We are the East Staffordshire Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in the East Staffordshire area to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Starting from Dimmingsdale free car park we follow the Staffordshire Way, making our way to the charming and historic village of Alton with it's spectacular castle which dominates the skyline overlooking the beautiful Churnet Valley. We descend into the valley, crossing the river and ascending through woods to Alton Towers Leisure Park, following the right of way past resort hotels and through a car park, emerging near the hamlet of Farley. We turn north and proceed on rights of way to Ramshorn Road, turning first west and then south east past the Old Star Inn, descending on field paths to the charming moorlands village of Oakamoor where we cross the Churnet road bridge from which we can see the river flowing dramatically over a weir. From Oakamoor we proceed on a minor road, climbing up through Stoney Dale, turning once again onto the Staffordshire Way and through the well known and beautiful Dimmingsdale to the car park.
ALTON CASTLE is a Gothic-revival castle, on a hill above the Churnet Valley in the village of Alton. The site has been fortified in wood since Saxon times, with a stone castle dating from the 12th century. The Earls of Shrewsbury occupied the castle from 1412 when the Lady Ankarat de Verdun married Sir John Talbot – the title remained in the same family until the 1920s.
DIMMINGSDALE is truly one of Staffordshire’s hidden gems. This enchanting and beautiful valley is a haven for walkers, nature lovers and those seeking tranquillity and spectacular scenery. Forming part of the Churnet Valley in the Staffordshire Moorlands it is located between Alton and Oakamoor. Dimmingsdale was once part of the Earl of Shrewsbury's Alton Towers Estate and is now managed by Forestry England and Staffordshire County Council.
Free Car Park next to Rambler's Retreat cafe, Dimmingsdale.
