Best river hikes in Staffordshire
Go with the flow on these riverside adventures! From gentle streams to powerful rapids, these hikes offer constant companionship with the sound of rushing water.
Here are some great hikes to explore in Staffordshire.
Most popular hikes
Reviews for river hikes in Staffordshire
David Dixon 路 reviewed over 3 years ago
excellent walk. Good stone and gravel paths through the beautiful Cannock chase. Eventually borders the outskirts of Rugeley where there is some road walking... parts of the trail are slightly overgrown, but I walked early August, so to be expected! some slight inclines, but nothing to worry about..
Rachel 路 reviewed over 2 years ago
This is a fantastic trail. Ideal for anyone who is keen to get into multi day hikes. I completed the low route via Curbar, August 2023. However, do buy the official guidebook. https://www.peakpilgrimage.org.uk/ The Hiiker GPX file is NOT entirely correct. I compared it to the official guidebook. First error - when leaving Milldale, follow the gravel road up to Alstonefield, no need to backtrack to the footpath. The trail鈥檚 blue and yellow way-markers also highlight this. Second error, the official route does NOT go into Froggatt village, stay by the River Derwent. There is no stamp or sticker for Froggatt either. Third error, the section between Stoney Middleton and Eyam. The GPX footpath between the villages should be the lower one through the fields, not woodland. The correct path should take you by the infamous plague Boundary Stone. Quite an important feature on the pilgrimage. There maybe more errors, but these are the ones I noticed. The GPX will still get you to your end locations but potentially could miss some important points. My friend and I completed this over three days (two nights). Day 1 - Ilam to Hartington (continued onto Biggin, Waterloo Inn campsite, a short diversion as the campsite in Hartington was full). 拢10 a night for a small tent, basic facilities including showers. Lots of B&B options in Hartington but we wanted to camp. Mostly low level walking with the exception, of a steep incline on the road from Milldale to Alstonefield, nothing too terrible. Just take your time. There is a sharp descent down Gypsy Bank into Wolfscote Dale, again take your time, it is doable. Cattle present in fields. Well waymarked. Amenities - National Trust Dove Dale has a mobile cafe and public toilets (20p entry or hop the barrier). This is near the beginning of the trail. Milldale has public toilets and a take away cafe. St Peter鈥檚 Church, Alstonefield, has self-service refreshments. The pub in Alstonefield called the George is closed on Mondays. Hartington, a big village, many options for food and drink, pubs and shops. Day 2 - Hartington to Over Haddon. Stayed at a B&B called the Lathkil Hotel, price included breakfast. Lovely place. There was a campsite at Monyash village but this would have made day 2 too short and day three too long. Mostly low level walking with gentle undulating farmland in places. The only steep section is walking up out of Lathkill Dale to Over Haddon, it is only a short upwards section, nothing terrible and on a road. Lathkill Dale is an attractive Dale to walk through however the first section is uneven and rocky underfoot, be cautious of the slippery limestone. Amenities - Two cafes with toilets and an honesty box along the Tissington Trail section. Pub and cafe in the village of Monyash. The Lathkill Hotel is a cozy pub & B&B in Over Haddon. We didn鈥檛 book, just turned up and we鈥檙e able to accommodate us. Day 3 - Over Haddon to Eyam, via Bakewell. Potentially could spend the second night in Bakewell as there鈥檚 lots of B&Bs and hotels however Over Haddon was cheaper. Mostly low level walking with the exception of a steep walk out of Bakewell up to Calton Pastures, nothing treacherous but take your time. Some undulating fields later on, but nothing overly difficult. Amenities - Bakewell has everything, it鈥檚 a big town in the Peaks. It has two pharmacies. We stopped at the Granby cafe for food, cheap and cheerful. Granby Caf茅, Granby Arcade, Bakewell DE45 1EG. Also, visit the Bakewell Pudding Shop!!! You can鈥檛 visit Bakewell without sampling it鈥檚 pudding. There is a cafe in Edensor and Baslow (the Pavilion). A pub in Curbar called the Bridge Inn. A fish and chip shop in Stoney Middleton. Eyam has a pub, off licence shop and tearooms, public toilets opposite the museum.
The Dragon's Back - Chrome Hill from Hollinsclough
WildernessMark82 路 reviewed 27 days ago
We had a great time
Airlessmean 路 reviewed over 2 years ago
was a relaxing walk around the area, although phone signal near the cave was spotty, but lower down on the trail path the signal was none existent. would highly recommend it to people!
Frequently asked questions for hikes in Staffordshire
Winter hiking (December to February) is more challenging due to short days and colder, often unpredictable weather. Snowfall can make some trails inaccessible. Always check the weather forecast and equip accordingly. Experienced hikers may enjoy the tranquility and stark beauty of the winter landscape.聽
Ultimately, the best time to hike in England depends on personal preferences and preparedness. England's official tourist site (https://www.visitengland.com/) provides in-depth information about various hiking trails and their seasonal characteristics. Be sure to research specific areas as climate can vary across the country.
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