Activities in North Staffordshire

North Staffordshire has a wide selection of activities to offer - whether you are looking for an adrenaline filled day, a stag or hen activity or family fun, the following should offer you some choice

The following are details of activity providers in the area, as well as specialists providing experience or training in one activity there are others providing a wide variety from one location – so if you do not find a specialist take a look at the Multi-Activity providers section

Arts & Crafts

Watercolour Course in the Peak District National Park by Dr Alan Hearsum, spend a  day, weekend or even a week, drawing and painting in the Peak District National Park

Peak District Photography Workshops and Tuition by Chris Hepburn one to one photography workshops & small group workshops for up to three people

Sketching in the great outdoors with Rosemary Hale, Artist & Tutor based in Foxt in the Staffordshire Moorlands

MazArt Studio in Scholar Green offer painting workshops in all mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolours.

Valentine Clays Valentine Way, Fenton - Courses and workshop themed events in a new workshop facility

Airsoft Combat / Paintballing

First and Only Airsoft at Anzio Camp which is a disused M.O.D. barracks and training facility. This site is perfect for everyone from first time players to airsoft veterans as the site and scenarios cater for all types of play.

Quest Paintball – at Kingsley Moor for your paintball experience, stag / hen fun, other activities available

Ashcroft Park & National Paintball Games – their 2 sites are near Tean and offer a wide variety of activities

West Midlands Airsoft operates from a site in Tean (F O B) Formally a Home Guard Training Area during WW2, this is a vast site covering 120 acres of varied woodland and terrain

Climbing

SJ Mountain Sports are Specialists in Rock Climbing and Mountaineering training courses, based in Leek, cater to people of all experience levels with our wide variety of courses

Audley Climbing Centre by Peak Pursuits is an indoor centre, packed with routes and challenges for climbers of all ages and abilities

Kilnworx Climbing Centre in Burslem offers great indoor climbs, slabs, angles, overhangs, bridging, corners, arêtes, overhanging arêtes, it's got it all.

Awesome Walls Stoke is England’s largest dedicated bouldering centre. It comprises over 900 square metres of bouldering made up of walls and features of all angles

Jubilee2 Climbing has a bouldering wall,14.5 metre wall with a variety of features,16 routes with grades ranging from 3 to 7a

Cycling / Mountain Biking

North Staffordshire has a number of National Cycle Routes traversing it - the 5 / 555 runs North South along the Trent and Mersey Canal, the 550 runs along the Caldon Canal from Etruria as far as Cheddleton and then on across the Staffordshire Moorlands to Waterhouses and the 549 which runs through the Manifold Valley. The 559 leaves the Caldon Canal (550) at Densford (Deep Hayes Country Park) and heads north through Leek on to Meerbrook (Tittesworth Reservoir). In the South of the area route 5 leaves the Trent and Mersey Canal at Aston-by-Stone and takes lanes and roads to Stafford where it joins route 55 which then heads out to Newport and on to Telford. There is also a section of route 55 running from Stoke up to Biddulph and on to Congleton and Cheshire beyond

Roaches and reservoirs cycle rides - 7 and 11 miles -

There is also a China Cycle Trail aroung the potteries, factory shops and visitor attractions of Stoke on Trent - see

Family Rides

Biddulph Valley Way – signed as National Cycle Route 55 - This runs for 10 miles between Stoke and Congleton, from the Caldon Canal towpath at Milton to Congleton – it utilised the track bed of the former Biddulph Valley railway line – download a map from our archive
Biddulph to Whitemore – Old railway line this section is 4.5 miles long with surfaced trail Start at the Old Station Car Park off Smokies Way Biddulph - Whitemore Local Nature Reserve at the northern end – though the trail continues to Congleton see www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/article/844/Biddulph-Valley-Way

Manifold Track – Manifold Valley, Hulme End, Near Hartington – 9 miles from Waterhouses to Hulme End it follows the route of the disused Leek and Manifold Light Railway, the track is surfaced and fairly level throughout its length with most being off-road or on quiet lanes – Bike Hire and Tea Shops - download a map

Oakamoor (car park) – take the cycle path along the Alton Valley at the 1st Stone Bridge exit cross the bridge and the path brings you to Dimmingsdale (see above) or continue and exit after the old station taking the road to the right up to Alton Village (left and its Alton Towers) and return the same way or take Red Road, the lane past the Dimmingsdale car park, back to Oakamoor

Stafford to Newport Greenway - About 12 miles long, this old railway trackbed is now a surfaced trail between Castlefields in Stafford and Audley Avenue Newport. It forms part of The Way for the Millennium and NCR 55
see www.staffordshire.gov.uk/... and .../familyfriendlycycling/stafford-greenway

Traffic Free National Cycle Routes

Stone to Stoke via Trent and Mersey Canal Towpath - Signed as NCR 5, passing through Stone, Barlaston, Trentham and Stoke
Stoke to the Harecastle Tunnel From Stoke the Trent Mersey Canal Towpath becomes NCR 555 and passes through Etruria (Junction with the Caldon Canal and Etruria Industrial Museum), Festival Park Marina, Middleport (Middleport Pottery), Westport Lake (Nature Reserve) and on to the Harecastle Tunnel

Hanley Park to Cheddleton Station - National Cycle Route 550 runs from Hanley Park along the Caldon Canal Towpath to Cheddleton Station (Churnet Valley Railway) – passing through Endon, Endon Canal Junction, Denton (Deep Hayes Country Park) Cheddleton (Flint Mill Museum) and on to Cheddleton Station (Heritage Railway)– the 550 then continues on quiet lanes to Waterhouses where it meets the NCR 549 Manifold Valley Way
(a detoure here is possible from the Endon Canal Maintenance Yard, via Park Lane cross the main road to Hallwater Lane, Gratton Lane to Graton and on to Rudyard Lake)

Denford to Leek / Meerbrook NCR 559 – Leaving the Caldon Canal NCR 550 at Denford taking Denford Road and joining the towpath of the Caldon Canal Leek Branch to Barnfeild Road, Leek – the 559 then utilises suburban streets and country lanes continue to Meerbrook (Tittesworth Reservoir and The Roaches)

The Biddulph Greenway signed NCR 55 it runs from Birches Head Road, Milton (just off the Trent and Mersey Canal Towpath see NCR550) and Congleton passing Ford Green Hall, Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve and the Whitfield Valley Heritage Country Park, Biddulph (a small diversion via Marshgreen Road and Congletong Road will take you to Biddulph Grange Gardens (NT) and the Adjoining Biddulph Grange Country Park) or continue on NCR 55 through Whitemoor Nature Reserve and on to Congleton

Stafford to Newport Greenway NCR 55, it forms part of The Way for the Millennium, about 12 miles long, this old railway trackbed is now a surfaced trail, from Castlefields in Stafford to Audley Avenue Newport (Aqualate Mere National Nature Reserve can be reached by leaving the track and taking country lanes)

Bike Hire

Brown End Farm Cycle Hire – Waterhouses ( Manifold Track)

Desire 2 Ride – Road Bike Hire – Stafford

Churnet Valley Cycle Hire – Manor House Farm, Prestwood, nr Alton – cycle the Churnet Valley cycle path

Cheadle Cycles - Market Square, Cheadle - have a couple of folding bikes & tandem for hire

Gliding

Staffordshire Gliding Club - Seighford Airfield offer -
1. Half-day course consisting of 3 aerotow flights or an equivalent number of winch flights lasting a total of about one hour in the air.
2. Aerotow launch behind a light aircraft to over 2000’ for a flight lasting about 20 minutes.
3. Winch launch for a flight lasting about 5 minutes. Climbing steeply to about 1000 feet in 30 seconds.
4. “taster session” for groups. They can provide 10-15 of you with a flight on a Wednesday evening in the summer months.
www.staffordshiregliding.co.uk

Horse Rides and Pony Trekking

Northfield Farm at Flash in the Staffordshire Peak District offers Horse Rides, Pony Trekking and Trail Rides

Beaver Hall Equestrian Centre at Bradnop

Ingestre Stables Ingestre nr Stafford, for Hacking on Cannock Chase

Indoor Karting

Fastlane Karting – Indoor Karting Circuit operate Biz karts for Corporate & Group Parties, and Sprint karts for our arrive & drive sessions, also have Go-Karts for kids

Outdoor Activities

Adam Evans is a professional outdoor instructor based in the UK’S Peak District, provides high end tailor made courses and often ‘one to one’ coaching and guiding in the outdoors.

Peak District Hang Gliding Centre Experience the exhilaration of free flight as you learn to fly safely with the longest established BHPA registered school

Stanley Head Outdoor Education Centre is owned and run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council for schools, but it is also offer a wide range of options for adult parties (including Hen and Stag parties)

Entrust Outdoor Education is set in the Shugborough Estate, the Outdoor Centre offers a diverse range of activities from wilderness and bushcraft to climbing, biking and kayaking

High Ash Farm Outdoor Pursuits Centre at Longnor offers Outdoor Pursuits, Educational Visits, Residential Visits, Field Studies, for Schools, Corporates and Walking Groups

Derwent Pursuits based in Ipstones Leek, provides numerous activates and outdoor pursuits for all experience levels including high ropes, quad bikes and RC rally cars

Skiing

Stoke Ski Centre Dry ski slope at at Festival Park, open practice sessions, Ski and Snowboard lessons

North Staffs Ski Club based at Kidsgrove Ski Centre in Bathpool Park give basic lessons for beginners and improver or refresher lessons for experienced or returning skiers on a dry slope

Virtual Reality Experience

XP-VR – Staffordshire's premier virtual reality experience and the only attraction of its kind in the region - 62-64 Piccadilly, located in the Cultural Quarter of Hanley

Watersports

Tittesworth Water Sports and Activity Centre – British Canoeing Accredited Centre with Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) and Sailing

Peak Pursuits waters ports are based Astbury Water Sports Centre just over the border in Congleton, Cheshire

North Staffs Sailing Club – members club based at Stanley Pool – RYA affiliated

Potteries Paddlers – a multi-disciplined, inclusive, canoe and kayak club based at Rudyard Lake

Trentham Canoe Club – one of the largest canoe clubs in Staffordshire offering opportunities for children and adults of all abilities in fun, recreational canoeing and competitive kayaking – based in Trentham Gardens Lake

There is also the Stoke-on-Trent's Heritage Canoe Trail - click here to download the Trail PDF