We are the Chase & District Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
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Hello Everyone
We have a shorter than usual local walk this Sunday with a figure-of-eight configuration providing options for everyone. Complete the initial three mile circuit only or carry on with us on a separate loop for the full distance. The event is based around Marquis Drive Visitor Centre on Cannock Chase but please note we're not parking at the Centre as Sundays are always busy. Instead we're using the lesser known Nine Gates car park a few hundred yards away to the south. Nevertheless, a relatively early start is still required for the sake of getting everyone parked up.
As always, you're welcome to join us, ideally letting us know a day or two beforehand if this is your first time out with ourselves. Thank you.
Registration: 09.15. Walk start: 09.30. Walk leader: Barry (07811 141484)
Loo's available around the halfway mark.
Just the one stop this week folks (at the visitor centre following our first loop).
As this is a local walk our own members should note that there isn't a rendezvous at Hednesford this week. Please go direct to the start.
Nice wide tracks for most of the walk. No stiles. ⚠️Beware of tree roots in the wooded areas.
Directions. The start car park is situated approximately two miles northeast of Hednesford. ⚠️If you're on satnav please use the provided what3words code as the postcode is not accurate and will send you to Marquis Drive Visitor Centre which isn't connected by road to our particular car park.
From your home location head for Hednesford which is on the A460 Cannock to Rugeley road. Approaching Hednesford on the A460 turn left at the Esso station and descend the hill, still A460, to the first set of lights where straight across. Same again at the next set 200 yards later just past Aldi.
Follow the A460 for a further 0.5 mile to a third set of lights. Straight through these, then 100 yards later turn left at the car sales plot, over the railway bridge, to then turn right in short order at more lights and onto Brindley Heath Road.
From here follow the course of Brindley Heath Road for 1 mile leaving the suburbs and out onto Cannock Chase. Once into the wooded area you'll see the straight road for some way in front of you, then 0.5 mile further on pass the small Duffields car park on your left. After another 100 yards turn right, just as the road begins to ramp up, into the surfaced entrance road for Nine Gates car park with care as per the photo above (which was taken when the foliage was far less verdant).
Once onto the entrance road continue uphill for 225 yards to the summit where ignore the first car park spur off to your left and bear right for a few yards where the larger start car park is now on your right hand side (accessed via entrances at either end should you miss the first one). It shouldn't be too busy at this time in the morning but if need be there are other parking spaces dotted around within sight.
If you're arriving from the Rugeley direction and you're unfamiliar with the local roads over the Chase perhaps better to pick up the A460 out of town for 3 miles to Hednesford where turn right 100 yards before the first lights you come to, over the railway bridge, to turn right again onto Brindley Heath Road, and then as above.
If in doubt please refer to the overlaid satellite screenshot in the photos above showing the final half mile or so.
Nine Gates car park located 500 yards off Brindley Heath Road, Hednesford. Tucked away in the woods south of Marquis Drive Visitor Centre but not accessible from there. ⚠️The auto-generated postcode above is not sufficiently accurate and will take you to the visitor centre only. Please use What3words as an alternative which should be accurate to within a few metres.
