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Forest Park to Westport Lake (Stoke-on-Trent)

Route facts

Waterways:
Caldon Canal »
Trent & Mersey Canal »

Distance: 8.08 miles / 13 km

Duration: 2 hours.

Difficulty: Easy

Circular route from: Central Forest Park

A ride through some of the parks and open spaces of Stoke-on-Trent, via the Caldon Canal and the Trent & Mersey Canal.

This route is provided by Cycle Stoke. For more routes in the area, visit their website.

Getting there

Parking: Car park at start point in Central Forest Park.

 

Waypoints

1. Central Forest Park

Leave car park with the lake on your right and take the left hand path. Follow the path through the park, until you exit by a metal tree. Cross side road and walk on footway over Town Road bridge.

Easting: 388615, Northing: 348705

2. City centre

Turn right under Potteries Shopping Centre bridge and then left onto cycle path in Stafford Street. At the end of the path, go down Piccadilly. Turn left at traffic lights and cross Albion Street. Go along Bethesda Street and cross Potteries Way. At the T-junction, turn right onto Regent Road.

Easting: 388227, Northing: 347757

3. Hanley Park

Follow Regent Road to Hanley Park. Enter park and bear left, following main path. Cross canal bridge. Before lake, turn right, and right again. Follow path round to green bowls pavillion fork left to access point to Caldon Canal. Turn left along towpath.

Easting: 388204, Northing: 346704

4. Etruria Junction

After the Etruria Industrial Museum, you will reach the point where the Caldon Canal joins the Trent and Mersey canal. Turn right onto Trent and Mersey Canal towpath.

Easting: 387156, Northing: 346871

5. Marina

Pass marina, cross canal by footbridge and rejoin towpath, continuing north. At next bridge, re-cross canal and continue north up towpath, going past Festival Park.

Easting: 386883, Northing: 347416

6. Westport Lake

When you reach Westport Lake, leave the towpath by the Visitor Centre and cross the canal bridge. Join the greenway and pass through two tunnels. At a fork in the path, go right. At old railway buffers, turn right and right again down steep hill. Cross Scotia Road at traffic island and turn right along path past old train boiler.

Easting: 385758, Northing: 350123

7. Dimensions Leisure Centre

Cross leisure centre cark park, go over wooden bridge and follow path past football stadium on left. Continue through two tunnels.

Easting: 386755, Northing: 350485

8. Burslem Park

You will reach an open space with access ramp to Burslem Park and Burslem town centre. Go through two more tunnels and over two bridges, passing the Moorcroft Pottery on your left. Cross New Leek Road, go up steep greenway and fork left at top.

Easting: 387225, Northing: 349957

9. Central Forest Park

Cross road and re-enter Central Forest Park. Follow path down steep hill and turn left at bottom to return to lake and car park.

Easting: 388257, Northing: 348907