Exploring Apedale & Silverdale Country Parks near Newcastle Under Lyme, North Staffordshire

Just a short one today, I had been planning to take a deeper dive into Silverdale Country Park but as I’m currently recovering from COVID, I chose a shorter route. I may return and do the far side of the country park as part of another route down to Keele and Bateswood Nature Reserve. 

So we are in North Staffordshire near Newcastle Under Lyme, I drove in from Newcastle and up the hill from Knutton to the starting point near Alsagers Bank. Our route takes us through Silverdale Country Park. Coal and Iron has been mined here since Roman times and the current mine dates from 1763 and was closed in 1998 to form this lovely country park. Make sure you check out the Guardians Sculpture by local artist Luke Perry, on one side you have Ken Healy who worked at the pit and on the other Jean Price a miners wife and activist, the way the eyes are cut out against the skyline is really striking. We head down to the Void, what remains of the opencast coal mine before looping back through to Apedale Country Park and past the Apedale Heritage centre which has a cafe, museum, mine tours and short trips on the steam train from Silverdale Station.

The Route

Starting from Black Bank Car Park, cross High Street and take the stile opposite into the field. Head diagonally right to the far corner then turn left into Silverdale Country Park. At the Guardians sculpture continue straight on keeping The Void to your left. At the bottom of the hill follow the path around to the left then turn left down to the lake at The Void. Turn right and then right again, following the path around the lake. At the far end of the lake take the path on the right and then immediately right again climbing up to the top of the valley on the far side. Turn left and then where the path forks bear right. Follow the path straight on which will bring you back to High Street. Cross the road straight on through the Apedale Community Park Car Park and down the hill. Turn right near the bottom of the hill and left into Loomer Road and follow it to Apedale Heritage Centre. Continue straight on at the T junction in the track turn left up the hill, just follow the main track up the hill and around to the left, it comes out back at our starting point.