Rugeley and Cannock Chase Forest

The walk

1. Leave Rugeley Town Station by the exit on the opposite side of the railway tracks from the car park and head to Sandy Lane. Turn right and walk to the junction with Hill Street. Turn left on to Hill Street and follow the road to the Sports Centre. Proceed down the drive and before you reach the car park, turn right to follow the footpath through a hedge then left along the edge of the playing field.
   
   
2. Turn left and follow the surfaced path (Cannock Chase Heritage Trail) with Rising Brook on the right ignoring all footbridges over the stream and any paths joining from left and right. After 900 metres cross the brook and follow the field edge until a large fishing pond is reached. With the pond on your left, climb through the woodland to The Horns Inn Public House. Cross Slitting Mill Road, to enter Post Office Lane.
   
   The hamlet of Slitting Mill once played a significant role in the local iron industry during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its name derives from the rolling and slitting of iron bars into thin slivers for the nail-making trade.
   
   
3. Follow this road to the junction with Penkridge Road, and turn left on to a parallel track running through woodland. Approaching the junction with Birches Valley Road, bear left to briefly join the metalled Forest Centre road and leave by the main gate. Turn left along Birches Valley Road and look out for a forest track on the left beyond the houses, accessible through a metal barrier. Continue along this wide path to climb and then descend to Stony Brook Pools.
   
   The Fairoak valley includes Stony Brook and Fairoak Pools, linked together by a stream system which emerges from underground springs at the valley’s head. The wetland habitats support amphibians and waterfowl.
   
   
4. Upon seeing the stepping stones ahead, do not cross these, but turn right. Continue keeping the pools on the left and after 1,000 metres at a junction of paths bear left to climb steeply out of the valley along a twisting path that turns initially right and then winds its way to the intersection with Marquis Drive.
   
   (You are now near the Visitor Centre – straight ahead. This is an alternative point at which to start this walk).
   
   
5. From the path climbing out of the valley turn left along Marquis Drive and follow the route as it descends to the railway line and pedestrian bridge at Moor’s Gorse. After crossing the railway, take great care when crossing the A460. Continue along Marquis Drive ahead, climbing past a pool (Seven Springs) on the right and eventually passing around a barrier by a house to arrive at Stile Cop Road.
   
   To the south of Marquis Drive lies the site of the former RAF Hednesford Camp. Built between 1938 and 1939 this training camp covered over 100 hectares, consisting of row upon row of wooden huts, large hangers and training sheds for aircraft.
   
   
6. Turn sharp left and follow Stile Cop Road to Stile Cop Car Park. Take the path that passes through the rear of the Car Park past a white Trig Point, (ignoring paths joining from the right and left), keeping the steep downward slope on the right. At a 3-way bridleway marker go forwards to continue following the more obvious path. Keeping the steep slope to the right descend towards houses, where the path meets a cross-track at the edge of Chetwynd Coppice. Turn left here towards a transmission mast, passing by factory units on the right before emerging on to a track and turning into Coppice Lane.
   
   
7. Follow the road downhill to join Cherry Tree Road and continue past Gorse Lane, before turning left onto Harley Close. Bear right before turning left by a row of garages along an alleyway to join Madden Close. Turn right and then turn left onto Setterfield Way. Go past Sutton Close and at the junction of Setterfield Way and Coulthwaite Way turn left and shortly afterwards left again along a footpath onto Queensway. Take the first right onto Hardie Avenue (may not be marked), and walk downhill past the Peartree Club and turn right on to a footpath immediately afterwards. Continue along this before taking a left turn (opposite the primary school) to pass behind houses, with a new development on the right. This path leads directly back to the station car park and platforms.