Stile Cop and the canals

Friday 30th March
Distance: 31.3 km (19.45 mi)
Time 5 hours 57
Average speed: 5.26 km/h (3.27 mph)

For this one I combined a Friday walk home with the scheduled 20 mile training walk. To make up the required distance I combined my three possible routes from Rugeley to Stafford.

Firstly I headed up Stile Cop. The weather had just turned and the glorious sunshine of the past few days had become a thick cloud covering. Worse, when in the wind it was feeling chilly. I was in a t-shirt and persisted so, it wasn't too bad out of the wind.

At Stile Cop (the only real climb, 146 m worth) I went down the track beside the bike trail then across the main road heading back into the Chase. At the stepping stones I turned right to go past the Forest Centre and follow the Cannock/Rugeley footpath back into Rugeley.

In Rugeley I followed the road to the Moseley where I picked up the canal heading for Stafford. Then it was a simple trudge back to make just shy of the 20 miles. The net result was stiff and sore legs the following day, but no blisters.