Cannock Chase from Rugeley Town
Staffordshire, Cannock Chase National Landscape
Pine forest, heath and pools in the smallest mainland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Britain. Walk in from Rugeley Town station, round the Fairoak Trail and back.
- Distance
- About 10 km (6 miles): 3 km each way on the Chase Heritage Trail plus the 4 km Fairoak Trail
- Ascent
- Not published. Gentle, with a few short climbs.
- Time
- About 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
Getting there from Birmingham New Street
- Train from Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Town on the Chase Line via Walsall (West Midlands Railway).
- Trains run about every 30 minutes.
About 49 minutes by train
Start point
Rugeley Town station, then Birches Valley Forest Centre
Postcode: WS15 2UQ
Terrain
Wide forest tracks and waymarked trails, firm underfoot for most of the way. The Fairoak Trail passes the Fairoak pools in the valley.
Cafe or pub stop
The cafe at Birches Valley Forest Centre, at the halfway point.
In winter
Forest tracks stay walkable in wet weather. Watch for cyclists on shared trails.
Walk Cannock Chase with a small group
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