Read on to discover some of the attractions you can enjoy whilst staying at one of our cottages in Staffordshire.
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Staffordshire cottages offer great accommodation for those considering a break in this versatile English county which, as a holiday destination, provides attractions to balance the needs of everyone. Alton Towers offers year-round fun for all the family, while nearby Stoke-upon-Trent is home to the world's finest china boasting the internationally acclaimed Wedgwood Visitor Centre and its newly opened Wedgwood Museum. Here, visitors can view craft demonstrations, take factory tours and marvel at the collections. It's a collector's paradise as other manufacturers, for example Moorcroft and Burleigh, also offer factory tours and there are over 30 pottery factory shops to choose from, including those of world-renowned brands Royal Doulton, Portmeirion, Aynsley, Spode and Churchill.
Just a few miles south of Stoke is the Trentham Estate, well worth a visit if you are holidaying at one of our Staffordshire cottages. With stunning gardens and lake, a giant observation wheel, unique Barefoot Walk, Monkey Forest, Aerial Extreme, shopping village, range of cafes and garden centre it truly offers something for all the family.
Nature-lovers, meanwhile, can head for the beauty and serenity of the Peak District National Park in the north-east corner of the county. Nestling among the stunning moorland scenery, Leek is an historic market town with a reputation for unusual shops, antiques and good food. From our selection of holiday cottages in Staffordshire this surprisingly wide range of visitor venues awaits discovery.
Places To Visit in Staffordshire
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is one of the world's leading theme park resorts and one of the UK's biggest tourist attractions welcoming millions of visitors every year. The theme park is located in the beautiful grounds of a semi-ruined country house near Stoke-on-Trent. With a host of rides and attractions spread over 500 acres of countryside, Alton Towers provides a wide range of activities and adventures to suit people of all ages. It is the home of many of the UK's best known roller coasters including Nemesis, Oblivion, Air, Corkscrew and Rita - Queen of Speed. New attractions for 2012 include the ultimate, ultra-cool Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs - 4-D Experience. Young children can enjoy the Charlie & The Chocolate Factory ride, visit the Farm or enjoy rides and activities including many traditional fairground attractions. Those looking for a more relaxing time can row on the lake, enjoy beautiful views of the park from the aerial cable car ride, or walk in the scenic gardens.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Alton Towers.
Shropshire Union Canal
The 66-mile Shropshire Union Canal, known affectionately as the 'Shroppie', runs through Staffordshire on its way from the Black Country to the Mersey at Ellesmere Port, where you will find the wonderful National Waterways Museum. In contrast to the winding contours of early canals, the 'Shroppie' kept the same course across valley and through hills, speeding cargoes on their way from the North-West to Wolverhampton and the Midlands. Today the canal towpath provides an excellent off-road cycle route through the Staffordshire countryside.
One of our Staffordshire cottages on the Shropshire Union Canal.
Cannock Chase.
Cannock Chase is a surprisingly remote expanse of high sandstone heather and bracken heathland with birch woodland and pine plantations where wild deer still roam. This ancient hunting forest is today an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, dissected by secluded valleys and framed by a gentler landscape of fine parklands and attractive villages, it includes the last oak remnant of the ancient Cannock Forest.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Cannock Chase.
Abbot's Bromley
Abbot's Bromley is an attractive village in east Staffordshire with an ancient church and several half-timbered buildings. It is famous for the Abbot's Bromley Horn Dance, a tradition going back to medieval times, performed annually in September. After collecting the horns from the church at eight o'clock in the morning, the Horn Dancers comprising six Deer-men, a Fool, Hobby Horse, Bowman and Maid Marian, perform their dance to music provided by a melodeon player at locations throughout the village and its surrounding farms and pubs.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Abbots Bromley.
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent is associated worldwide with brewing. It was the discovery by the Abbey monks of the special qualities of the local well water for brewing that ensured the future prosperity and notoriety of the town. A number of inns were built close to the Abbey to accommodate travellers and most of the innkeepers brewed their own ale. When, in the early 18th century, the Trent was made navigable as far as Burton, other markets became open to the local brewers. By1880 it was estimated that there were upwards of 40 breweries in the town. Today there are tours of the Marston's brewery to see the time-honoured brewing methods in action, and of course enjoy sampling their famous beers.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Burton Upon Trent
Dimmingsdale.
Dimmingsdale is a hidden gem in north Staffordshire. This enchanting and beautiful valley is a haven for walkers, nature lovers and those seeking tranquillity and spectacular scenery. Forming part of the Churnet Valley lakes, streams and rivers combine with a mixture of broadleaf and pine with huge sandstone rocky outcrops to create spectacular scenery and an amazing haven for wildlife, which is beautiful at anytime of the year. Affectionately known as 'Little Switzerland' and 'Fairy Glen', the Sunday Times stated Dimmingsdale was one of the most beautiful places to walk in winter.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Dimmingsdale.
Cheadle
The small market town of Cheadle - not to be confused with the town of the same name in Cheshire - is best known for St. Giles Catholic Church, commonly referred to as 'Pugin's Gem'. The architect Augustus Pugin was commissioned to build St Giles by the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, who lived at nearby Alton Towers, just over 150 years ago. Pugin, who helped Charles Barry with the design of the Houses of Parliament, was asked to design and build a church which would have no rival. His creation was his own tribute to inner peace and serenity and a design wonder of the Gothic Revival.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Cheadle.
Stoke upon Trent
Stoke upon Trent is the largest of the five towns making up the Potteries, home to the world's finest china. The city boasts the internationally acclaimed Wedgwood Visitor Centre and its newly opened Wedgwood Museum with craft demonstrations, factory tours and stunning museum collections. On the edge of Stoke, the Trentham Estate offers a great day out for the whole family. With stunning gardens and lake, a giant observation wheel, unique Barefoot Walk, Monkey Forest, Aerial Extreme, a shopping village, range of cafes and garden centre there really is something for everyone.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Stoke upon Trent .
Consall Hall Gardens
Over the last fifty years, William Podmore has developed Consall Hall Gardens to create a series of beautifully composed rural vistas. These have been enhanced by the construction of six lakes, bridges, follies, grottos and other focal points, set against the enclosing shelter belts planted with swathes of trees and shrubs, to form a colourful background.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Consall Hall Gardens.
The Manifold Trail
The Manifold Trail offers nine miles of almost traffic free cycling through the White Peak. It is probably the UK's oldest cycle trail converted from a former railway line and opened around 1930. It is suitable for children and old people with gentle gradients on a tarmac track and minor roads along the Manifold valley including the natural cavern known as 'Thor's Cave'.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near the Manifold Trail.
The Roaches
The Roaches is one of the most famous of the many rocky outcrops in the Peak District and is popular with walkers and climbers alike. It is said that wallabies roamed the desolate moors around The Roaches. It is thought that they were released in World War II from a nearby private zoo, managed to breed and survive. Some say that the last survivors disappeared in the 1990s, however there have been several sightings in the last year or so across quite a wide area of the Peak District. The hope is that a few have survived and that they are beginning to re-populate.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near The Roaches.
Leek
Leek is surrounded by beautiful, rugged countryside. The town has a reputation for unusual as well as speciality shops, a refreshing change from the modern shopping mall. What's more, it is great for foodies with some award-winning eateries and regular markets - where you will come across the local delicacy the Staffordshire oatcake, a fast-food of its day - commonly sold directly from the window of a house to customers on the street. Nowadays you can buy them from Asplins on Haywood Street in Leek.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Leek.
Rudyard Lake
Rudyard Lake is a two-mile long lake superbly situated in a steep wooded valley. Today it is a popular location as it offers walking (footpaths run right round the lake), cycling (the total distance round the lake is about five miles and you can cycle most of the way), boating and sailing as well as a narrow gauge steam railway which runs alongside the east shore. It was an extremely popular day-out from the industrial Potteries in Victorian times. Even the great trapeze artist, Blondin, fresh from his feat of crossing Niagara Falls on the high wire, came to Rudyard Lake to repeat his achievement. The Victorians were brought here by train, which has now become a narrow gauge railway running along the shore. The lake, so the story goes, gave its name to Rudyard Kipling whose parents (who came from the nearby Potteries town of Burslem) first met at a party by its shores and had such a particular love for it that they named their child after it. It is easy to see why they felt that way about it.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Rudyard Lake
Biddulph Grange Gardens
Biddulph Grange Gardens are the product of an extraordinary imagination, a wonder to behold and one of Britain's most unusual gardens. Designed in the mid 19th century as a series of connecting 'compartments', they feature an imitation of the Great Wall of China and the Egyptian Court. You can purchase a joint entrance ticket for nearby Little Moreton Hall, arguably England's finest timber-framed manor house.
One of our Staffordshire cottages near Biddulph Grange Gardens.
Caldon Canal
Those in the know regard the Caldon Canal as one of the most scenic waterways in Britain. It runs for 18 miles from Stoke to Froghall, with a three-mile branch to Leek. The towpath is ideal for walkers. Apart from the wonderful Staffordshire scenery, there are lots of things to see - from the Leek Branch aqueduct, to locks, mills and a steam railway at Cheddleton as well as several watering holes along the way.
One of our Staffordshire cottages on the Caldon Canal.
The National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is dedicated as a living tribute to those killed in conflict and in service. As the UK's year-round centre of Remembrance with 50,000 maturing trees and 160 memorials, it is a beautiful and lasting tribute to those who serve their country or who have died in conflict.
One of our Staffordshire cottages neat the National Memorial Arboretum .Cottages close to Staffordshire
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