Around Castle Ring and Beaudesert Old Park

The walk

1. Leave Castle Ring via the left-hand path at the rear of the car park and with the monument on the right. Continue along the well-used path until it divides. Here take the left-hand (narrower) path going downhill past a green Heart of England Way (HOEW) marker. At the junction with a wider cross-path turn right and continue to descend.
   
   Castle Ring is Staffordshire’s largest Iron Age hillfort (over 2,000 years old) and the highest point on Cannock Chase at 242 metres (794 feet).
   
   
2. Follow this path ahead past a junction of paths and proceed, keeping the (red/white) gas pipeline marker on the right, to a second gas marker further along the track. Bear left here past another HOEW footpath marker on a slightly narrower path and continue to follow this route using gas markers as a guide, but ignoring turnings to left and right, to pass a pool on the left.
   
   
3. The route continues along the same general direction towards Rugeley Road, where the path bears to the right. Continue to follow the wider path, (can be muddy here), ignoring turn-off to left but keeping generally parallel to the road. Ahead a large white house is visible, (foliage permitting), and upon reaching a wider cross track turn sharp left and head for the road.
   
   Most of this walk takes you through Cannock Chase Forest, an extensive area of mainly conifers planted between the wars to meet the nation’s need for timber. For the preceding 350 years this land had been in the hands of the Paget family, Marquesses of Anglesey. Beaudesert Old Park formed the largest part of their estate and included a great palace set within magnificent gardens as well as a deer park.
   
   
4. Carefully cross this road and turn initially right along the road before turning left at the crossroads, (into Stile Cop Road). Almost immediately take another left turn down a wide track, and continue until meeting a gate across the route near a large house. Pass around this and continue forward gradually descending with a small stream running alongside the track on the right.
   
   
5. After passing a pool on the left and continuing further downhill, look out for a sharp left turn past a metal forestry barrier, just before a large pumping station building. Join the track and start climbing into the forest until a junction appears. Take the right-hand route with the buildings on your right. Continue until reaching a further junction of paths in a small glade near a red brick building.
   
   The present Moors Gorse Pumping Station was built in the 1960s to replace a Victorian steam operated beam pump.
   
   
6. Take the second path on the left (straight on). Continue to climb on the path, which widens once joined from a track on the right.
   
   
7. Stay on the main track and keep climbing steadily, (past a cross-over bike track), until it levels off and a steel fence on the left marks the start of the Beaudesert Golf Club. Follow the fence and where the path opens out pass carefully, (possibility of golf balls from the right), in front of the club house. Head for a wooden shelter and take the path that swings off to the left and follow the route towards the car park. Bear right and follow the main driveway down to the Rugeley Road.
   
   
8. Cross this road with care. Directly in front is a forestry barrier, which you pass around and turn right along the path ahead. After passing a small pool on the left, proceed along the track ignoring a turning to the left immediately afterwards, and eventually the forest on the left opens up to give wider views.
   
   
9. When a small junction of paths occurs, continue forward through trees, to a small lake. Skirt around the left-hand side and continue in the same direction ignoring paths to right and left. Be ready for a straight turn to the left between the trees. Take this route through the trees and arrive at a wide cross-track with a green marker just ahead (the same marker encountered in 1.)
   
   There are now two options to finish the walk:
   
   
   1. Pass by marker and turn right to re-trace steps back to Castle Ring car park.
      
      
   2. Pass the marker and continue forward to follow the path around the outside of Castle Ring. This route brings you onto the hillfort ramparts, where you turn left and follow the ramparts until finding steps and a handrail on the left. Descend these to reach the Castle Ring car park, where the walk concludes.