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Staffordshire Gardens & Parks
Explore the pretty parks and glorious gardens in Staffordshire, home to everything from England’s greatest landscapes to more romantic settings – perfect getaways for you and someone special.
Gardens in Staffordshire
Lose yourself in the work of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, a giant among English garden designers, in the sweeping parkland of Weston Park on the Staffordshire-Shropshire border, and the uplifting oasis of calm at The Trentham Estate, on the doorstep of bustling Stoke-on-Trent.
You’re guaranteed an uplifting day out at Weston Park, full of historic sights like Paine’s Bridge and Pauslip’s Tunnel at Temple Wood, and the mazes, fruit trees and wild flower meadows of the walled gardens.
And you can’t fail to be inspired by Brown’s vision and ambition at The Trentham Estate, lovingly restored by Tom Stuart-Smith and Piet Oudolf, both multiple gold medallists at the Chelsea Flower Show.
At the National Memorial Arboretum, as well as more than 350 memorials there are about 30000 trees – both native British and specimens from around the world.
All have their own significance and symbolism. For example, ‘The Beat’ is an avenue dedicated to the police force, including Horse Chestnut trees which were chosen because the first truncheons were made of chestnut.
In Tamworth, at Middleton Hall, home of the Police Museum, there are also 32 acres of grounds to explore around Middleton Pool, including a nature trail, orchard and 46 species of breeding birds such as kingfishers, woodpeckers and mute swans.
And the Walled Gardens, which date back to the early 1700s, are packed with flora and fauna which reveal the discoveries of John Ray, the ‘Father of English Botany’, who lived and worked at Middleton Hall in the 17th Century.
There’s more Staffordshire history on show at Moseley Old Hall, the farmhouse which helped Charles II escape Cromwell’s troops in 1651, which is also home to an intricate, almost 400-year-old knot garden.
At Biddulph Grange Garden, you can go on a journey from the heart of the country to exotic Chinese temples, Himalayan glens and golden Buddhist cows, alongside eccentric centuries-old fossil displays.
While at the small but perfectly-formed Dorothy Clive Garden, painstakingly created by Colonel Harry Clive for his wife, you’ll fall in love with the intimate floral displays, including a stunning Laburnum Arch.
There are great gardens at the Shugborough Estate, with Grade I listed formal gardens, an island arboretum and more, and at World of Wedgwood, where you can wander through the award-winning show garden and take the nature trail through 100 acres of woodland.
Admire the magnificent displays of roses and rhododendrons at Wightwick Manor, and the snowdrops and daffodils at Rode Hall & Gardens.
Parks in Staffordshire
Away from Staffordshire gardens, there are also many parks and green spaces in the county, which offer perfect picnic and dog-walking territory.
On the banks of the River Sow in Stafford town centre is the gorgeous Victoria Park, complete with aviary, sensory raised garden, and children’s play area including trampoline, sand pit and 7ft climbing net.
Against one of Staffordshire’s most spectacular backdrops, the Tamworth Castle Pleasure Grounds are home to beautiful floral terraces, a state-of-the-art skate park, and medieval jousting on St George’s Day, as well as the eye-opening Planet Walk created to mark the Millennium.
And the 19th Century Beacon Park, in Lichfield, offers woodland walks, children’s play areas and an exciting programme of events featuring musical productions and festivals.
In Stoke-on-Trent city centre, Hanley Park is a Victorian gem with pavilion, boathouse, lake and artworks to discover. And Central Forest Park is a beautiful green space with the Stoke Skate Plaza (the largest street style skate park in Europe) plus lake and grassland, home to many unusual plants.
Elsewhere in the north of the county, Brough Park in Leek is an open meadow and woodland with stunning views of The Roaches, while Lyme Valley in Newcastle-under-Lyme is a tranquil spot with plenty of sports facilities and events throughout the year.
And in East Staffordshire, the Trent Washlands in Burton-upon-Trent is a haven for wildlife like herons and dragonflies, while there is also a sculpture trail, centenary woodland, and the stunning Burton Ferry Bridge to enjoy.
Nature reserves in Staffordshire
The legacy of Staffordshire’s rich industrial heritage can be found in the country parks and nature reserves across the county, many of which are former coal mines and quarries.
These include Deep Hayes Country Park in the Staffordshire Moorlands, a former quarry in the Churnet Valley which is now a popular destination with walkers, bird-watchers and canal boaters chugging along the Caldon Canal.
In nearby Newcastle-under-Lyme, the Apedale Country Park and Silverdale Country Park were both coal mines.
At Apedale there is a nod to its past in the form of a pit wheel memorial dedicated to the mine workers of Staffordshire, although any other signs of industrial activity have long since disappeared, replaced by landscaped walkways, meadows and pools.
Similarly, Silverdale Country Park has been rejuvenated from the old colliery into a haven for many rare species of birds, such as cuckoos and lapwings, while there are waymarked routes for walking and horse-riding, and angling posts at Furnace Pool and Southern Pool.
The former quarry at Park Hall Country Park, Stoke-on-Trent, is now home to plenty of easy and challenging walks, and panoramic views from the highest point in the city.
Chasewater Country Park’s mining heritage dates back to 1849, when it was the Hammerwich Colliery, but when coal mining ceased in the 1960s, it was transformed into a huge open space featuring reservoir, heritage railway and an innovation centre which hosts regular art exhibitions.
It is very popular with watersports enthusiasts, with activities including wakeboarding, sailing and water-skiing on offer.
And the secluded Baggeridge Country Park in South Staffordshire, previously Baggeridge Colliery, has over 150 acres of trails for walking, cycling and horse-riding, alongside a high ropes course, miniature railway and tea room.
Alongside our country parks, there are plenty of nature reserves dotted around the county if you want to step away from the hustle and bustle.
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust owns or manages 27 sites such as Doxey Marshes, a 300 acre wetland in Stafford regarded as one of the country’s best bird-watching sites, and the huge Highgate Common near Wombourne, where the purple heather in late summer is a sight to behold.
Gentleshaw Common, near Rugeley, is home to many birds, bees and wasps and a huge variety of plant life, while Hem Heath Woods, Stoke-on-Trent offers 100 acres of woodland and stunning bluebell displays.
Croxall Lakes, Alrewas, is a great haunt for bird-watchers in the autumn and winter months, with large numbers of waders and wildfowl, and you might see a short-eared owl or an otter if you’re lucky!
The RSPB site at Coombes Valley, in the Staffordshire Moorlands, offers year-round enjoyment for wildlife enthusiasts, with buzzards, sparrowhawks and woodpeckers frequent visitors, and other activities like den building, pond dipping and mud kitchen.
And Downs Banks, Barlaston, has beautiful walks and panoramic views, making it a great spot for dog walkers.
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