Staffordshire walk: Apedale

This is an excellent walk among the less frequented parts of the country park, though some care in navigation is required in places. Some paths can be muddy despite being in the country park, and there is a stiff climb halfway round and a gentle climb afterwards.

The journey:

Walk past the visitor centre along the broad track. Ignore the first track on the left and continue ahead to the next junction where one path curves left. Here, take the descending track on the right (Newcastle Way) to reach a barrier and unmade road. Cross this and go through the barrier on the other side. Continue along this broad track until you reach another barrier on the right (footpath sign) and another ahead. Continue towards this and take the sloping path right into the woodland. After a few yards you reach a pond and turn left following the narrow path. You soon reach a stile and the path goes right over a stream. Do not follow this, but continue ahead, over a stile along the narrow path. Soon wasteland is seen on the left. Continue along this path to eventually reach a round waymark post. The path becomes indistinct for a short while, but keep going. Eventually you cross a path to see a small pond ahead on the left. Carry on ahead for a few yards to another round post where you turn left down some steps to another small path (do not go all the way down to the pond). Go right for a few yards to more steps on the left and follow these down. The path is narrow but distinct and is marked by the round posts. Follow these down then veer right as the path climbs up the other side of the small valley (with fields to the right). At the top follow the path until you reach a broad track where you turn right.

Follow this. When the fields on the right become obscured by more woodland look for a small path on the left, just before a left bend in the path (about 20 yards after this the track bends left then right by a large mound of manure). After the manure this path becomes a distinct farm track and leaves the woodland. Retrace your steps back to the junction and climb up this, forking right at the first two junctions, to reach the top of a bank and a red arrow by a large 'step' Just after this fork left to reach a stile (Near a large communications tower).

Here bear left along the summit path along the edge of the woodland to reach a stile. Go over this and left for a few yards and over the stile to reach an unmade road. Turn left and follow this for about half a mile, round a right bend and then later on to a junction. Bear right on the main 'road' and shortly after the bend, turn right along the lane. After a short distance the lane bends left. Follow this round until you reach a brick tower. With the tower on your left, take the footpath ahead leading through the woods (not the woodland path on your right). Keeping the stream to your left, follow this ascending path for about a third of a mile, until you reach a gate stile on your left, across the stream. Take this to leave the woodland and reach a broad track. Turn left along this track to reach the junction you started from. Retrace the last section back to the start.

Contributed by Peter Matthews of the Staffordshire Area Ramblers' Association. For further information phone 01782 336556.