

Not sure if serious, but you most certainly do not need any sort of permit to ride in Cannock Chase, with the one obvious exception of the one needed to park your car in the car parks!

Couple of notes from my experience:

The Northern loop (Follow the Dog) is less technical, nice and quick and lots of fun. It’s relatively flat too and you’ll find a fair number of families (including my own) battering around it. The last part down to Birches is a really good section and we’ve been known to ride this multiple times because it’s so much fun. My wife rode this and only complained to around a 5 or 6 on a scale of 10. Both kids loved it though.

The Southern loop (Monkey Trail) is distinctly hillier and more technical in places, with steeper climbs and descents and a handful of tougher technical elements that justify its red status. I did not take my wife around this as I value my marriage.

The two loops can be ridden independently or as a single large loop as required. There’s also a ton of forest road too, if you want to rack up the miles without taxing your brain.

All in all, it’s a great place and I love riding there. Have a great time!

The locals don’t ! But all those dumb fecker Brummies that keep coming over here do…..

Oi! 😀

Not sure if serious, but you most certainly do not need any sort of permit to ride in Cannock Chase, with the one obvious exception of the one needed to park your car in the car parks!

No wonder the trail maintenance is under funded when people ride for free. Please buy a permit.

Chase Trails Membership

No wonder the trail maintenance is under funded when people ride for free. Please buy a permit.

You can indeed choose to support Chase Trails (and this would be a good thing), but there is no “permit” (which implies that it’s required for permission to ride) and it is certainly not a requirement to ride in Cannock Chase. Cannock Chase is free to ride, with the exception of car parking if you choose to drive to and park in the forest.

No sense of humour some people

It’s early 🙂