Cannock Chase and Shugborough Loop from Milford

Dog on pathway in woodland

Overview

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 9.3 miles / 15 kilometres

Terrain Type: Mainly dirt tracks and hiking paths with some road walking and canal tow paths halfway through. Mostly flat but with some mild inclines once into Cannock Chase. Can get boggy in places after wet weather.

Starts from: Milford Common Car Park, Brocton Road, Milford, Stafford, ST17 0UH

Introduction

This 15km circular walk starts from the village of Milford on the edge of Cannock Chase, before taking you through the Shugborough Estate and along the Trent and Mersey canal. The last half of the walk takes place in the stunning Cannock Chase area of natural beauty. 

The starting point of Milford Common car park is just off of the A513 in the centre of Milford village. Drive into Milford until you hit the roundabout next to the Barley Mow pub. From here, turn into Brocton road (right turn if you’ve approached from Stafford direction, left turn if you’ve come from Rugeley), then take the next left turn onto the car park.

I’d normally advise you of car park opening times here, but I’ve seen conflicting information and I’m not 100% sure which is right myself! Google says the car park is open 9am-6pm every day, but when you get there, there are signs saying the car park shuts at 4:30pm. We finished our walk at just before 4:30pm and there were still plenty of cars on the car park.

The same goes for parking fees. It’s marked up as a pay and display car park, but the coin slots on the pay machine were covered up when we visited, so we didn’t pay. In both cases I’d advise erring on the side of caution. As part of the walk takes place in the Shugborough Estate, it’s worth checking their opening times.

Dogs need to be kept on leads for the Shugborough section of the walk. After joining the canal, they can be let off for the remainder of the route. Be aware though that some parts of Cannock Chase may be temporarily shut off due to ongoing forestry work, so make sure your dog stays close if you see any of the warning signs.

The Shugborough Estate

To start, walk over the field in front of the car park and cross the A513. Head towards the Shugborough Estate entrance and through the big fancy gates. Follow the windy road until you reach the park. Keep an ear out for cars coming up behind you on this first stretch, as they can come round quite quickly.

Dog running on road

When we reached the park, we carried on down the main path through the middle. There are paths running off to either side though, so if you’ve got the time feel free to explore the park a little more.

If you look up to your right, you’ll see Hadrian’s Arch on the top of the hill. This Grade 1 listed monument’s design was inspired by the structures of classical Greece. You might also see the herd of fallow deer that roam the parkland. English longhorn cattle and southdown sheep also call the park their home, so make sure to keep your dogs under control here.

Tower of the Winds
Dog wearing the Ancol Extreme harness

The complex of buildings in front of you is the Park Farm, which contains a cafe and toilet block. Dogs are welcome to sit at the tables outside the cafe, and there are water bowls and dog bins here if you need them. To get into the farm, follow the road that leads around the right hand side of the building. 

For this route though, we’ll be following the path to left of the farm building through the gate before turning right down the path towards the Tower of the Winds. This beautiful building was completed in 1765 and was based on the Horologium of Andronikos in Athens. Once you’ve passed the Tower, take two left turns so you’re on the long straight path going towards Essex Bridge.

You’ll be able to see Shugborough Hall on your left during this stretch. The route outlined in this guide doesn’t take you right up the Hall itself. If you’d like to take a closer look, then turn left at the entrance just before Essex Bridge. Dogs are welcome outside the Hall and in the adjoining gardens.

To leave the Shugborough Estate, cross the ornate 16th century Essex Bridge that spans the River Trent. It’s quite narrow along here, so I’d recommend getting across quickly – I can tell you from experience that it’s quite difficult cramming a large dog into the small parapets so others can get past!

The Trent and Mersey Canal

Once you’ve reached the other side of Essex Bridge, you’ll want to turn right and follow the canal towpath. After a mile, you’ll see a brick bridge bearing a plaque with the number 72 on it. Go under it, up the stairs on your right that take you onto the bridge, then turn left and follow the road.

You’ll eventually reach a bridge that leads onto a crossroads with the A513. Go straight over here and up the road that leads up to Seven Springs car park. All along this stretch, you might find that cars are passing quite close to you due to the pavements being either narrow or non-existent, so I’d advise keeping your dogs on a short lead for this bit. The crossroads is also busy, with cars coming fast along the main road, so take care crossing here.

Woman walking dog
Dog looking out over bridge

Cannock Chase

Walk through the car park and take the main bridleway on the left. You’ll follow this path for one and a half miles up a gentle incline until it ends with a right turn. It was early along this stretch that we heard gun shots from the shooting range that’s situated across the valley on your left. They spooked Flynn at first but he got used to it after a while. It’s something to bear in mind though if you’ve got a particularly reactive dog. However, after about 10 minutes walking you’re far enough away that you can’t hear the guns anymore.

After you’ve turned right, you’ll continue along the main pathway, passing a white trig point on the way. You’re relatively high up here so there are some lovely views of the Chase to be taken in. Eventually you’ll hit a fork in the road.

The main path goes to the right here, but we opted to go left. We then turned right not long after through a clearing in the trees, before turning right again at the bottom to reach Sher Brook. The route we chose was a steep downhill and quite treacherous underfoot. If you’re after an easier way, I’d recommend continuing along the main pathway on the right of the fork.

Dog in forest clearing

After crossing the brook, we turned right and followed the track running alongside the brook. Soon you’ll come across a small stone bridge on your right situated in a picturesque glade. Cross this and then follow the path leading to the left.

This will lead you to the front of a large hill covered in silver birch trees. When you reach here, turn left again. After a short while you’ll get to the stepping stones spanning Sher Brook. Cross the brook for a third time, then take the path running off to the right.

You’ll eventually reach Oat Hill, a 160m high mound. There’s a path cutting straight over the top if you don’t mind trudging up the steep bank. We followed the path around the hill to the left though. This brings you to a junction where many trails meet. Go down the middle of the 3 paths in front of you. It’s straight as an arrow, heads down the bank and is lined with trees on both sides. Once you reach the end, turn right. From this point, you can’t really go wrong. Just keep heading in this direction and you’ll eventually pop out at the back of Milford Common car park.

Small stone bridge over a stream in the forest
Man walking dog through forest

What to do after

If you’re after somewhere to have a much needed drink after your walk, the Barley Mow Pub and Grill across from the car park is dog friendly. Alternatively you could turn left out of the car park and drive to the Chetwynd Arms in neighbouring Brocton. We opted to visit Bod Cafe however, located 5 minutes down the road in Weeping Cross, where we enjoyed a fantastic meal. You can read more about our experience at Bod here.

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