Route Review: Cheddleton and the Caldon Canal

We asked OS Champion Andrea Day to take a walk using our Staffordshire Walking Guidebook in our latest Route Review. Staffordshire Outstanding Circular Walks contains 28 interesting walks from the moorland of The Roaches and Three Shires Head in the Peak District to the rolling woodlands and open countryside explored from Kinver. Andrea chose a lovely walk to Cheddleton along the Caldon Canal

Cheddleton and the Caldon Canal – Route Review

As a regular hiker, I assumed I knew all the local spots for walking—but this book proved me wrong!

I chose Route 8 – Cheddleton and the Caldon Canal – because it started at Deep Hayes Country Park, a place I hadn’t visited before. It’s not far from home and has the added bonus of a great free car park. The walk itself is just under 10km, which was perfect for getting myself back to match fitness for the season ahead. I also love exploring local industrial heritage, so some of the sights along the route were an added bonus.

The route begins along a towpath through a wooded area, offering welcome dappled shade in the midday spring sunshine. We climbed three picturesque locks and waved to the paddleboarders as they glided under the Hazelhurst Aqueduct, which carries the Leek Branch of the Caldon Canal.

Soon, we emerged into open fields and gained some elevation—spotting a few OS benchmarks along the way.

I unpacked my lunch just past halfway, enjoying the cool shade by the river that feeds Hayes Pool while listening to the rhythmic drumming of woodpeckers.

Later, we climbed a steep set of steps towards Cheddleton, and I was very grateful for the thoughtfully placed bench before taking a pit stop at the charming Old School Tea Rooms—where I went benchmark hunting again!

The final stretch of the walk mirrors the start, following the Caldon Canal towpath. If you’re lucky, you might hear the distant “toots” of steam engines from the nearby Churnet Valley Railway. Combined with the sound of water cascading over the weir, it’s the perfect soundtrack as you stroll past the old Flint Mill—once used during the Industrial Revolution to grind flint for the famous Staffordshire pottery industry.

This route is dog-friendly, though dogs must be kept on leads in the farmland and throughout Deep Hayes Country Park. There are dog waste bins in the car park and at intervals along the towpaths.

The book includes a handy map showing the location of all the routes, making it easy to find one nearby. Even more useful is the “At a Glance” page, where you can compare walks by length, ascent, and estimated duration. The range of circular routes is excellent—everything from a 5-mile flat route to a 10-miler with a 445m climb.

Working through all the routes in this book would be a brilliant way to build up fitness. I enjoyed using it as I walked, learning more about the area and spotting highlights I might otherwise have missed. It’s also a really handy size—small enough to fit in my pocket so I could pull it out and check the route whenever needed.