WALKS | Discovering New Winter Country Park Walks in Staffordshire
đź•’ 2-3 minute read
I feel extremely fortunate to have had an extended Christmas break, with a whole glorious 2 weeks off. I love walking in winter and used the AllTrails app to find local country parks, all under an hour away that I didn’t know existed. Here I share a couple of those walks at country parks in north Staffordshire.
Before I get into it, despite mentioning AllTrails a few times, this post is not a collaboration, it’s an app I subscribe to and something I use and it deserves some kudos!
A big hill walk is all good, but sometimes, after the excess of Christmas, all we want is to blow away the cobwebs for an hour or two. Whilst a country park might not be my first choice of places to walk, this winter I discovered that they can provide so much more than I imagined.
I’ve admitted before that I’m not great at navigation, or it’s probably fairer to say, I’m not confident in my abilities which means when I go for a solo walk, I don’t like the added anxiety of potentially wandering off-route.
I started using the AllTrails app a few years ago but have only recently started actively using it more, in particular, to discover new places to walk. Living in Cheshire means both Derbyshire and Staffordshire are quick to get to, and both Silverdale Country Park and Greenway Bank Country Park both happened to be in Staffordshire.
Far from pedestrian, some of the country parks I discovered over Christmas and the new year, provided everything I usually look for in a walk – prompting a change in attitude towards what I had previously regarded, rather dismissively, as being a somewhat dull choice for a walk.
Greenway Bank Country Park, Staffordshire Moorlands
I followed the Greenway Bank Heritage Trail which is a 6.3k circular route with good parking that’s free, and toilet facilities (depending on which carpark you choose).
The route is easy to follow and is mostly flat, with a couple of short inclines, providing plenty of additional paths to explore. The walk takes in ruins, ancient woodland, reservoirs, a waterfall, streams and even a sacred well.
With lots of stops and taking it very slow on an icy winter day, it took under 2 hours to complete but I found more than enough to keep me interested and this is a country park I’ll be returning to to see how it changes each season.
Silverdale Country Park, Silverdale, Staffordshire
This is a lovely easy 2.9k circular walking route around a park, created on the site of a former colliery, now a Site of Biological Importance. Parking here is free, but limited.
The route is very easy to follow and even in the depths of winter, it was teeming with bird life. Popular with dog walkers, there’s a slow downhill section to begin with followed by a shorter, steeper uphill section towards the end of the walk.
I love walks with plenty of benches and seating – for me a walk is something I love to do at a leisurely pace and I always seek somewhere quiet to sit and do a nature meditation too, which helps me to get the most out of a walk and really connect with the energy of a place.
This little country park is perfect for a stretch of the legs with some surprisingly pretty views given it’s so close to Newcastle-Under-Lyme city centre. Early morning it was very quiet, though by the time I was leaving it had started to get a little busier.
Find out more
Where to next?
- WELLBEING | How to Get Your Nature Fix In The Depths Of Winter
- WELLBEING | Celebrating The Joy Of Little Wins With a Bit of Help From My Garmin Venu 3S
- WELLBEING | Don’t Do New Year’s Resolutions – Set Small Goals Instead
Shop related products
SAFACUS 1 Man Tent for Outdoor Backpacking, Lightweight Waterproof 1 Person Tent...
ÂŁ39.99 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
RISEPRO Portable Camping Tent, 2 Person Lightweight Tent, Waterproof Windproof, ...
ÂŁ23.90 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Forceatt Tent, 1/2 Person Two Doors Camping Tent, Ultralight Waterproof 1-2 Man ...
ÂŁ45.99 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
OneTigris COSMITTO 2 Person Backpacking Tent - Free Standing Lightweight Waterpr...
ÂŁ129.98 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Amazon Basics Dome Camping Tent with Rainfly and Carry Bag, 3-Season Easy Set-Up...
ÂŁ98.99 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Naturehike Cloud up 1 Person Backpacking Tent Lightweight Camping Hiking Dome Te...
ÂŁ99.00 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Hibtn Camping Tents, Instant Automatic Pop Up Tent, Ultralight Dome Tent,Waterpr...
ÂŁ19.99 (as of January 21, 2025 23:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
