The Yew Tree, Cauldon
Dimmingsdale and the Ramblers Retreat
I wanted a place to walk on flat ground today. I met Clare by chance in Oakamoor and together we walked along the disused railway track from Oakamoor to Dimmingsdale. The rhododendrons are beautiful around the lake at the moment. We resisted the temptation to stop for coffee on this occasion. There is a lot to do today to get ready for weekend holiday cottage guests. 
Walking weekends
The Staffordshire Moorlands is renowned as an excellent area for walking. Situated on the southern fringes of the Peak District you'll find everything from gentle strolls to energetic hill walks. Some demanding footpaths can be found among the rugged crags of The Roaches or along ancient packhorse trails. Long distance walkers can enjoy the scenic pleasures of the Staffordshire Way, Gritstone Trail and Limestone Way. If you prefer short circular walks there are plenty locally around the wooded valleys of the Churnet Valley - accessed from the front door of Barks holiday cottage.
Alton Towers encourages families
Alton Towers has just issued a press release about its expansion plans. There is much talk of the employment opportunities and spin off to local accommodation providers. Good, good, we like that. The detail of the many statistics, however, didn’t mention how many of the employees at the hotels and theme park are actually from Staffordshire, I suspect considerably more are from seasonal workers from places like eastern europe. Stop me now! I am trying to stick to the the good news . . .
In the report in our local paper, The Sentinal,( http://ow.ly/5mQ7 for full report) Liz Greenwood, Alton Towers communications manager is quoted as saying that they are wanting to move from a teen attraction to a family-friendly destination. Let’s hope they are successful at that. Ms Greenwood said:
"We are trying to reposition ourselves from a teenage market to cater for families. In trying to encourage families to stay for longer, there is a need to provide further accommodation of some kind."
Ms Greenwood said the resort would seek to do more than just erect "world class" roller-coasters – such as the Corkscrew's replacement for 2010, "Secret Weapon Six" – to entice thrill-seekers from all over the UK. She said: "In 2008, we worked extremely hard to attract families and we were very successful – growing in this sector from 35 per cent to 50 per cent of our total volume.
"Now, 75 per cent of our rides and attractions are suitable for children under 10."
Trouble is, that it’s impossible just to stick to this glimmer of good news when there is detail buried in these statistics. Ms Greenwood added that only 10% of the visitors stay at the on site hotels. I shall add to that my guestimate that another 10% stay locally. That means that 80% of the 2.5m visitors are travelling to and from the resort as day trippers (although that isn’t the thrust of the story). That’s a lot of traffic on our country roads, but let’s not start the bypass debate right now! This is another reason why I am focussing on the positive of marketing to families coming for more than one day. I shan’t miss the scary driving habits of the day-tripping twenty-somethings playing hooky off work who, in their eagerness, are pumping their accelerators. Nor shall I rue encountering those enormous coaches of day-trippers that I now associate with the possibility of having dodgy brakes. I shall herald their replacements – I am imagining a stream of well driven family Prius-type cars . . .
So to end on a positive. . . .! I am delighted that more families are being encouraged to come to Alton Towers because many will stay over longer and discover that there is so much more to this area than a theme park. I am confident these families will have a holiday to remember. We will make you welcome. Families of 4 or 5 report that they love it at our holiday cottage, Barks.
Alton Towers Weekend?
Alton Towers just minutes away by car.
All enquiries to 01538 703436 or email barks@btconnect.com. 50% payable on booking, remainder 4 weeks before arrival - please ask for our full Terms & Conditions.
Seaworld at Alton Towers
I thought the Sharkbait Reef Sea Life section at Alton Towers was going to be just one room with a token shark, but then we went round a corner, and another and it goes on for ages.
I felt rather seasick looking through the magnified and curved glass tanks, but became used to it eventually. I was suprised how much I enjoyed spending a bit of time watching the Sea Life creatures and talking to the Alton Towers staff about the Sharkbait Reef exhibits. It's great that the staff are so knowledgeable and keen on what they are doing. They keep the place pristine clean, which is perfect.
Beware the Cleaner Shrimps! You are invited to stick your hand into the tank so that these shrimps can clean off any dead skin. With kids they make for the finger nails but with adults they seemed to love a knuckle or rough thumb. I had a tiny gardening cut on my finger and they very quickly 'cleaned' the wound and left it open again - not great for the following weekend's gardening.
I enjoyed our special visit to Sharkbait Reef Sea Life at Alton Towers and anyone planning a trip should definitely navigate their way to it.
http://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/attractions/sharkbait-reef/
Les Oakes on Gardeners' World
Staffordshire rarely makes it onto TV so I was pretty stunned to see our local Cheadle ‘architectural reclamation’ yard Les Oakes featured on Gardeners’ World. I loved David Oakes’ wheeler dealer TV appearance. Les Oakes have some great stuff lurking in heaps around the yard. We have bought all sorts from there.
I have to say I preferred the original colour scheme of the reclaimed doors and wouldn’t be able to live with the giant wendy house look that the Gardeners’ World team created. I need a shed though!
Alton Towers opens
An increase in enquiries and the hawthorn leaves appearing are both proof of the arrival of spring. Alton Towers opened this weekend, which possibly explains the surge of booking enquiries that we received. Either that or the improvement in the weather. In the last week alone people have contacted us from UK and Ireland with a variety of requirements - with/without children, with/without dogs, weekend walking breaks, accommodation near Alton Towers, and a business stay that requires WiFi. All are welcome at Barks.Perfect walking weather
I walked for miles this weekend. Our friends Lucy & Paul were staying with their wire-haired vizsla so we went out as a pack. First we had to do a short 20 minute circuit for the benefit of my 17 year old lurcher Echo. It served as a hearty appetiser because it is uphill through the woods, has a fresh wind on the ridge and then a couple of fields coming back down where the younger members of the pack can really stretch their legs. The old girl senses we are past the half way mark and trots ahead a little bit until I need to carry her over the stile.
Echo went reluctantly to her basket and we carried on for the main event; down into Oakamoor’s Carr Wood and then back up past Orchard Farm and into the woods. We were out for a couple of hours and enjoyed the best of the weather. I had put too many layers on and ended up with sweater and heavy coat tied around my waist for all serious uphill stretches. Paul had a hip replacement only nine months ago and I was somewhat alarmed when there was a plaintive cry for help at the back and he was lying in the rut of the path. It is soft peaty ground, so luckily he was enjoying the drama of it.
On Sunday the plan was to meet Karen and Megan the spaniel and go for a 1 ½ hour walk in Cotton Dell, but the clock change meant that it was just Lucy and me and the dogs. My whippety-lurcher races up the track likes she’s been let out of a trap, my terrier checks all rabbit holes and the vizsla jumps straight into the river and all further muddy pools of water. This is a fluffy vizsla and a muck magnet, who must have wondered why we were so keen to throw sticks for her into the deeper parts of the brook. The sun shone, the birds were singing and the temperature was perfect for a long walk up hill and down vale.
Later, while I was gardening, a man walked past with his dog and checked directions with me. His wife had dropped him in Alton and he was hiking back to Ipstones – approx 8 miles. We agreed it is perfect walking weather.
Following the walking and gardening, my legs feel quite stiff this morning, so instead of the hour long return walk down to school I confess we went by car, taking all of 3 mins each way. Not the same at all!
Book self catering accommodation near Alton Towers and the Peak District
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In praise of the Staffordshire Oatcake
Our area was described in the article as 'the beautiful surrounding "lost land" of North Staffordshire'. Fair description, I'd say.
On the hunt for Staffordshire Oatcakes? Simple answer, come and stay in our holiday cottage and order our breakfast hamper. We always include them, and we almost always receive queries about how to deal with them.
My neighbour makes his own Staffordshire Oatcakes. I would like to give the impression that I go to the famous, soon to be demolished, hole-in-the-wall outlet in the Potteries but I buy them at the local supermarket or village shop.
As a follow up to the earlier piece on the local butchers, the one in Alton has in fact recently closed. Ian, the butcher, suggested that he'd had enough of working on his own and was off to join his wife's business in Leek. She makes Staffordshire Oatcakes. The ones of hers that I used to buy from Ian were tastier than the supermarket ones, that is for sure. I wish them well.
On the hunt online for Staffordshire Oatcakes? Try Facebook, there are hordes of people seperated from their native "lost land", pining for the tastes of their childhood and musing on whether its preferable to have with melted cheese, beans and bacon, or sweet with syrup . . . ? Don't tell my neighbours, but as an evening snack we like them blini-style with pretend caviar, chopped onion and sour cream. Breakfast has to be cheese, beans and bacon though.
Mice in the bird feed
Winter sun trap
