Walks near Lichfield by train
Stations: Lichfield City · Lichfield Trent Valley
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Lichfield and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Lichfield.
Derby Circular via Allestree Park (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Parks, river and heritage trail.
Museum of Making (30 mins in)
6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.
Derby to Long Eaton (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.
2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Duffield to Derby (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.
Duffield Castle: The remains of one of England's largest castles (National Trust; 30 mins to visit).
2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows
Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Atherstone Circular via Sheepy Magna (Warwickshire)
15 minutes direct from Lichfield Trent Valley.
Canal and villages.
2 lunch spots: San Giovanni (2h45 in), or the Black Horse (3h in)
7 end-of-walk rewards: the Blue Lion, the Blue Boar Inn, the Old Swan, the Hat and Beaver, the White Horse, the Kings Head Pub, or the Clock
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Nuneaton Circular via Hartshill (Warwickshire)
30 minutes direct from Lichfield Trent Valley.
Parks, river, country park and canal.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Stag and Pheasant (2h in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Lord Hop, the Felix Holt, the George Eliot Hotel, the Black Swan In Hand, or the Silk Mill
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Long Eaton to Ilkeston (Derbyshire)
45 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Canal, industrial towns and disused railway viaduct.
Waterway: nine tenths along the Erewash Canal.
3 lunch spots: Hallam Fields, Ilkeston (2h30 in) — Gallows Grub, or the Gallows Inn; plus La Rock (1h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Dew Drop Inn
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Barrow-upon-Soar to Leicester (Leicestershire)
45 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Flat and on decent paths.
Waterway: four fifths along the River Soar.
3 lunch spots: Birstall (3h30 in) — the Earl of Stamford, the Old Plough, or the White Horse
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Corn Exchange, or the Rainbow and Dove
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Derby to Peartree (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Largely urban walking on pavements and a riverside path, through parks and along the line of the Derby Canal.
1 lunch spot: Waterside Café
Warnings: Only a few trains a day call at Peartree.
Walk details: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (tips and turn-by-turn directions).
Derby to Nottingham (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Mixture of off-road cycle path and on-road sections. Part of the longer London-to-Lake-District route.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Alvechurch to Kings Norton (Worcestershire)
1 hour direct from Lichfield City.
Towpath along canal with suburban and greenbelt sections. Nearly 1000 years ago Kings Norton was valued five times higher than Birmingham for taxation; canal junction constructed 1796; area incorporated into Birmingham in 1911.
Waterway: three quarters along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.
Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.
Warnings: Narrow road with fast traffic; dark tunnel to avoid (2.5km Wast Hill Tunnel).
Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).
Buxton to Macclesfield (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Lichfield Trent Valley, with one change.
Spectacular views. Wild landscape of deep valleys and gritstone peaks and studded with peat bogs and pine forests. Buxton developed as a fashionable spa in 18th-19th centuries using profits from Dukes of Devonshire's copper mines. Macclesfield granted borough charter for market in 13th Century.
Warnings: Stiles; busy road with no pavement and fast traffic.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Similar walk: Walk Midlands (inc. GPX).
Rugby Circular (Warwickshire)
45 minutes direct from Lichfield Trent Valley.
Canal towpath, riverside path and village lanes.
Walk details: Heart Rail Trails (PDF).