Staffordshire walk: Rushton

This is a strenuous walk with some climbing but with some magnificent views. There is some road walking but these are quiet lanes.

The journey:

Leave the car park and return to the road. Virtually straight across to join the disused railway line (Staffs Way). Follow this for a good half mile to reach its end by a bridge and wire across the path.

Descend on the left at the start of the bridge and go over a stile. Continue ahead, across the field with the old railway directly behind, to reach a stile. Cross the stile and continue ahead along the long field, keeping slightly right of the mound ahead and then towards the far end of the field, coming close to the stream on the right.

In the corner is a stile and bridge. Go over this then slightly left to follow the clear path up through the woodland with the stream on your left . This later emerges in a small field,follow the contour round on the indistinct path to reach a stile close to the farm which leads onto a farm road. Go over the stile then left along the road which soon swings sharp right.

Shortly after this turn, look for a stile in the hedge on the left and cross this to follow the Staffs Way/Gritstone trail, diagonally up the slope for a short distance until you reach a broader path to the right, contouring round the hill.

Follow this path until you reach a stile and boardwalk. Then follow the path up the hill beside a fence on the left, to reach a road. Here turn left. Follow this road for nearly a mile to a road junction on the left. Turn left and follow this road downhill to another junction with a farm road to Ditchway farm. Turn right and follow this lane past the farm until you reach a sharp left bend leading to another farm.

Keep ahead, over the stile, ignoring the path to the right. Then travel down three fields, with the hedge on right, to reach a pair of stiles in the bottom right corner. Climb over these and, keeping the hedge on the left, look for a stile on the left.

Go over this and then follow the path up, then down the field, making for the hedge on the left. Soon some cattle sheds appear on the left. At the bottom left corner of the field look for a stile on the left and take this to climb down a short but steep bank onto the junction of a farm entrance and road which turns sharply right here.

Follow the roaddown the steep hill, round some bends to emerge on another road. Turn right and just round the corner return to the start.

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