Staffordshire walk: Oakamoor (with map)

THIS must be one of the best walks in Staffordshire, although it does involve some climbing. Most of the paths are easy to follow.

The journey:

FROM the car park at Oakamoor, head across the green to a wide bridge over the Churnet. After crossing, aim diagonally left to emerge on the main road. Turn right, then walk up the road, passing a road on the left. At the next lane turn left, waymarked Weaver Walk, following this to the entrance of Cotton Dell Nature Reserve. Follow the track alongside the stream on the right. Where it forks, with the main track bearing left and climbing steeply, take the smaller track alongside but above the stream. When you reach a footpath sign and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust sign, leave the main track by climbing the steep path on the left (Weaver Walk), soon emerging from the trees. Cross the small field and continue the climb through the trees, veering slightly left, until you reach a track junction. Turn right, still climbing. Soon the track bears right and goes through a gap in the wall with two upright stones. Ignore the smaller track on the left, along the ridge, but follow over the ridge to descend the other side, veering left as you do so. The path emerges by a house and a lane. Follow the lane for the best part of a mile.

Care is needed to locate the footpath on the right. After passing the second farm on the right look for a path on the left which climbs back through the trees. About 100 yards after this path (which is not waymarked) look for a new, wooden gate in the wall on the right (there is a farm opposite on the other side of the valley). By the gate is a stone squeeze stile but no sign. Go through this, following the wall down on your right to a copse. The path is now obvious. Follow down to the bottom of the valley, veering right then over a stone bridge. Climb the other side and take the 'ramp', veering right, then left to climb the field alongside a wall to emerge on a quiet road. Turn right, and follow for about a mile, passing Cotton Church on the right. About 200 yards after the church, a wood joins the road on the left and on the right can be seen another entrance to Cotton Dell and a footpath sign. Take the path and follow the main path to the right of the trees, keeping the trees on your left. The path later enters the wood and passes a house on the right. Join the lane away from the house and continue to a footpath sign. To save about a mile of the route, take the descending path on the right and you will reach the path you were on at the start. For the full route, take the path on the left, rising to the road above.

Turn left and at the road junction (there is a pub here), turn right. At the first farm on the right, by a footpath sign, turn right to a farm. As the farm track bends left, continue ahead, through gates/stiles, along the obvious path to soon reach a copse. Just before is a stile on the right, so go over this then down to the stile by a farm entrance. Go over this, then down the field and over another stile on the left. Descend the field steeply, aiming for a bend in the road. At the road either turn left to reach Oakamoor, or for the full route, cross the road and take the path opposite to cross a field to reach the wood (Cotton Dell). Enter the wood and follow the path as it descends to the stream and a bridge. Cross this and turn left to retrace your steps back to the start.

Contributed by Peter Matthews of the Staffordshire Area Ramblers' Association.

Level: A strenuous walk but full of interest. There are two opportunities to shorten the walk, one by a mile, the other by half a mile. Follow route clockwise

Distance: 4.8 miles

Time: 2½ hours

Parking: Parking area at Oakamoor

Refreshments: Pubs in Oakamoor and pub at Cotton