Green valley with woodlands in northeast Staffordshire
West Midlands
The river Churnet runs northwest to southeast diagonally across northeast Staffordshire, through rolling upland landscapes with attractive, steep and wooded banks, in the area between Rushton Spencer, Leek and Rocester not far from the Peak District national park boundary. There are numerous attractive country parks and nature reserves along the valley, which is also the home of the well-known Alton Towers theme park.
Two greenways, from Leek to Rushton Spencer and from Oakamoor to Denston along the trackbeds of old railway lines, provide a good way of exploring the valley on foot.
Sites in the area include:
- Consall Nature Park between Cheddleton and Froghall. There is a visitor centre which is also the starting point of several interlinked signed trails (Staffordshire council)
- Coombes Valley Nature Reserve east of Cheddleton. 105ha/260 acres of ancient woodland in the steep valley of a tributary of the Churnet, with trails and visitor centre (RSPB)
- Cotton Dell and Side Farm Meadows Nature Reserves at Oakamoor, east of Cheadle. 65ha/160 acres of ancient woodland with streams and spring flowers (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust)
- Deep Hayes Country Park southwest of Leek. 58ha/143 acres of woods, meadows and pools around an abandoned reservoir, with trails and visitor centre (Staffordshire council)
- Dimmings Dale and the Ramblers Retreat between Oakamoor and Alton (Forestry Commission). A former aristocratic estate has become a beautiful woodland recreation area with fine carriage drives and pools, and a restaurant. (Forestry Commission)
- Froghall Wharf at Froghall at the end of the Caldon Branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal. Once a hive of industry with lime and brick kilns and nearby quarries and mines, now a secluded picnic area with signed trails (Staffordshire council)
- Harston Wood just outside Froghall. 3ha/7 acres of historic woodland and walks along a disused tramline (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust).
- Hawksmoor just west of Oakamoor. 120ha/300 acre reserve, the oldest in Staffordshire, with heath, farmland and nature trails (National Trust).
- Oakamoor Picnic Area. 6.5ha/16 acres of open grassland, once a wire factory, now giving access to a greenway and the river (Staffordshire council).
- Rod Wood east of Cheddleton. 16ha/40-acre nature reserve which, despite its name, is mainly meadows, richly carpeted in flowers in summer (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust)
Accessibility
There are some accessible paths in the country parks: contact the visitor centres for details. Parts of the two greenways are also easily accessible: see the Staffordshire Way page. Access to the nature reserves is mainly along unsurfaced paths which may be muddy and steep.
Public transport
There are no national rail lines in the area, but numerous buses connect Stoke, Leek, Cheadle, Alton Towers and several other points: more details from Traveline. The independent Churnet Valley Railway operates preserved steam and diesel trains along the valley connecting Leekbrook, Cheddleton, Consall and Froghall, with stations within walking distance of several sites.
Maps
Publications
- Leaflets on the country parks from their visitor centres (see below).
Paths and routes
Contacts
Regions
Local authorities
Visitor Information
Accommodation
