1. Discover the Staffordshire Moorlands’ own Little Switzerland at Oakamoor and Dimmingsdale
Dimmingsdale – the name alone is enough to conjure up images of an enchanting and beautiful valley. No wonder it is affectionately known as Little Switzerland and Fairy Glen. It truly is one of Staffordshire’s hidden gems.
The valley is now a site of ecological and historical importance in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands. This haven of wildlife and nature offers walkers, cyclists, horse riders and families alike spectacular scenery and tranquil walks.
Summer is the ideal time to visit with the sounds of woodpeckers and buzzards accompanying you on your explorations around huge rocky outcrops and through meadows carpeted with bluebells, heather and special wetland plants. But the rolling hills, changing woodland dells and dramatic sandstone outcrops make a visit to this woodland a delight, whether you choose spring or summer, winter or autumn.
Water is never far away here, and its trickling streams, placid lakes and tumbling waterfalls provide the perfect habitat for herons, kingfishers, dragonflies and toads.
As your feet take you through these enchanting, forested swathes, it’s hard to imagine that the valley once thrummed with industrial clatter in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although booming for many years, by the 19th Century the valley’s industries were in decline and Dimmingsdale became a picture of industrial decay, with disused mills, dammed pools and abandoned tracks.
It was the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury we can thank for restoring the natural beauty of the area. He made the Alton Towers Estate his permanent home and began transforming Dimmingsdale into his own Garden of Eden. Forestry England has now turned the aristocrat’s dream into a delight for everyone. Visitors to this North Staffordshire beauty spot can stroll where fine carriages once carried gentry on pleasure trips.
Throw in a mix of myth and legends and the scene is set for the perfect day out. Within the valley is a large old oak tree, bound by chains. Legend has it that a beggar woman stopped the Earl of Shrewsbury by the tree pleading for alms.
When he refused, she cursed him, saying for every branch that fell from the tree a beloved family member would perish. When someone did die following a branch tumbling to the ground, the Earl swathed the remaining branches with chains in a desperate wish to avoid more calamity.
The Staffordshire Moorlands countryside is a gift that keeps on giving for explorers. Just minutes from Dimmingsdale, the village of Alton is framed by the imposing Alton Castle, designed by architectural star A.W. Pugin. Historic buildings and features can be found throughout the village, including the Round House.
Further down the valley and connected by a disused railway track - now part of the Churnet Valley Way - is the quaint village of Oakamoor. Fairies (wire sculptures true, but no less magical) can be discovered in the walks though Star Wood.
Thirsty visitors can take a break from their explorations in the area’s traditional and quaint tearoom; nestled in this fairy tale setting is the family-run, award winning Rambler’s Retreat, which has welcomed guests with a range of traditional, homemade meals, snacks and cakes since 1981. The Ramblers Retreat aims to give visitors to Dimmingsdale, a true ‘Taste of Staffordshire’, using local ingredients, combined with local, caring staff and local history and knowledge.
At the heart of the visitor experience in the Staffordshire Moorlands is the traditional great British pub, where a warm welcome, interesting interiors and locally brewed ales beckon. Be sure to visit The Talbot Inn and The Bridge House in Alton and the Cricketers Arms in Oakamoor.
Dimmingsdale offers large free car parking, with the added benefit of further parking at the picnic site in Oakamoor.