Advice – Moving to Walsall Area (Living, Biking etc)

Hola,

Ok so I currently live in Northern Ireland but have accepted a new job based in Walsall and I am just waiting on a start date before moving over. Currently trying to suss out where will be best to live and bike etc. I lived in Liverpool before for uni but this is going to be a new part of the world for me!

Anyone live nearby and suggest where is worth biking or where is good to look for houses/rooms to rent with garages? I’d preferably like to be withing 20ish minutes of work. I am used to driving 50 miles each way to ride mtb at the moment so that isn’t an issue!

I used to race DH and now ride a 27.5 hardtail like a dh bike over everything enduro or otherwise… and a touch of road when I have the motivation. Any advice or pointers from locals?

Cheers

Simon!

Hi Simon

Cannock Chase quality trail centre the trails get better all the time. 🙂

Dan

Aldridge, some of Pelsall and Clayhanger are OK places to live. Cannock is pretty close & you can get there by bike if you don’t mind a bit of road riding. Some stuff along the canals and bits and bobs here and there around Aldridge, Rushall, Chasewater but not loads. Pretty easy road network to get to south Peaks, North Wales, Malverns, Long Mynd etc if you don’t mind driving.
Should say I haven’t lived there for 10 years now although I do still have family in Aldridge.

Ah good good! I’m looking forward to a change of scenery and some new riding spots. Had a look at Cannock both to live near and for the riding! Busting to get down to bike park wales and revolution as the boats are too expensive for a trip over from N.I!

The Wyre Forest isn’t too far away for some quality natural trail riding (get a guide though, there’s no waymarked trails), and you’ve got Ribbesford just down the road for some proper DH tracks.

You’re only an hour or so away from the welsh borders which gives you access to lots of DH and GE tracks. Obviously Cannock is only just up the road, but I suspect given the way you describe your riding, you may tire of it quite quickly.

Forest of Dean is about 90mins south of you and has plenty of DH and trail riding to be done there, and some of the best off piste in the UK (again get someone to guide you). There’s a new BPW-alike centre opening just south of Cheltenham in the Spring called the “A417 project”, which will only be an hour’s drive for you.

On your doorstep, sadly it’ll mostly be bridleways and the like (though fantastic road riding in the west mids if you’re a roadie at all?), but you won’t have to drive too far to get some decent riding in fortunately.

We moved to the area because the then-gf got a job in Walsall. I wanted to bike from the door so we ended up in Heath Hayes on the edge of Cannock; it took her about 25 minutes to get to Walsall and me about ten minutes to ride to the bottom end of the chase.

It’s a very mixed area, but there are some nice bits of Heath Hayes, Wimblebury and Rawnsley which are perfect for access to the chase and easy enough to get elsewhere.

There’s a lot of variety on the chase, from xc racing through the normal pratting around on bikes to the downhill area which has a very active scene.

Cannock and surrounding areas has had some unfair criticism of late but there’s some really nice bits. The ideal spot would be Hednesford, a nice little town and 5 minutes biking onto Cannock Chase. Also there’s direct trains from Hednesford into Walsall as well.
I’ve lived in Hednesford, Heath Hayes, Cannock and Huntington over the last 40 years, all have good and bad bits but Hednesford would be my choice.

Thanks for he honest advice! I’m glad there is a good range of stuff close round, although my preferred choice is the downhill stuff I will give anything a try as I don’t mind a bit of xc stuff to get the legs spinning.

A bit of a roadie when the notion is there and it’s a good way to see the world!

I’ll probably end up living in Walsall to start and find my feet then shift after a few months, looking like the new year at the moment so may well ask for some trail guidance in the new year!

Whereabouts in Walsall is your place of work?

As someone Walsall born and bred, no-one could pay me enough money to move back there.

I hope you’re suitably paid for such a privilege. Plenty of areas to avoid, do some real research with lettings agents as to where is half decent to live

There’s nothing I know of that’s DH or enduro from your door 20 min from working in Walsall. Just dont go west :wink:Best bet is to be able to plan to be able to enjoy a road ride from your door and accept you’ll be driving for mtb. You could do this from say Aldridge heading into staffs or Sutton Coldfield (plus you’d have Sutton park for XC mtb here). Other places are shenstone and Lichfield but more than 20 min to Walsall, especially in rush hour.

I wouldn’t live in Walsall, even temporarily, have you ever visited? Will you get chance to visit before you move? I’d be interested to see what you think after you’ve been.

The good news is that around there is a good base, Cannock is right on the door step and as others have said the Welsh trail centres and Shropshire hills are all an easy drive West.

Can’t speak specifically re Walsall, but grew up in the West Mids and cut MTB teeth there (Kinver, Wyre Forest, Clent etc). Also commuted a fair deal by bike – the one thing that featured constantly for me was the incredibly dense canal network in the West Mids. I’d use those towpaths to get just about anywhere – commuting, accessing woodland/trails, day-long adventures, visiting towns farther afield – mainly to escape Westwards away from the conurbation . Would it be worth thinking about a gravel bike and going adventuring if that was (one of) your thing/s?

Walsall makes Wolverhampton seem like a nice place. My family are from the yew tree estate. It’s pronounced Werrrsul.

Having a mate who grew up in Hednesford I say that’s probably a good call as it’s on the edge of the Chase. Might be a bit longer to get to work than 20 mins driving, Google says 27 mins. There’s also a train between Walsall and Hednesford.

Lichfield isn’t bad, but house prices will be higher and also commute will be longer

Walsall’s much like any other place, it has its good area’s and the not so good. It is rather urbanised though. For me things start to feel a little “greener” once you go as far as cheslyn hay/great wyrley. This would leave you with around a 15 minute commute by car but still mean you could ride to the chase in about 30 minutes. Heath Hayes, Rawnsley were good shouts too.

The train service from Rugeley to Birmingham links Rugeley & Hednesford (both on the edge of Cannock Chase) through to Walsall which means that living at either end makes for good access to the Chase and Walsall town centre.

The Chase is a great local spot with a good range of way marked trails, unofficial singletack and our downhill site.

It’s all relative though. The Chase is only 26 square miles (including crummy bits and out of bounds areas) and at best has an elevation drop of around 80m so you’re not talking a lifetime of big hill and mountain riding.

Consider it from that perspective and you shouldn’t be disappointed.

I wouldn’t live in Walsall but then I’m fairly happy living in Rugeley and there will be plenty of people who would say the opposite.

As a base for work and riding the outlying areas around Cannock could work. 20 minutes on the train to Walsall, under 10 minutes to Hednesford for the Chase and close to the M6 & M54 for heading north to the Peaks / Lakes and west into Wales.

None of the places along the train route are particularly fancy the plus side therefore being that house prices are generally sensible.

I live just outside Walsall and would agree it is very urbanised, getting out to any greenery can be a pain. If possible move over to the Rugely side to get as close to Cannock as possible, the other option is the far side of Wolverhampton and out towards Bridgnorth for hills and greenery but you pay much higher prices.

Canals are good for getting about on without having to sit on the main roads on a full bouncer. Just be careful as they are often also used by scrotes on MX bikes to get about.

I live in hednesford and work in Birmingham it’s great. Houses are cheap, the chase is literally yards from my front door, I can walk to the train station, or tesco, or Aldi or wetherspoons. It’s properly the best of both worlds.

Still full of knobs round here mind, but you get them anywhere. I honestly, wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, except maybe around Dumfries.

@mattbee – Will be working for South Staffs Water, Green Lane.

@Malvern rider – Don’t Tempt me, a CX/Gravel disc road thing is on the want list and the new job does ride to work.

By the looks of things I might end up in Shelfield for a bit til i find my feet but my head and all your advice is telling me to move towards Cannock when I can.

Was just in Walsall for a day for my interview and there wasnt much to see but moving here is my chance to get back across the water into a degree field job so I will take it as it comes! Getting out on the bike will keep me busy so it will be grand. I have friends dotted about around Coventry and Bristol so will doing a lot of visiting.

Also looks like I will be moving in 2 weeks rather than the new year so it is all go from here!

Chase is a great place to ride. It’s never going to win a Willy waving contest with somewhere with proper mountains but there is plenty of fun to be had.
Wrekin, Wyre Forest, Kinver, Church Stretton and even the woods by Dudley Castle entertain.
It’s not a million miles from Wales and the M54 takes you west quickly and Shropshire has plenty of gems.
Walsall like anywhere has good and bad and they are often close together. Pelsall is OK but Bloxwich rough. Etc

I’m from just outside Lichfield and can get over to Walsall within half a hour so well worth a look. Not rough at all, some riding from the door but chase is doable in 20 mins. Direct train into brum and motorways near by. Some cracking road riding heading west too

im sure Shelfield is one of the ‘OK’ areas to live, from memory.
Whatever you do, please at least once arrange to meet someone in town ‘by the hippo’…
Don’t whatever you do even consider Caldmore (pronounced ‘karma’) as a possibility for living.

I used to work at south staffs water, you’ll be driving in I take it, it’s nowhere near the town itself (which is no bad thing) it’s easily cycle able if you wanted to from Cannock/hednesford/Heath Hayes/Norton canes.

I grew up in Norton that might be worth a look actually, a lot of new builds going up there and hednesford at the moment.

mtbabuser – Member
By the looks of things I might end up in Shelfield

WIN!

Scruff. I went to school at Joseph Leckie 44 years back!!!! Lived around there until I was 18. Then off to Brum and eventually Lichfield when I got married. Still visit occasionally after a regular trip to up to the Chase from here (Oakham). Wouldn’t go back to Walsall now but tempted to move to Hednesford, Brocton, Stafford area.

Bloxwich.

One word. Don’t.

The West Midlands is a crap place to live. The environment is grim, the traffic is shite and Birmingham covers a large proportion of it. Birmingham is a shit-hole.

The only saving grace is that Shropshire is a beautiful county and not too far away. Also Cannock Chase is fantastic for a 2-3 hour ride most of the year. Sandy soil means it drains well and the cheeky trails are really good, even though it lacks any real hills.

Bloxwich

😯 seriously?

Tbf bloxwich is a town of two halves, half of it is proper lovely but dead expensive the other half is a shithole. A mate of mine lives in bloxwich, and her husband was hit and run by a taxi he’d just got out of. Mental place.

😀

Got to be looking the Cannock side of the Chase to keep the comute realistic, but 20 mins is not going work. Cheslyn Hay might just be doable in 20 mins.
There’s plenty of housing depending on your budget.
Lichfield is nice, pricey in parts though, but having lived around Rugeley, Burntwood etc, I prefer Lichfield. It’s a nice place to raise a family.
Got to jump in the car to ride anything other than cheeky trails, woods etc, though.

Yep would plan to drive to work mainly because I’m lazy in the mornings! The house I’m looking at is offering a month trial so will let me work out where I want to live really and search for somewhere while I’m actually over there.

I’m still currently in Northern Ireland so apart from Walsall city centre and green lane that’s the lot I’ve seen.

Luckily I don’t mind driving to ride mountain bikes as its all I’ve ever done and it will give me a chance to explore!

I don’t mind rough areas as I lived in Liverpool as a student and my local town in N.I isn’t exactly paradise as they are fond of the odd summer riot!

Some good places if you’re willing travel

Stile cop and cannock.
Eastridge.
Wreckin (they have just demolished a lot of trails but I’m sure people will start building stuff there again soon).
Kinver freeride park is good if you like jumps.
Ribbersford.
Bringewood.
Hopton.

Give us a shout when you’re over and I’ll show you some places.

Cheers Gav, sounds good but will probably be the new year before I get round to bikes!

OP, to be fair cannock is a decent place to ride. The people who complain about it are the ones that have to go when it’s busy. If you live over this way you can go when it’s dead and it’s great. From my house to the green lane site it’s probably 20-25 minutes when you know the back ways in the car, there’s a fair few south staffs lot that live round here.

Is Martin still the boss there? He was in charge of leakage when I was there.

Prawny – Not too sure, I dont start until the 14th Dec and will be working under compliance.

Aye did a bit more reading up about Cannock on MTBR and seems like a good place to start, just looking forward to getting over now. Have to book a boat etc this week and the flights back home for xmas.

Gunna be an expensive month!

I’ve lived locally to the Quantocks and the Malverns before moving to near the Chase, but I think in all honesty I prefer here; I can’t think of anywhere with as much variety. It’s got man made and natural, exposed bits and dense forests, swoopy trails and steep gnarly ones. I feel like it’s really helped my riding come on leaps and bounds due to riding little bits of everything as part of a perfectly normal ride.

The only down side is that while some bits dry fairly quickly due to the sandy ground, other bits – especially the off-piste in the trees – stays very wet for a very long time…