Walks in Staffordshire - We got em

This walk starts at the Goose Street car park just above Morrisonsin Newcastle under Lyme. Leave the car park and walk down Brook Lane away from the town centre. Cross by the crossings at the bottom and carry on past the Boat and Horses pub and the Homebase car park and you will find a path leading from the road just before the bridge. This takes you along the side of Lyme Brook into the Lyme Valley park. 

Walk along the path for about 5 minutes and you will see to your left a green fence, behind which you can see what remains of the old turning basin of the Newcastle Canal and part of the old canal itself. This still holds water but is somewhat overgrown now. The canal was finally abandoned in 1935 after a long period of little use. I was stopped by a lady just here who enquired if I was “doing the Woodpecker Walk.” Now I know that I sometimes have a

peculiar gait on Sunday mornings after the previous nights

indulgences - but really. It turned out that the Countryside Project have a number of walks in the park which are marked with small Woodpecker symbols and she was following one of these.

On the other side of the canal section you can see through the trees and undergrowth into the Jewish Cemetery alongside of which is a  small triangle of land which contains the graves of pauper children who died in the Victorian workhouse opposite. This became part of the City General Hospital. Now carry on along the path down past the left of the Remploy factory. Turn right after the factory and the path takes you across a small bridge across Lyme Brook and up quite a steep (but short) hill. At the top the path used to continue to the right to emerge about half way down Clayton Bank, but this is blocked off for the moment while the new estate is being built. I was informed by  the lady following the Woodpecker Walk that it will be opened again once the estate is completed. For now though carry on along the path to emerge on Buckmaster

Avenue.

 

Turn right here and walk to Clayton bank where you turn

 

right again down the Bank. Carry on down to the new traffic lights . If you wish you can carry on here down the bank  to return to town.

If you want to continue, cross the road and you will find quite a steep path (strewn with litter when I was there)  which leads you up to the back of Newcastle Cemetery.  When you reach the Cemetery gate turn sharp left which brings you into the first of the Three Parks. The three Parks are lovely little parks in the centre of the Westlands, well kept, and full of beautiful mature trees. Keep along the path and cross Abbott’s way into the second park. This is very small and soon you cross Friar’s Walk into the third park. Just before the path starts to descend look to the left through a gap in the hedges and you will see the beautiful clock tower of Friarswood School. Head towards the tower through the gap into Chantry Road. At the school turn left for about 40 metres before turning right  into a lane which takes you down to the Coppice Centre. Continue down the steps at the bottom of the lane into Lyme Wood Grove. Walk down the Grove stopping to look at the very impressive gates of the main cemetery entrance and right into Friarswood road. A left at the end of Friarswood Road and you are back in Brook lane with just a short walk back to the car park

This is a great little walk and not too strenuous with lots to see. Take the time to look around you and enjoy some of the beauty that areas close to the town have to offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to Map of start point

Walk 2 - Lyme Valley & Westlands

Newcastle u Lyme