Greenway Bank Country Park

The steep climb up Greenway Bank rewards you with proper views across the Staffordshire moorlands - the kind of spot where you can actually see why people chose to settle here centuries ago. It's a country park just outside Stoke-on-Trent, and while it won't take your breath away (the name's a bit of an overstatement), it's a solid hour's walk if you've got the legs for it.

What you're really getting is open moorland, a decent footpath network, and the chance to stretch properly without dodging crowds. The views aren't postcard-perfect, but they're honest - working countryside rather than chocolate-box stuff. Clear days reveal quite a bit of the surrounding landscape, which helps explain why it's been walked for generations.

This works best for walkers who fancy something low-key between Stoke and the Peak District proper. Families with younger kids might find it a bit bleak and exposed on bad weather days - there's not much shelter or distraction if anyone gets bored. History types will appreciate the old tracks that crisscross the area, though signage could be better.

It's free to visit, as with most country parks, and you can park up near Stoke-on-Trent easily enough. If you're camping nearby at Castle Camping or Sky View Caravan Park, it's close enough for a morning excursion before heading elsewhere. Worth building into a day rather than making a special trip, but solid ground if you're already in the area.