Walks in Staffordshire

Whether you’re looking for hardcore hiking or a relaxing romantic stroll, there’s a host of great walks in Staffordshire.

Great Staffordshire Walks

Staffordshire is a haven for walkers and nature lovers and offers a huge array of different walking environments from enchanting forests and pretty canals through to spectacular lakes and dramatic, challenging landscapes.

We have teamed up with the Staffordshire Walks app and put together a list of great Staffordshire walks with route maps for you to enjoy.

Manifold Valley (3.75miles)

Manifold Valley is a picturesque tree lined valley that follows parts of the River Manifold and the disused Leek and Manifold Light Railway. The pretty Manifold Way also runs through the valley and there are a variety of walking routes to explore in this beautiful area of Staffordshire.

Manifold Valley walk and route map >>

Stepping Stones, Cannock Chase (2.75 miles)

The Stepping Stones is a popular spot for people to visit when exploring the northern part of Cannock Chase. The route we have chosen starts from the Brocton Coppice car park and heads down into the Sherbrook Valley and on to Sher Brook. You can then follow the pretty stream and wander along woodland paths until you reach the Stepping Stones which is a wonderful place to stop and enjoy the forest before the climb back up to the car park.

Stepping Stones Cannock Chase walk and route map >>

Dovedale walk (6.25 miles)

This Dovedale walk takes you through the beautiful limestone Dovedale Valley which is a well loved beauty spot in the Peak District. The valley was cut by the River Dove and is around 3 miles long.

Dovedale walk and route map >>

Fradley Junction walk (4.5 miles)

Fradley Junction is the point where the Trent and Mersey and Coventry canals meet. This walk is a nice stroll along the canal, through the countryside as well as through the village of Fradley.

Fradley Junction walk and route map >>

Park Hall Country Park walk (2.25 miles)

Park Hall Country Park is a National Nature Reserve near Stoke-onTrent and a lovely location to go walking. It offers a range of different scenery including lakes, woodland and sandstone Canyons.

Park Hall Country Park walk and route map >>

Long distance walks in Staffordshire

Long distance routes like the Staffordshire Way take you into every corner of the county.

Running the length of Staffordshire, the 92 mile course offers breath-taking views at Mow Cop Castle in the north and Kinver Edge in the south, plus historic estates like Shugborough and picturesque villages including Rocester and Brewood.

Connecting the two cathedral cities of Chester and Lichfield, the Two Saints Way features Cheshire’s county town, where St Werburgh was the patron saint, and St Chad’s Well at Lichfield Cathedral, via Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heartlands and the heavenly Cannock Chase.

Discover the beauty of The National Forest, the brewing heritage of Burton, and the peace and tranquility of the National Memorial Arboretum on the National Forest Way, which covers 72 miles of Staffordshire and Leicestershire.

And the Way for the Millennium spans the width of Staffordshire, taking in the beautiful hall and Grade II listed gardens of the Shugborough Estate, the bustling county town of Stafford, and quaint villages like Great Haywood, formerly home of JRR Tolkien.

Retrace Tolkien’s steps on the 30 mile Staffordshire Tolkien Trail, with three waymarked routes covering Cannock Chase, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and Brocton Camp, where 40000 men were stationed during World War One.

Easy walks in Staffordshire

For smaller, more sedate challenges there are tracks across the county which are perfect for ambling with someone special.

Saunter along the Manifold Track, former home of the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway, and past awesome landmarks like Thor’s Cave, or across the River Dove on the famous Dovedale Stepping Stones.

Ramble through the ancient lowland heath at the Highgate Common nature reserve, home to hundreds of species, or follow the South Staffordshire Railway Walk through pretty villages and Baggeridge Woods.

Solve puzzles with the family on Discovery Trails, with treasure hunts, murder mysteries and spy adventures across Staffordshire, or make a furry friend for life on a National Forest Llama Trek.

Staffordshire canal walks and lake walks

And with over 2000 miles of rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs to explore, there are plenty of towpaths to tread and waterways to wander.

Lose yourself in Staffordshire countryside in Dimmingsdale, mosey into the heart of Stoke-on-Trent beside the Trent and Mersey Canal, or get back to nature beside the Coventry Canal at the Fradley Junction wildlife reserve.

Retrace the footsteps of Rudyard Kilping’s parents at Rudyard Lake, soak in the breath-taking backdrop at Tittesworth Reservoir, and roam through rare protected heathland at Chasewater Country Park.