[Closed] Cannock Chase

Follow the dog splits after 1/3 now and you can chose to stay on the dog or do the Monkey instead. Choose the monkey 🙂 Monkey is goooood.

There is stacks of other stuff across the chase but its pretty well hidden, i have been introduced to a couple of extras that ive rideen past for years not knowing it was there.

That said the monkey will take you a couple of hours anyway

Townfox, to be honest you wont find alot of the offpiste stuff at the moment due to the overgrowth. Try hooking up with a local ride here-
[url= http://www.bikeadventuresuk.com/forum/index.php ]http://www.bikeadventuresuk.com/forum/index.php[/url]

The Dog and Monkey is now a 14 mile loop, you can always do one of the loops twice if you want a bit extra. You'll see tracks disapearing off these trails all along it but I wouldn't recommend you try any as they can lead you into oblivion of you don't know your way round. I've been riding Cannock for 10 years now and still get lost as it all looks the same in some places - ha!

If you want to avoid paying Forestry car parking then head for Marquis Drive as you can park on the grass verges although there are no facilities up there, whereas the main Birches Valley car park has a cafe, toilets and Swinnerton Forest Cycles.

There is a cafe and bogs up at Marquis Drive. Cake is much nicer too!

yeah MD cafe is better than Birches Valley
By aware though parking is only free if you park on the verge - the proper carpark is £2 I think, still cheaper though than BV

Doesn't the carpark money go towards the trail system?

Not to our trails it doesnt.

If you want to avoid paying Forestry car parking then head for Marquis Drive as you can park on the grass verges

....and 8 quid for tea and cake.

Mmmmm...caaaaake...

£2 parking at Birches Valley? Not much compared to the cost in petrol of getting there from Newcastle, is it? Oh, and as it's near the bike shop, you've a better chance of meeting up with locals who might volunteer to show you around. I believe the going rate for ad-hoc guiding is a cuppa and/or bacon butty at Spring Slade cafe... 😉

I'd volunteer myself, only I've got no chance of getting over the Chase for the next few weeks...

FC support Chase Trails in many ways big style. They even gave Rob Lamb a job ffs 😛

Sound cheers for that, so Follow the dog is 14 mile is it?? and it loops back to the trail head does it??

The monkey one, that breaks off from follow the dog?? how long is the monkey trail? is it better than the dog?

Or could i do follow the dog then go back to the start and then do monkey??

Dont mind paying a couple of quid for parking seems like fair crack to use the trails anyway.. and like you say i can pop into the shop for info and advice when i'm there.... 😆

also scruff - The chase trails forum was my first point of call but i've tried to register on it and have had nowt back so came on here instead...

😕

The monkey splits off from the dog part way round, then rejoins it again. You can do an extra loop of the monkey before you rejoin.

Rob Lamb....LOL 😛

believe the going rate for ad-hoc guiding is a cuppa and/or bacon butty at Spring Slade cafe...

no point going over that way, there is nothing of interest for bikers behind there 🙄
No honestly, there isnt anymore RIP King Willy

Townfox - Monkey splits from Ftd half way round and rejoins at same place
Monkey is a different league to FtD all together, much more technical and interesting, and more elevation changes

If I was you travelling that far and to make a day of it, without knowing the unofficial trails I would park at Marquis Drive (bear with me) and pick up the last section of FtD back to Birches Valley, then continue FtD round to Monkey,
do Monkey as far as the seating area at Lower Cliffe,
then head from there to Style Cop for a play on the D/H area (with back to bench go to fireroad, slightly to left is a bit of a clearing, follow the clearing down the hill, turn slightly right - there is the bottom of the downhill runs)
When youve had enough retrace your steps and continue with Monkey and end of FtD back past car, do the last section (that you started with) again to end at Birches Valley for coffee shop and bike shop. From there it is fireroad straight back to the car at MD
Doing it this way you get the last FtD section twice at start and end which is worth it as its prob the only decent bit of FtD

(oh and on Monkey when you cross railway please wheel not ride across the railway and look out for the right turn infront of the building (pumping house) after the road crossing - thats the strat proper of monkey and alot of people go straight on and miss it

Do you still need Permits? 😈

townfox,

maps and info-

[url] http://www.chasetrails.co.uk/index.php [/url]

If you cant register email stuart@chasetrails.co.uk and tell him to sort his sh1t website out 😉

FTD is 7 miles, you can do this on it's own and yes, it loops back to the start.

About 1/3 of the way around FTD there is a decision point where you can choose to do the Monkey Trail. The Monkey Trail is another 7 miles and will re-join FTD...so if you choose the MT option it's 14 miles altogether, you will have to do FTD too and you will end up back where you parked.

Is the MT better than FTD? Most people seem to think so. There's more climbing involved, but you're rewarded with better descents. I've only done it once so far and it fair near killed me…but that says a whole heap more about my fitness or lack thereof, than it does about the toughness of the routes! From memory, I think there’s about 150m of altitude gain on FTD but around 450m on FTD + MT combined. So neither is a killer by any stretch. Unless you’re me.

Rusty

belgianbob - Member
I believe the going rate for ad-hoc guiding is a cuppa and/or bacon butty at Spring Slade cafe...

Some locals once took me under their wing to show me some off piste bits and refused to let me even pay for my own bacon butty at the cafe! Cheers guys if any of you are out there 🙂

timmys - Member

belgianbob - Member
I believe the going rate for ad-hoc guiding is a cuppa and/or bacon butty at Spring Slade cafe...

Some locals once took me under their wing to show me some off piste bits and refused to let me even pay for my own bacon butty at the cafe! Cheers guys if any of you are out there

Fair play to them, but you can't blame me for trying, can you?

Cheers guys,

i'm down next weekend but plan on making an early start saturday morning so chances are i wont be seeing anyone about anyway so the info is much appreciated...

I'll let you know how i get on...

I lashed together a shortened route for some chaps last night...whole of FtD & last two runs of the Monkey. (Only had 2-hours to spare). They loved it. You'll have a great time. Long way to come though.

i'm down that way anyway, staying near uttoxeter for the weekend, doing Alton towers and that with the wife and kids so thought i bring the bike aswell...

Going further next month, off to Afan in south wales for a stag do, should be canny

i'm down next weekend but plan on making an early start saturday morning so chances are i wont be seeing anyone about anyway so the info is much appreciated...

Oh you'd be surprised how early us locals get out 8)

Oh you'd be surprised how early us locals get out

especially the ones under the thumb....... 😆

It's pretty good to be honest on the Monkey, the builders have definitely made the best of whats there.

A few braking bumps here and there but it all adds to the interest.

My mate even said it was better than Llandegla

Emac55, the monkey's night watchman...

Oh you'd be surprised how early us locals get out

especially the ones under the thumb.......

Nope don't think so,used to go early cos the kids were little but now they aint.I just like riding(or running)early in morning...... 8)

oh im looking of popping over one afternoon too, is it doable on a singlespeed running 32/16, how harsh are the climbs?

edit: sorry for the newbie type questions

ron - i have a few mates who ride around the chase on single speeds. They dont seem to struggle. The climbs on the Monkey are mostly tight switchbacks so slowing down halfway up is probably the biggest trauma. The Dog section has 1 longish climb, some people around here call it heart attack hill but if your used to riding a single speed you will fly up.

oh im looking of popping over one afternoon too, is it doable on a singlespeed running 32/16, how harsh are the climbs?

edit: sorry for the newbie type questions

Yes it's easily doable on a SS running 32/16

Emac55, the monkey's night watchman...

Who?
Is he Emac65's younger brother? 😀

It's neilb37's idea of a joke.... 🙄

8)