Tag: Sherbrook Valley

##365daysofbiking Cold return

January 1st – The ride was continued through beautiful soft half light up to Brocton Field, down into Sherbrook Valley, then over the hill and down Pepper Slide to Abrahams Valley, returning down the A51 to Rugeley then home over Longdon, Stoneywell and Hammerwich.

The Chase was as beautifully cinematic as ever, and filled with hardy souls in new anoraks enjoying the outdoors, many with stoical expressions.

A good sunset, then the beauty of Rugeley from the main road was a real restorative. It was so cold, but I didn’t care: It was just great to be in my beloved Staffordshire outdoors again.

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November 12th – Two ride cams for the Chase fans: The first is from Brocton Field just by the trig pillar to the valley floor at Sherbrook, a lovely challenging descent. The soundtrack is Bob Walkenhorst’s ‘Broke Down’

‘Where’s Bob? Where did he go? I don’t know he was here a second ago – he must have broke down’

The second if from Pepper Slade, down the length of Abraham’s Valley to Seven Springs. Soundtrack ‘Earth Angel’ by Dreadzone.

Both films are real time, filmed using a GoPro mounterd on the head tube of the bike.

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

December 29th – It was a cold, hard, clear day again, and nothing for it but to get my ice chops back in shape up on Cannock Chase. I threw there bike over Rainbow Hill, through Birches Valley, up Penkridge Bank, down Abraham’s Valley, back up it, over Pepper Slade, down the Sherbrooke Valley, and over Haywood Warren back to Seven Springs. I returned via Rugeley and Longdon Edge.

The forest was gorgeous in the winter sunlight, but it was brittle cold and the black ice was thick on the trails. Challenging, but very cold on the feet and face.

A great day.

June 2nd – Another sunny day, another journey to Cannock Chase. I’m really into the offroad stuff right now, and with new, strong wheels I’m a bit more adventurous. I cut over the Hednesford Hills to Marquis Drive, then over to Springslade for tea and cake. Hitting the wilds again, I stopped to reflect at the Katyn Memorial, and the thousands executed in woodlands like this in Poland on Stalin’s orders.

From there, I hopped across country to the Glacial Boulder near Chase Road, then down into Sherbrook Valley to Stepping Stones, then back to Dick Slee’s Cave and Rifle Range Corner. A great afternoon of empty trails, dust, sharp descent and breathtaking scenery. How I  love Cannock Chase.

November 6th – First video for a while – they’re a bit thin on the ground at the moment. The camera doesn’t work too well in the dark, an my daytime rides are confined to the weekend right now, but the Chase was so lovely last weekend that I thought we could stand another ride cam from it. I’m loving going there at the moment. This run is from Brocton Field (near the trig point and glacial boulder at Chase Road), into the Sherbrook Valley below, and then to Milford via the Stepping Stones. I love this ride…

October 23rd – Up on the Chase again today – can’t get enough of it at the moment. A climb to Pye Green, a bite to eat at the excellent Springslade Lodge cafe, and then over Brocton Field and down into the Sherbrook Valley, and thence up to Milford. Autumn is here, but failing to quite grip the Chase as yet. Most trees still have leaves and the bracken is still just turning yellow. An odd year, indeed.

June 19th – I love Cannock Chase, and I have a special fondness for the Sherbrook Valley. Here’s a condensed run from just by Pye Green, to the car park at Milford Common. this run was quick, and there were few people around. The few cyclists I saw seemed to have very clean bicycles, but then, it is summer, so lots of recent purchases about. This run is on a touring bike with no suspension and thin wheels, not a mountain bike.

The soundtrack is ‘Raining’ by Ancient Beatbox, vocals by Sheila Chandra.