Category: Cannock Chase

Parking around the Marquis Drive Visitors centre has become very very busy since the opening of the Forestry Commission Trails ( Follow the Dog and Monkey Trail) on Cannock Chase. Marquis Drive is actually a Staffordshire County Council site and local riders often use the car park to access Follow the Dog which runs close by.

The Parking situation became intolerable for the visitors centre this summer with several near accidents and conflict between the various users of the centre, particular as there is a cafe and big adventure playground on site which attracts many families.

The County Council have therefore created a one way system through the centre but have also designated a series of car parks at ‘nine gates’ approx 1/2 a kilometre down the road specifically for bikers. It is hoped that local riders will use this car park instead of Marquis Drive and relieve some of the congestion there.

The Council has added bike racks and the car park is close to the bike wash facility at the visitors centre.

After a weeks rest I was desperate to get back on the bike. My back and glut were still a little sore, but I thought a little gentle recreational riding would do them good (not so, by the way). With friends up for the weekend, 5 kids under the age of 10 to entertain, and a great weather forecast it was bikes, scuffed knees, elbows and lots of sweet stops to keep them going.

We had two under 4’s on seats, a 5 year old, an 8 year old and a 10 year old on bikes and, of course, a few mums and dads itching to get out and play on Cannock Chase which was in perfect condition: leaves starting to change colour, blue skies and dusty, dry trails.

On Saturday after entertaining the children around the Stepping Stones, the mum’s managed a cheeky ride on some of Follow the Dog before Sarah’s crank fell off, and Steve and myself even managed to get a lap of The Monkey Trail in before the compulsory BBQ. On Sunday it was a mass ride. After driving the bikes up to a car park in the middle of the Chase to gain some height, we all rode around Hednesford Camp before brunch at the Marquis Drive visitor centre. I then found some kiddie friendly exciting trails most of the way home to Milford. The kids even did Ewocks, an aptly named Star Wars singletrack, or ‘sniggletrack’ as Holly calls it, which flies through the trees below the Deer Lawns and above the Stepping Stones (apologies those who have know idea where I am talking about, but it’s all fantastic riding).

It was then the Dad’s job to ride out and fetch the cars, of course just having to take in one more descent on the way. Although very tired by the end, the kids rode the lot – all 17km of it!