Staffordshire

I’ll be honest and admit that my memories of Staffordshire before a recent visit weren’t the best. I’m a regular visitor to the Lake District which means travelling up the dreaded M6 and the area around the Stafford junctions always seemed to claim first prize for worst traffic hotspot during our six-hour journey.

So when the opportunity arose to actually leave the M6 and spend a few days exploring this oft-forgotten county, it got me thinking: Where would we visit? What would be on offer for our two children? Is it a county which boasts myriad attractions?

To our delight, Staffordshire, when put to the test, passed with flying colours; it might not be on the tip of everyone’s tongue when choosing a short-break destination, but I hope it soon will be because it has much to offer.

We began our adventure in this landlocked county by exploring The Trentham Estate, comprising 750 acres of beautiful park and woodland, lakeside walks and award-winning gardens. Oh, and parking is free, too!

There is so much to see and do in these splendid surroundings that you can easily occupy an entire day. Gardening doyen Alan Titchmarsh described it as one of the “UK’s must-see gardens” and that’s where we began our visit, admiring the colour and designs; the fully restored Italian Garden, planted with an amazing 80,000 perennials, was our favourite.

There is plenty on offer for the whole family. All four of us enjoyed navigating our way through the Hornbeam hedge maze, christened the Hide and Speak Maze because special talking pipes dotted around the area can be used to help you find the right route; but we felt proud to reach the tall grass mound marking the end without having to resort to the pipes.

After the maze, the children enjoyed the large play area before we all rolled up our trouser legs and embarked on the Barefoot Walk, a trail through woodlands and meadows; we walked across water, a bed of rubber coals, squelched our way through mud and over an array of other textures, including bark. Thankfully, taps at the end of the trail meant we could wash our feet before moving on.

The Trentham Estate is a perfect spot for a picnic. We spread our blanket and tucked into sandwiches bought at Trentham Shopping Village, just outside the gardens’ entrance, where 60 timber lodges house shops, cafés and restaurants. After feeling comfortably replete, we enjoyed a boat ride and a stroll around part of the lake before heading down the road to Trentham Monkey Forest, where you can walk along twisting paths amongst 140 free-roaming monkeys. It’s an amazing experience and I’d recommend visiting when the baby monkeys are small (it’s closed January and February); we chose a fine August day and the young ones were running around everywhere.

Monkey Forest, which again has free parking, plays an important role in helping educate people about the endangered Barbary macaque’s world. The staff – who are on hand around the entire route – are top drawer. Whenever we asked questions, they knew the answers and delighted in passing on their knowledge.

The layout makes for a pleasant woodland walk, and after you’ve finished admiring the monkeys, there is a grassed picnic area, an adventure playground, homemade cooking in the café and other attractions to enjoy. I highly recommend a visit.

For our first night in Staffordshire, we stayed at The Moat House Hotel, a four-star, family-owned luxury hotel in the village of Acton Trussell. Dating back to the 14^th century, it boasts an award-winning restaurant and 41 finely appointed bedrooms. Its website states you can expect a “warm, friendly welcome” and I’m pleased to say it’s a genuine welcome, too. The staff were friendly and attentive, no more so than in the Orangery Restaurant, with its wood floors, chandeliers, high ceilings and efficient air conditioning system (much needed, being a warm August evening).

Despite a function taking place at the hotel, there was still an air of calmness in the restaurant. What made the experience even more enjoyable was the staff being flexible regarding the menus. One area I always consider when reviewing a restaurant is whether staff can accommodate those who want to adjust their dish slightly – particularly if you’re ordering for children. Such requests weren’t any trouble at The Moat House and it’s easy to see why it’s held two AA rosettes for more than a decade.

The hotel is located close to the M6 which means it’s easily accessible; it’s true, there is a little traffic noise from the motorway in certain parts of the hotel if your bedroom window is open, but it’s nothing to worry about. Our bedroom was spacious, well-equipped and offered free wi-fi. Outside the rooms, staircases were grand and walking around the hotel was pleasurable.

My only gripe is the lack of non-dairy options, such as soya milk, at breakfast. Otherwise, it was a very pleasant stay in a great location, situated on the banks of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.

The hotel wasn’t too far (about 25 miles) from Drayton Manor Theme Park, near Tamworth, where we spent the following day. Home to over 100 rides and attractions, as well as a mini zoo, Thomas Land and plenty of places to eat, it turned out to be a fun day for all of us.

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Beforehand, I was worried about spending the lion’s share of our time queueing, especially as Drayton doesn’t operate a fast-track system like other theme parks. But I was pleasantly surprised and didn’t find it a problem at all. There are rides to suit all ages – as well as all levels of bravery! And with the site being compact and neatly laid out, it was easy to walk around.

Don’t leave Staffordshire without spending a few hours strolling around the cathedral city of Lichfield, situated around 16 miles north of Birmingham. A delightful city, its main attractions include a three-spired medieval cathedral, a charming city centre boasting over 230 listed buildings and plenty of cosy cafés and tea shops.

And when it comes to sourcing somewhere to stay, you won’t find a more centrally-located hotel than The George.

This Best Western hotel, an 18^th century former coaching inn with free parking at the rear, was the setting for Irish dramatist George Farquhar’s comedy, The Beaux Stratagem.

Just like The Moat House, staff were welcoming and flexible in the restaurant when it came to serving children. The food at dinner and breakfast was delicious (although no soya milk again) and prices for meals in the restaurant and bar very reasonable.

Although parts of the interior décor were a little dated and the lack of a lift to the second floor meant having to carry heavy suitcases a fair distance to our bedroom, this didn’t spoil what was a very enjoyable stay.

Our bedroom was large with free wi-fi; air-conditioning is present in the majority of the 45 rooms. Superior bedrooms are particularly spacious with a separate seating area, robes, slippers and complimentary water; four-poster beds are available, too.

We finished our highly recommended visit to Staffordshire with a drive around Cannock Chase, admiring the beautiful countryside covering 26 square miles. This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offers rolling hills, swathes of heather, bracken and miles of quiet forest tracks. We stopped the car frequently and took a stroll, appreciating the tranquillity.

Our trip was coming to a close but we decided that we’ll be exploring more of Staffordshire in the future. It’s definitely an underestimated county which deserves to be on everyone’s “Must See” list.

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