Outdoors and Active in the Staffordshire Moorlands

The Staffordshire Moorlands is just simply built for holidays that are outdoors and active.  

Here the stunning natural terrain marries up with man-made features perfect for walking and cycling, including purpose-built trails on old railways and well-equipped facilities, offering the equipment and expertise to tackle all that the district has to offer. 

Set the compass to the Staffordshire Moorlands and hear the call of rocky outcrops, rivers and reservoirs, gentle valleys, cycle tracks and perfect peaks, to navigate all the area has to offer.   

The home of adventurous, adrenaline-fuelled fun, Madrenaline in Rushton Spencer offers opportunities to hurl down a massive hill in a giant inflatable sphere, hop onto a Segway and test skills on an off-road obstacle course, try an air rifle range, or take the challenge of Combat Archery - a mixture of archery, dodgeball and paintball all in one activity. 

Focused on scaling the heights and looking after the environment, The Peak Climbing School is situated in a stunning environment, just below the iconic rocky outcrops of the Roaches, offering some of the best rock climbing and hiking venues in the UK, within walking distance of the centre. 

The long distance trail The Staffordshire Way (Mow Cop to Kinver Edge) is the route to unlock the sheer beauty of the Staffordshire Moorlands, with a purpose-built footpath that sweeps through the district, giving visitors access to stunning countryside, incredible history and views of canals, lakes and rivers that carve their way alongside the track. 

Set in one of the Staffordshire Moorlands most stunning locations, where water, heathland and the rocks of the Roaches raise to create an environment that inspires activity, Tittesworth Reservoir is bursting with active opportunities, including a leisurely stroll or jog around the marked routes around the lake, and sports including sailing, kayaking, raft building and paddle boarding.  

Originally a branch of the North Staffordshire Railway, the Biddulph Valley Way is a 4.5 mile surfaced path along the old track, repurposed for a new generation of activity including walking, cycling and horse riding, taking in views that include a mixture of embankments, cuttings, small copses, hedgerows and ditches. 

Head to the Churnet Way, which runs from The Roaches to Rocester, and there’s a chance of glimpsing a steam train from the Churnet Valley Railway, as well as assured sights of the Caldon Canal and the River Churnet, with stunning scenery that includes a number of trails leading to large ponds, streams and a challenging climb to Kingsley Banks, to reap rewarding views across the valley. 

It’s not difficult to see why The Roaches is one of Staffordshire’s most photographed landscapes - with its magnificent soaring rock faces and wild, heather-covered hillsides providing the perfect location for climbers, walkers, fell runners and nature lovers. 

Loved by walkers, cyclists and horse riders, the Manifold Way is a level pathway that takes visitors into the heart of the picture-perfect Manifold and Hamps Valleys, a tranquil limestone dale from Hulme End to Waterhouses, with cycle hire available at the route. 

Standing tall over the Staffordshire Moorlands’ Manifold Valley is Thor’s Cave, a landmark feature that requires careful consideration of the conditions and the right footwear to reach the cave entrance – with permissive access from the landowner - 265 metres above sea level. 

Dovedale has been a magnet for visitors looking to enjoy the great outdoors for generations, with Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton writing 'The Compleat Angler' in 1653, which made the River Dove famous for fishing, and the well-known stepping stones first laid in the late 1800s, as the area became more and more popular with Victorian tourists.  

A renowned centre for land-based activities and watersports, Rudyard Lake is the place to find adventure, with fishing, rowing, canoeing, paddle boarding, sailing and boat trips, as well as cycling and walking – all on the action-packed agenda.  

From Westport Lake in Stoke On Trent to Froghall Wharf in the Staffordshire Moorlands, the Heritage Canoe Trail is a 20 mile canoe based trail, following the 18 mile length of the Caldon Canal. 

For a brief history and short walk  follow The Caldon Low Tramroads which starts from Froghall Wharf facing Hetty's Tearoom