Tag Archives: Cannock Chase

Jake: Cannock Chase,

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5°C, light cloud, muddy & cold. Still.

Kona Jake: this short but sweet. Even though my ankle was sore, it felt fine once riding even though the start was immediately a climb. Sunset is early around now (15.55) so I was.glad to get an hour’s ride. The whole time, I only saw half a dozen people. There was mud, mostly decaying leaves on the trails. Around the Rifle Range area, there were cleared forests and huge piles of trunks by the trail sides. Rifle Range Corner itself was closed by cones when I got to it from the north. The area will look different when the DofE season starts next year.

An excellent outing, worth the struggle to change in the changing robe.

DofE 21: Cannock Chase, (Silver practice).

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Polish mushroom pickers

Three days, rain then sun.

Day 1, mainly route planning under cover but. We did a walk first before the rain arrived. I got back just in time. The biggest problem arose in the rain. The outside classroom had a decent cover but was open at the sides. The wind blew rain over our maps and pens. Writing route cards was impossible.

Day 2: A day of tricky navigation through the forest.

Day 3, I was up early, then set off for a walk before breakfast into the dark. It wasn’t really dark with all the light pollution from Stafford, Rugeley and Cannock. I could switch off the head torch for some time.

Cross the Chase.

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I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 70.44km, time: 04:40:08, pace: 3:59min/km, speed: 15.09km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1597123868

I stayed upright, I even passed some mountain bikers on a climb. Later, just as hunger dominated my thoughts, a nice cafe appeared near the Katyn Memorial. Food meant I could continue riding. So the next leg, the Glacial Bolder.
I used a leftover map from easter’s treasure hunt, a training exercise for Y9s who had signed up for bronze. My group didn’t make it to this checkpoint and I wanted to see it. It’s on the edge of a heather moorland that is dotted with warning signs about mine subsidence. Actually, there were stories about people disappearing up here, in particular, a young lad. It turns out tattie stories were nearly true, he was actually rescued by miners.
Most of the tracks were of coarse round pebbles, the Bunta Pebble Bed. The same deposit that Birmingham is built upon.
Mostly dry and dusty, they were no real hazard today.
At the Glacial Bolder, a guy was with a group of teenagers and we got chatting. There are groups of youngsters all over the chase today, in small groups carrying rucksacks. I asked whether they were DofE, but no. It was part of the NCS Scheme.

My bike at the Glacial Bolder for scale.

The Glacial Bolder is am erratic from RW Scotland.

Glacial Boulder - Cannock Chase

Later, I rode north and eventually got to the canal at Great Hayward.
Here’s another curious picture:​

Rhubarb?

Look at the size of it! It must be 10ft high, oh sorry I’ve gone metric, it’s 3m.
It looks like wild rhubarb to me, but is it?

Anyway, I’m recovering now. My arms have taken a battering from the vibration and my tiredness is mostly dehydration.

Cross is difficult, but not hard.

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I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 43.42mi, time: 04:14:44, pace: 5:52min/mi, speed: 10.23mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1049041503
finally decided to take my cyclocross bike up Cannock Chase. Winding my way through Chorley and the not to gentle Gentleshaw, then the getting lost started. Down fire tracks, bridleways and some roads. After losing the signs, I found a footpath with fat bike tracks fresh. In ‘cross style, I jumped off and ran the bike. It was the rounded pebble layered tracks that were the most daunting, especially where steep.
This bike has a lower gear than I’m used to, 36×30. All the weight was on the rea;, a few times, the front lifted even when leant over the bars. Out of the saddle, the rear tyre would spin. I need more skill.
Still, I got to the Visitor’s Centre without falling off. And coffee.
image
My next waypoint was the canal at Great Hay. The route to the canal was less than ideal, an A road. There must be a better path.
From there, the towpath wound it’s way home all level.
The final leg along the towpath was flat, dry and all about vibration. By now, I was hungry and keen to get a meal.

Eleventh hour.

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9°C, NE light, sunny. CK:48.8 miles.
Rode along the coast to Southport. Before I got there I came upon a memorial ceremony at just before 11am. So, I pulled over and stood there. And watched. I removed my helmet for the duration.

On the drive home this evening, we stopped on Cannock Chase for a night-time walk in the forest. We’ve done this a few times now. Autumn has it’s own sensations that can not be experienced at any other time of year. I look forward to the onset of deep winter under the same circumstance. Night walks away from street lights is a vivid experience in snow. Could this mean I an finally finding ways to enjoy the season. Will my annual loathing of Christmas start to recede?

Strap on your bag and ride into dusk

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17C, lighter WSW wind, CA:45 miles

Extended my ride home tonight. Up the High Street of desolation that is Brownhills, straight on, along a canal tow-path and then onto Cannock Chase. Eventually clocked up 45 miles arriving home in fading light. I shalln’t do this for much longer, though it’s done the job of making up for tomorrow’s drive. Not looking forward to open evening- it makes for such a long day.