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Apedale and Bateswood

Cluster of open spaces west of Stoke
 210ha/510 acres
 Country Parks and Nature Reserve
West Midlands

Apedale is Staffordshire's newest country park with open meadows, woodland, ponds, rich wildlife and a wealth of paths and nature trails. The area was formerly mined for coal, iron and clay but this industrial past has all but vanished.

The park is also the base for two countryside projects that also manage numerous other green sites with walking opportunities. Newcastle Countryside Project works to improve the countryside, environment and paths around Newcastle-under-Lyme, while the Three Dales Project is also managing the regeneration of two other former industrial areas nearby, Lymedale and Silverdale.

Bateswood Country Park, nearby, is a former opencast mining site and is now a nature reserve managed for recreation and conservation by Newcastle-under-Lyme council, with lakeside walks. The adjoining Bateswood Nature Reserve, managed by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, has grassland, pools and impressive views of the Cheshire plain, as well as a signed trail.

Accessibility

Contact the ranger service at Apedale for more information about accessible routes. Some parts of the trail at Bateswood Nature Reserve are surfaced: contact them or see their website for details.

Public transport

Buses from Hanley (short walk from Stoke station), Kidsgrove, Newcastle and Wereton to Chesterton for Apedale country park. Buses from Newcastle to Halmer End for Bateswood.

Maps

Publications

  • Leaflets available from the ranger service (see below).

Paths and routes

Contacts

Regions

Local authorities

Visitor Information

Accommodation