Staffordshire & Staffordshire Moorlands

Alton

Everyone who knows me knows I have a soft spot for Alton Towers. However, as many times as I have been there, I never knew that there used to be a railway station in Alton that people used to visit the park. The railway has long since gone but has been converted to a path which we walked along from Dimmingsdale to Denstone. The path runs along the perimeter of the theme park, although there are no visible traces of it along the route.

Dimmingsdale

Dimmingsdale is a hidden gem in the Staffordshire Moorlands. With walks to the Chained Oak (on which the Hex ride at Alton Towers is based) and woodland walks through the valley, Dimmingsdale really does have everything. There are a couple of marked routes to walk, and the Staffordshire Way also cuts through the valley. The red route takes you high up through the woodland and along the way offers incredible views across to Alton – on a clear day you can see Smiler running (which I have to admit was pretty fun to sit and watch after the hill climb). I would really recommend a visit here.

There were more benches than I had anticipated at Dimmingsdale, but with the views the valley offer I can see why. At the top of the valley it is so peaceful you really can feel like you are the only person around and is a really nice place to sit and take a moment to yourself.

Biddulph

Biddulph Country Park

Biddulph Country Park is in the Staffordshire Moorlands, adjacent to Biddulph Grange Gardens (which is owned by the National Trust). The park is not part of the trust: its 73 acres is made up of woodland walks alongside a beautiful stream, a fish pool giving far reaching views towards Cheshire and even a man made cave (up a path that I can’t lie about, is steep and breathtaking for unfit people like me). This was my first visit here and to be honest I’m a bit ashamed of not visiting before, as I think it is one of the best places I’ve been to.

I found a few benches around the park whilst exploring, most of them by the lake (one of which was very welcome after all the up hill walking).

Blythe Bridge

Foxfield Light Railway

Foxfield Light Railway in Blythe Bridge, is one of Britain’s oldest Heritage Steam Railway and is open on a Sunday offering a museum with several engines and carriages to have a look at. The railway is run by volunteers; sadly the trains weren’t running when we visited but is an interesting place to see despite that. These benches were placed on the station platform.

Froghall

Froghall is located in the Churnet Valley, marks the end of the Caldon Canal and is home to Froghall Station, part of the Churnet Valley Railway. It used to be an industrial area, mainly for coal, limestone, copper and ironstone. Although the industries have since ended, there are many areas still remain giving a peak into how things used to be in the area. It also offers a beautiful walk along the Caldon canal, which runs though Staffordshire to Etruria.

Churnet Valley Railway

The Churnet Valley Railway is a railway that runs between Froghall and Ipstones. The railway is approximately 10 miles long and is a beautiful way to take in the scenery of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

I’ve wanted to take a trip on the train for a long time and finally managed to do so for my birthday with Gracie and Theo (my gorgeous niece and nephew). There are several types of trips you can take; the one we went on was the breakfast train and I have to say there aren’t many better ways to eat an oatcake in such scenic surroundings.

The benches below can be found at the station in Froghall where our train started.

Kidsgrove

Bathpool Park

Bathpool Park in Kidsgrove is a newly appointed country park with walks around the main lake and ponds, and through the woodland by the train line. The walk goes past the dry ski slope in Kidsgrove, which I have to admit I didn’t know existed. It’s a really nice place to have a wander round, and there are a few outdoor exercise machines for building up those muscles on the way round…

There were a few benches around the lake, pictures below all of which were in a place with lovely views across the lake.

Knypersley

Greenway Bank Country Park

This country park was once part of the Knypersley Hall estate, and offers woodland walks around Knypersley Pool (created to feed the Caldon canal) and also joins a picturesque circular walk around the reservoir.

There are lots of paths to explore around the park, although many of these were quite muddy due to the recent rain. There is also Warder’s lodge, a former gamekeepers cottage (now a ruin), and a waterfall that unfortunately we haven’t found yet but always an excuse to go back to this beautiful place.

Greenway and the reservoir had the most benches I have seen in one place dotted around, all of which had beautiful views and wording. Below are pictures of the benches I could find – however there were even more which I couldn’t get to as people were sat on (I’m definitely not brave enough to ask people to move – just gives me reason to visit this lovely place again 😊)

There were also some other memorials I found that I have posted on my other types of memorial page.

Leek

Deep Hayes Country Park

Deep Hayes Country Park is in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Close to the Caldon Canal, Deep Hayes is a woodland area with many different paths to explore. There are a series of pools you can walk round, with a couple of stepping stone crossing points to get to the other side.

Pictured below are the benches I found when we visited, and I would definitely recommend visiting, but word of warning to possibly avoid after heavy rain as the mud can be tricky to navigate through (learnt my lesson the hard way!)

Ladderedge Country Park

Ladderedge is a country park on the outskirts of Leek. There are woodland and habitat walks around the park, and gorgeous views across to the Roaches and the Peak District (I had my “Rocky” moment running to the top of one hill – the views are outstanding but my fitness sadly was a bit lacking). The Staffordshire way runs through the park, and you can follow it alongside the golf course and canal feeder to Rudyard Lake following the canal feeder, which is about 2 miles. Heading through the park the other way leads to the Caldon Canal.

There were only a few benches with a plaque that I found at Ladderedge (all spotted from the top of the hill). There are lots of other benches to sit on though, all of which are ideally placed to take a minute to appreciate the view. However, thanks to the British weather which turned from sunny to snow within 10 minutes being there, my visit was cut short but I’d definitely visit again to explore more.

Rudyard Lake

Rudyard Lake is in the Staffordshire Moorlands and is a reservoir that supplies the Caldon Canal. There is a 5-mile walk around the lake and is a beautiful place with seemingly neverending views of both the lake and surrounding woodland. There is also a narrow gauge railway running along the east side of the lake (unfortunately shut on the day I was there but is a very good excuse to go back!).

There are several benches at Rudyard – the majority were at the foot of the lake with gorgeous views across the lake itself. So far I have only been along the east side of the lake, and there were a few benches dotted along the route that I photographed, but with the prospect of a train ride and potentially more benches on the west side, I’m definitely looking forward to coming back one day.

The Roaches

The Roaches is a set of rocky ridges in the Peak District between Leek and Buxton. It’s a popular place for walkers and climbers alike, and offers incredible views across Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire (and according to the Internet, on a clear day you can even see as far as Snowdonia). There are lots of walks around the Roaches, walks to Danebridge (home to Wincle Beer Company), Gradbach and Lud’s Church, an 18 metre deep chasm created by a land slip where myth has it Robin Hood and Friar Tuck once hid from the authorities…

I must admit I didn’t expect to find any benches at the Roaches so when I did it made my day. It is an absolutely beautiful place; I’ve always wanted to visit (especially to release my inner Lizzie Bennett) and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Although it wasn’t the most perfect weather, the views were out of this world and I ended up spending more time taking photos than actually walking. As well as a bench, there was also a very moving memorial on one of the gates, which I have uploaded on the Other Types of Memorials page.

Lichfield

Lichfield is a Cathedral city and one of my favourite places in Staffordshire. With beautiful riverside walks and one of the most impressive Cathedrals I have been in, this is a definite place to visit.

The memory benches I have found so far have been placed around the Cathedral, which is a peaceful place and is a lovely spot to sit and watch the world go by in the sunshine. The Cathedral itself is an imposing yet impressive building. The outside stonework is covered is incredibly intricate, and inside always takes my breath away when I visit.

Newcastle under Lyme

Apedale Country Park

Apedale Country Park is in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. Previously an open cast mine, Apedale is now a beautiful tranquil country park giving far reaching views over Newcastle and Stoke on Trent. The park has numerous trails to wander around to enjoy the views and the peaceful surroundings, and also the park has a Visitor and Heritage centre, filled with information about the mining past of the area.

There are lots of benches dotted around the park, which are gratefully used by many walkers (did I mention there are a lot of uphills at Apedale?)

Below are the benches we found on a trip there recently. There is also a miners memorial at the top of the park, a picture of which can be found on the ‘Other types of memorials’ page.

Rocester

JCB Lake

Rocester is home to the JCB World Headquarters. Now I know there is a more to Rocester than JCB , and I will visit again one day seeing as it’s so close to me, but I was scratching my brain one night for somewhere to go for a wander where I wouldn’t be lonely but wasn’t too far away. I remembered that I had driven past the lake many times before (and had been in the car the time my mum accidentally drove onto the helipad – promise I won’t tell anyone mum 🤫) but never have I walked round. So one night after work, I decided to get in the car and head off to see what I’d been missing out on.

I definitely picked a good evening to go; the light made the lake look stunning. The walk round is about a mile and there a lots of different types of ducks to spot (for all you keen bird enthusiasts). There are many benches dotted around the walk, each of them with a lovely view across the lake and despite being next to a busy road, it is a really peaceful to sit and watch the world (and ducks) go by.

Shugborough Estate

Shugborough Estate is a National Trust property in Shropshire, located on the edge of Cannock Chase. Originally home to the Anson brothers and more recently Patrick Lichfield, 5th Earl and fashion photographer, with his apartments being open to visitors at the weekend.

There is lots to see and explore at Shugborough – the grounds offer many places to walk and if you head down to the Essex bridge, you’ll find the Trent and Mersey canal (by which the benches below were found). Also, a buggy ride from the car park to the house is a must at Shugborough is a must (from a biased volunteer buggy driver 😉)

Stoke on Trent

Chatterley Whitfield Country Park

Chatterley Whitfield was once one of the biggest collieries in Stoke on Trent, stopping production in 1977. The country park joins with Whitfield Nature reserve, where my walk started and takes you past a couple of pools (home to ducks, geese and swans) towards the site of the colliery itself. The disused building, towers and pit wheels can still be seen along the walk; there is a memorial to the miners that worked the pit (shown on my ”other types of memorials” page) and a short climb to the top of the hill on a clear day gives incredible views across Stoke and the Staffordshire Moorlands, and even Mow Cop.

I was a little bit anxious, as after a good thirty minutes of walking we hadn’t seen any benches, which surprised me as it was a beautiful park to walk in. However, after a climb to the biggest hill there I finally found one, and one of the nicest ones I’ve seen with 3 lovely poems inscribed onto it.

Longton Park

Longton Park, also know as Queens Park, is located in Dresden. It’s a popular park, and whilst it’s not the biggest, there are still areas where you can feel like you are the only person there. The duck pond is home to numerous birds (mainly geese on our visit), has a grand looking bandstand and also some outdoor gym equipment, for those who are keeping to their exercise regime (naming no names who isn’t right now!). The park is right next to the main road but it really doesn’t feel like it once you are inside.

The benches I found at the park were mainly based around the lake. The ones I found are pictured below – there are a few more but they were being ‘protected’ by geese and having been chased by geese in the past, I thought I might pass this time and visit again in the future…

Wetley Rocks

Consall Forge

Consall Forge is set alongside Consall Woods and is a short walk from the nature park. It sits along the Caldon Canal, and is the home to Consall Station, a stopping point along the Churnet Valley Railway. A highlight are the disused lime kilns located by the side of the canal and definitely worth a trip to see.

Consall Nature Park

The park is situated in the valley of the River Churnet. The woodland is so peaceful, the only sounds belonging to the wind blowing through the trees and the various differing bird species that call the park home.

There are several waking routes of differing lengths, with the park having a history of iron working dating back to the year 1290, and more recently iron stone mining.

The day we went we walked the red route, which takes approximately an hour. Despite being deep in the woodland, the view was constantly beautiful and we did find some benches along the way. The park also has a fishing pool around which there were more benches with views across the pool. I’m looking forward to heading back there to try the different routes, which according to the website give incredible views over the Churnet Valley.