Enjoy the Countryside of Stoke-On-Trent

Trains rumble into Stoke station, bustling with activity. Passengers are welcomed by Josiah Wedgwood’s statue.

This region of Staffordshire is commonly referred to as the Five Towns due to its close proximity to coal seams, ivory clay deposits and red or blue Etruria marl deposits. Novelist Arnold Bennett often used recognisable aliases for these towns when writing his works.

Things to do

Stoke-on-Trent offers an abundance of activities and attractions for everyone to enjoy, whether that means thrill-seeking on roller coasters or discovering pottery for yourself! Museums, restaurants and shops all provide something unique, while tours of pottery factories will teach you how to make pots yourself! Or if something more relaxing is your priority then Staffordshire provides numerous National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), National Forest trails to provide ample relaxation space.

This region of England is well known for its long tradition of pottery making. Josiah Wedgwood established his famous Wedgwood China brand here in 1759 – still produced today at Burslem! To learn more, visitors may wish to visit either the Wedgwood Museum or Gladstone Pottery factory, where craftsmen employ traditional techniques.

Westport Lake and Hanley Park provide idyllic outdoor spaces in which to unwind, including Westport Lake and Hanley Park. You can take a relaxing canal boat ride along Westport Canal or hike through nearby Peak District and Staffordshire Downs for breathtaking scenery. Explore its vibrant industrial past through a tour of factories that once powered its growth.

Trentham Gardens provides an unforgettable botanical experience. Here, you’ll discover gardens inspired by other countries across the globe as well as an ancient manor house with grounds to discover. Additionally, hourly feeding talks led by expert guides explain more about the monkeys living here and their personalities.

Stoke-on-Trent boasts numerous theaters, professional football clubs and music venues that showcase cult music acts from West End shows to rising bands. There are also several high-class restaurants as well as Intu Potteries Shopping Center which houses many high-street chains.

Places to stay

The City of Six Towns, or The Potteries, is world-renowned for its world-class visitor attractions and industrial heritage, such as five Victorian parks and the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered. Stoke-on-Trent lies surrounded by Staffordshire Moorlands National Park offering breath-taking scenery, plentiful wildlife viewing opportunities and unmatched outdoor recreational opportunities.

Stoke-on-Trent boasts an enthralling cultural scene, boasting museums, galleries and theatres of every stripe. Renowned potteries line its streets; free educational resources like Potteries Museum & Art Gallery teach visitors all about their history of pottery making; while popular annual events like Literary Festival and British Ceramic Biennial draw huge crowds from far away.

With such a great variety of hotels available throughout the city and its surroundings, discovering its culture is made simple. Bars, clubs and theatres provide ample entertainment during evening hours while restaurants, cafes and shops keep shoppers well fed and satisfied.

Our hotels located in the center of town provide easy access to the area’s landmarks, from the free Potteries Museum and Art Gallery to Alton Towers – one of Britain’s premier amusement parks. Trentham Gardens are must-see spots for botanical enthusiasts, while Ford Green Hall in Smallthorne serves as an Elizabethan house museum; Trentham Monkey Forest houses 140 Barbary macaques; festival Retail Park houses an indoor swimming pool while Waterworld Hanley Festival Park attracts families with young children.

Restaurants

Stoke-on-Trent offers an impressive variety of restaurants and stores offering food delivery through Uber Eats. Use the app to explore new places near you, browse menus and reviews, place orders for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks and order takeout from many locations – simply enter your address to see which locations offer delivery in your area – the highest-rated spots are marked with 5 stars while more budget-conscious options can be distinguished with single dollar signs ($).

Stoke’s architecture owes much to its industrial history. Early bottle ovens and canal-side or railway-related mill, factory, or warehouse buildings emerged within each town due to proximity to transport links and generational workforces. Later pottery factories featured open plan production areas surrounded by windows from floor-to-ceiling that provided ample lighting for tasks like lithography and fettling lithography.

Stoke-on-Trent’s city center features the Grade II listed Wedgwood Museum and Grade I listed Trentham Gardens, both Grade I listings that allow visitors to learn about ceramic history or create their own at Wedgwood Experience Longton. Furthermore, Wedgwood Barlaston factory site now acts as an attraction, while National Trust-owned Potteries House can also be found nearby.

Stoke-on-Trent has long been considered an economic powerhouse, with KPMG proclaiming it the most cost-effective location in Britain for new businesses to open in 2004. With strong financial services, engineering, manufacturing and retail sectors as well as many large retail centres and shopping malls – Stoke-on-Trent boasts an economy replete with diversity.

There are also a number of family-oriented attractions, including Waterworld indoor swimming complex in Festival Park in Hanley and Elizabethan Ford Green Hall historic house museum in Smallthorne. Trentham Monkey Forest south of the city also draws a crowd, boasting 140 Barbary macaques residing within its 60 acre (244,000 m2) enclosure that visitors can explore on foot.

Shopping

Stoke-on-Trent is an energetic city filled with plenty to see and do. The area’s vibrant industrial heritage can be explored at museums and historic sites while outdoor enthusiasts will love exploring the English countryside for a variety of outdoor activities – from strolling lush gardens and boutique shops, to visiting a forest filled with free roaming monkeys!

Birmingham is an educational center, home to three universities and two further-education colleges. Additionally, Birmingham boasts a vast array of leisure and recreation facilities such as sports centres and swimming pools for leisure pursuits; for those wanting an active experience nearby Peak District National Park offers hiking and cycling.

Stoke-on-Trent offers something for every taste and budget when it comes to shopping clothes or homeware, from clothing boutiques and ceramic shops, figurines and mugs, to Trentham Shopping Village with 70 timber lodges housing high street stores and eateries.

Stoke-on-Trent and its surroundings offer numerous transportation options, but bus travel is by far the easiest. A PlusBus ticket allows riders to access all local buses and trains for one full day; residents and visitors alike can make use of this pass to explore more fully the city and its environs.

By foot, it is also easy to explore the city, thanks to several well-marked walking trails. The City Centre can be reached with just a quick bus ride; here, there are shops and restaurants as well as several parks like Hanley Park and Trentham Gardens.

Those interested in exploring the city’s past will want to stop by the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. Dedicated to preserving its rich pottery history, this museum serves as an invaluable introduction to its regional past.

Stafford is also home to numerous professional football clubs and golf courses, as well as scenic parks for strolling, jogging, and cycling. Plus there’s always the surrounding Staffordshire countryside offering more chances for active recreation!