Walks near Stoke-on-Trent by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Stoke-on-Trent and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Stoke-on-Trent.
Derby Circular via Allestree Park (Derbyshire)
1 hour direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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)
1 hour direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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)
1 hour direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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.
Nuneaton Circular via Hartshill (Warwickshire)
30 minutes direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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.
Lichfield Circular via Whittington Heath (Staffordshire)
45 minutes from Stoke-on-Trent, with one change.
Golf club, heath, woodland and Heart of England Way.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
2 lunch spots: the Tame Otter (2h15 in), or the Red Lion (2h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Horse and Jockey, or the Turnpike
Warnings: MOD firing range — check access.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Atherstone Circular via Sheepy Magna (Warwickshire)
45 minutes from Stoke-on-Trent, with one change.
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.
Barrow-upon-Soar to Leicester (Leicestershire)
1 hour from Stoke-on-Trent, 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.
Wellington Circular via the Wrekin (Shropshire)
1 hour from Stoke-on-Trent, with one change.
Town streets, woodland tracks, steep ascent to The Wrekin summit with panoramic views over Shropshire and beyond.
Warnings: Steep climb to summit; can be windy on top.
Walk details: Wellington Walkers Are Welcome.
Derby to Peartree (Derbyshire)
1 hour direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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)
1 hour direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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).
New Mills to Chapel-en-le-Frith (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Stoke-on-Trent, with one change.
Beautiful Peak District fringe landscape. Valley floor walk with canal towpath and former tramway trail. Historic route tracing pioneering industrial transport infrastructure through Peak District foothills.
Waterway: three quarters along the Peak Forest Canal.
Warnings: Busy road sections; rough ground with old concrete and limestone blocks.
Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).
Buxton to Macclesfield (Derbyshire)
15 minutes direct from Stoke-on-Trent.
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).