Apedale Community Country Park

We have a country park on our doorstep which was once an opencast mine. This is the highest point of the country park which gives great views of the surrounding area across Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent, and beyond into Cheshire and Derbyshire.

This pit wheel and truck are here to commemorate those who worked in the mining industry in Staffordshire.

It's a great place for walks through the woods, meadows and past various pools, with plenty of fungi to photograph as well. That's a bonus for me.

Within the park, there's also the Apedale Heritage Centre to visit. It's on the site of Apedale Colliery. You can take a guided tour of an authentic drift mine. The museum is full of the history of the mine. And there's the Apedale Valley Light Railway too.