Copyright 2023 - published by Neil Pedley an independent web publisher

Attractions

The following visitor attractions listings provide a quick overview and where we have them some brief accessibility details - we believe that having a disability should be no barrier to enjoying what North Staffordshire has to offer the tourist and we support Accessible Countryside for Everyone in promoting access to leisure activities and attractions

 

 

Alton Towers is probably the most popular attraction, with it’s Theme Park, Water Park, CBeebies Land, Extraordinary Golf, Enchanted Forest Tree Top Quest, Hotels, Spa and exceptional Gardens
Accessibility - Accessible toilets, wheelchair access to most of the park - note from access statement "Please note, due to the very hilly nature of our site which can make powered buggies very unstable, we do not allow them into the Theme Park and in CBeebies Land", a Changing Places facility is Located in the X Sectorchanging places icon and a Space to Change facility is located in Fountain Square
www.altontowers.com

 

 image of the alton towers website

 

 

Churnet Valley Railway – 11 mile return journey along the valley between Kinglsey & Froghall station and Leekbrook through beautiful countryside known as Staffordshire’s “Little Switzerland”, “Moorlander” dining train, events, footplate experience
Accessibility - It is recommended that wheelchair users board the train at Kingsley & Froghall Station due to a lower platform level at Cheddleton.
www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk

 

 

 image of steam train in countryside

 

 

Etruria Industrial Museum and Heritage Centre – Etruria, Stoke on Trent – “home of Jesse Shirley’s 1857 Bone and Flint Mill, the only remaining operational Steam Driven Potters’ Mill in the world”, Victorian factory mill, cafe, canal-side walks
Accessibility - disabled toilets "Unfortunately there is limited access for those with mobility difficulties to enter the mill"
www.etruriamuseum.org.uk

 

 

 image of the Etruria Museum website

 

 

Emma Bridgewater factory – Meet the jiggers, jolliers, fettlers, casters and decorators whose traditional skills and craftsmanship go into creating every piece of pottery. Bookable factory tours, decorating studio, experience days, cafe, garden, shop
Accessibility - "the factory is accessible and we have space for one wheelchair so please get in touch tel: 01782 201328 to book"
emmabridgewaterfactory.co.uk

 

 

 

 image of the Emma Bridgewater website

 

 

Foxfield Railway – Caverswall Road Station, Caverswall Road, Blythe Bridge - Heritage Steam Railway, period carriages, 5 mile round trip through rural Staffordshire pulled by historic steam engines as well as a Miniature Railway, café, shop, fully licensed real ale bar, experience days - running every Sunday and Bank Holiday from Easter until Christmas
Accessibility - The railway has a specially adapted wheelchair carriage; access is via a portable ramp
foxfieldrailway.co.uk

 

 

 

 image of the Foxfield Railway website

 

 

Gentleshaw Wildlife Centre can be found at Fletcher’s Country Garden Centre nr Eccleshall(which also has a cafe and childrens play area) A small sanctuary for exotic animals and birds of prey. As well as a hospital unit for the treatment of wild raptors, (not on display), the centre is home to over 30 different species of Bird of prey, Primate, Reptile, Invertebrate, Raccoons, Cats and many more - flying displays on some days.
www.gentleshawwildlife.co.uk

 

 

 

 image of the Foxfield Railway website

 

 

Gladstone Pottery Museum – Longton, Stoke on Trent – complete Victorian pottery factory from the days when coal burning ovens made the world’s finest bone china, guided tours, See traditional skills, original workshops, the cobbled yard and huge bottle kilns, ‘Flushed with Pride’ toilet exhibit, Tile Gallery and 1890’s Doctor’s House, shop, cafe
and in 2021 the new home of The Great Pottery Throw Down television programme
Accessibility - External areas of the museum are cobbled, ramped access to buildings, lift to upper floor, wheelcahirs available for loan, accessible toilets
www.stokemuseums.org.uk/visit/gpm

 

 image of the Gladstone Museum website

 

 

Kingsley Bird & Falconry Centre – Kingsley, Cheadle – Limited opening for general admission but offer bird experiences including bird handling and bird flying also guided tours. It has one of the largest collections of birds of prey in the country, and offers Lantra courses approved by the Hawk Board
kingsleyfalconry.co.uk

 

 

 

 image of the Kingsley Falconry Centre website

 

 

Middleport Pottery – Burslem, Stoke on Trent – World famous Burleigh pottery has been created here using traditional methods since 1889. Visitor Centre which comprises Victorian offices, historic collections, bottle kiln and mould store, factory tour, café, shop
- it will be familiar to many who watched The Great Pottery Throw Down television programme as it was their home up to the end of the 2020 season
Accessibility - accessible toilet, access is limited in some areas, please see the access statement on their website
re-form.org/middleportpottery/information

 

 

 image of the middleport pottery website

 

 

Peak Wildlife Park – Winkhill, Leek – large walkthroughs allow you to come face to face with exotic and endangered animals from across three continents, family picnic area, Jungle Bounce and large outdoor play area
Accessibility - "The whole of the Park is accessible by wheelchair and able-bodied pusher. The paths are wide and can accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters." Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities
www.peakwildlifepark.co.uk

 

 

 image of the peak wildlife park website

 

 

Potteries Museum & Art Gallery – Hanley, Stoke on Trent – Art gallery includes works of art by Picasso, Durer and Degas – museum has a Spitfire, world class pottery collections, local natural history, collection of costume and textiles dating from the 15th century to the present day, and “The Staffordshire Hoard”
Accessibility - Secret Garden – a sensory oasis with plants and fungi to smell and touch, all public areas, including the café and museum are accessible by lift, ramps and stairs, baby changing facilities, accessible toilets, visitor desk and Forum Theatre are fitted with induction loops
www.stokemuseums.org.uk/visit/pmag and www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/event/see-it-in-stoke

 

 image of the Potteries Museum website

 

 

RSPB Coombes & Churnet Valley Nature Reserve Coombes Valley is a wonderful woodland reserve. It’s perfect for nature enthusiasts to explore and for families to have fun and play together outdoors. In spring and early summer, migrating flycatchers, redstarts and wood warblers come to breed. In winter, redwings, fieldfares and winter finches are regular visitors - woodland reserve at Bradnop, for nature enthusiasts to explore and for families to have fun and play together outdoors.
AccessibilityVisitor centre is level and step-free throughout, with tiled floor, manual double doors opening both ways, benches with back rests on trails which have unsurfaced paths, with changes in gradient and some very steep sections - access statement on their website
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/coombes-valley

 

 

 

image of aqualate lake

 

 

 

Rudyard Lake – located outside Stoke on Trent near Leek and the Peak District National Park, two and a half mile long lake, water sports, fishing, walks, wildlife, steam train ride, cycle track, visitor centre, cafe, shop
www.rudyardlake.com
 
The Rudyard Lake Steam Railway runs by the lake and cycle track, has a Station Cafe
Accessibility There is wheelchair access to all the stations, plans to have a wheelchair accessible rail coach
www.rlsr.org

 

   

 

 image of boats on Rudyard Lake

 

 

Spode Works Visitor Centre – Stoke on Trent- Visitor Centre tells the stories of the Spode factory, the works, the things they made, the collection and archive of the Spode Museum Trust. There are films, images, interactive displays, objects from the collections and regular events and activities
Accessibility - There is ramped access to the doors of the centre and between the two main display areas within the centre. The gallery is accessible if you use a wheelchair or are bringing a buggy, accessible toilets and a baby change area, some tactile items on display
www.spodeworks.org

 

 

 

 image of the spode website

 

 

Tittesworth Water – (STW) – The Roaches, nr Leek – “variety of habitats, from conifer plantation and semi ancient woods to wildflower meadows and marshland”, a country park, visitor centre, large adventure play area, 2 bird hides, walking trails (1.5 or 5 miles), Water Sports and Activity Centre, cafe, shop
Accessibility - "There are toilets and car parking facilities for disabled visitors and some stretches of the adjoining path are accessible by wheelchair"
www.stwater.co.uk/wonderful-on-tap/our-visitor-sites/come-visit-us/tittesworth-water

 

 image of the tittesworth water website

 

 

Trentham Gardens an award winning garden the Italian Gardens, landscaped parkland and a mile long Capability Brown designed lake, offer the visitor enjoyable gardens to wander through, picnic and play in. There is an adventure playground, hide and speak maze and miniature train ride along the lakeside. The estate also has a Retail Village, Garden Centre, Monkey Forest and Aerial Extreme
Accessibility - All on one level with low ramped access to most facilities, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. There is a Changing Places facility changing places icon in the Shopping Village
www.trentham.co.uk

 

 

 image of the trentham gardens website

 

 

Trentham Monkey Forest – The only place in the UK where you can walk amongst 140 Barbary macaques roaming free in 60 acres of forest. Banana Café and Jungle Shop
www.monkey-forest.com

 

 

 image of the monkey forest website

 

 

WaterWorld – Festival Park, Etruria, Stoke on Trent – the UK’s No.1 indoor tropical aqua park – baby & toddler area, indoor and outdoor pools, range of slides, aqua disco, cafés, bar
Accessibility - Wheelchair access, two designated disabled cubicles which are very large and have their own shower. There are no steps entering or exiting the wave pool. Regular special needs family events
www.waterworld.co.uk

 

 

 image of the water world website

 

 

The World of Wedgwood (inc Wedgwood Museum) – Barlaston, Stoke on Trent – iconic pottery factory and museum, “the story of Josiah Wedgwood, his family, and the company he founded two-and-a-half centuries ago” – world class collections, factory tour, creative craft experiences, nature trail, cafés, shop
Accessibility - The Museum is fully accessible for wheelchair users, wheelchairs available to hire, accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, a loop system for the hard of hearing
www.worldofwedgwood.com

 

 

 image of the World of Wedgwood website

 

 

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