Low-Cost Days Out By Bike
Family Friendly Cycle Trips In and Around Stoke on Trent
Keeping the family entertained during the holidays can be expensive and stressful. Long, tedious car journeys, expensive entry tickets and lunch on-the-go can quickly add up to drain your energy and your bank balance. Luckily, there are a surprising number of free or low-cost attractions dotted around the city, many of which are easily accessible by bike. Here are some of our suggestions for low-cost days out by bike to keep the kids entertained (and maybe drain some of their endless energy).
Etruria Industrial Museum
https://etruriamuseum.org.uk/visit-us
Located in the heart of the city, at the junction between the Caldon and Trent & Mersey canals, the Etruria Industrial Museum offers a fascinating insight into the city’s heritage. See the restored steam engine in action, and learn about some of the lesser-known aspects of Stoke’s industrial past: There’s a lot more than just pottery. Entry is £10 for adults and free for under-16s*.
The museum is accessible from much of the city via both the Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals. You'll find bike racks and picnic benches located outside the entrance.
Westport Lake
https://www.visitstoke.co.uk/see-and-do/westport-lake-visitor-centre-p738861
A few miles north of Etruria Museum, you’ll find Westport Lake nature reserve. Enjoy a picnic by the lake, wander around the conservation area, and maybe have a snack at the visitor centre cafe. Entry is free.
You'll find Westport Lake just off the Trent & Mersey canal between Middleport and Tunstall. It's also accessible from the Potteries Loop Line Greenway (part of NCR5), as well as from Bradwell using the path from the end of Chatterley Close to the railway footbridge at Chemical Lane.
Chatterley Whitfield Heritage Centre
https://chatterleywhitfieldfriends.org.uk/
Open Thursdays and Saturdays, the Chatterley Valley Heritage Centre houses a range of artefacts from the former Chatterley Whitfield Colliery. While the original underground museum is closed, the Heritage Centre is still well worth a visit.
The museum is located alongside the Chatterley Valley Path / Biddulph Valley Way (Part of NCR55) near Ball Green, in Chatterley Whitfield Country Park. NCR55 meets the Caldon Canal at Birches Head. You can also get there from NCR5, following the cycle path via Chell Monks-Neil Park.
Ford Green Hall Museum
https://fordgreenhall.org.uk/visit
Built in 1624, Ford Green Hall looks further back into Staffordshire’s pre-industrial past. The restored farmhouse is furnished with a collection of 17th century items, offering an interesting glimpse into life before the industrial revolution.
Ford Green Hall is located alongside the Chatterley Valley Path / Biddulph Valley Way (Part of NCR55) at Smallthorne. NCR55 meets the Caldon Canal at Birches Head. You can also get there from NCR5, following the cycle path via Chell Monks-Neil Park.
Cheddleton Flint Mill and the Churnet Valley Railway
https://www.cheddletonflintmill.com
https://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to go a little further afield, the Flint Museum at Cheddleton is worth a visit. A little further along the canal, you’ll also find Cheddleton Station on the Churnet Valley Railway, a restored section of the North Staffordshire Railway, with plenty of information and regular steam trains.
You can reach Cheddleton via the Caldon Canal. The canal forks at Hazlehurst Junction, near Denford; you'll need to take the left branch towards Froghall Wharf. After Denford, the towpath can become very muddy after heavy rain - this ride is best tackled after a period of dry weather.
Apedale Heritage Centre and Light Railway
https://avlr.org.uk/
https://www.apedale.co.uk/
Apedale Heritage Centre is a coal mining museum, offering trips underground into the old mine workings. You'll also find the Apedale Valley heritage light railway on the same site. Museum entry is free, while tours are reasonably priced. While you’re there, explore Apedale country park - there are great views of the city from the Apedale pit wheel memorial at the top of the hill. You might also like to cross over High Street into Silverdale country park to explore the nature reserve in the former open-cast mine workings.
You can reach Apedale from Newcastle via NCR551 to The Wammy, taking the Apedale Branch Line trail to Chesterton and Apedale. From Stoke, you can use the relatively quiet roads across Harplands to reach Lyme Valley Parkway, then follow the Pool Dam Line cycle path onto NCR551.
Gladstone Pottery Museum
https://www.stokemuseums.org.uk/gpm
While Longton town centre is not especially cycle-friendly, if you’re happy to walk the last little bit, Gladstone Pottery Museum is well worth a visit. Tour the factory, and visit a recreation of a Victorian slum; smells and all. You can also book pot-throwing and decoration classes.
From the Trent & Mersey Canal at Sideway, follow the blue signs up the hill, past the football stadium to Heron Cross. From here, you can cross the footbridge over the A50 and follow the “Lineside” path from Duke Street into the centre of Longton. Walk up Market Street to Gladstone Pottery on Uttoxeter Road.
Park Hall Hills Country Park and Bolton Gate Cafe
https://www.boltongatefarm.co.uk/cafe
Explore the network of paths and trails around the nature reserve and former gravel pits at Park Hall. There are plenty of picnic benches scattered around, plus a small cafe at the Bolton Gate entrance from Weston Road.
From the City Centre and the Caldon Canal at Limekiln Bank, follow the Adderley Green and Bucknall rail trail from Berry Hill up to Adderley Green. You’ll find an entrance to the country park just after the roundabout on Park Hall Road. The same trail continues on to Longton at Cinderhill on Weston Coyney Road. From here, you can also continue through Weston Woods to reach Meir and Normacot.
Cycle Network Maps
If you’re not sure where to start, there are several easy ways to find local cycling infrastructure:
Google Maps allows you to overlay cycle routes (click the “Layers” button in the bottom corner, then choose “Cycling”). Dark green lines show off-road trails, lighter green lines show on-road cycle lanes, while dark dashed lines show unpaved trails.
The Ordnance Survey app allows you to overlay National Cycle Network routes over their detailed mapping of footpaths and bridleways. Their subscription costs around £15 per year, and it's well worthwhile.
The Sustrans website has some great resources to plan routes, although it isn’t always the most intuitive website to use. You can also purchase paper route maps, if you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way.
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/national-cycle-network
Please cycle considerately when using shared paths and trails.
*at time of writing