Thrills and wildlife in Staffordshire
From theme parks to unique wildlife experiences, Staffordshire has adventure, culture and beautiful surroundings - perfect for a family break
Never having been to Staffordshire before, we headed up there to find out just what the area can offer families on a day trip or short break.
We made a beeline for the UK's most famous theme park, Alton Towers. Nestled among the rolling hills and woodland of the Staffordshire countryside, the park caters for kids of all ages. It is divided into ten imaginatively themed areas, such as Ug Land, Katanga Canyon and Merrie England, and you can get around either by strolling along tree-lined pathways or by taking the cable car Skyride, which gives stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Rides galore
Our 'team' split up into the daredevils (husband Bob and eight-year-old Charlie) and gentle adventurers (four-year-old Louis and me). Aside from an initial disappointment at being too small for rides such as Air and Nemesis (appeased with promises of returning once he's grown) the daredevils loved The Blade, The Corkscrew and Spinball Whizzer (voted 'best ride' by Charlie).
Louis and I opted for the gentler attractions in Old Macdonald's Farmyard, the thrilling (for us anyway) Beastie, and Squirrel Nut Ride. But the big hit for Louis was definitely the Peugeot 207 Driving School. He passed his 'driving test' no fewer than five times!
Joining forces again, we headed for the Tea Cup ride (which is faster than you would imagine!), Congo River Rapids and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Ride! My personal favourite was the Runaway Mine Train. Screeching around in the pouring rain made it all the more exciting.
Pirates and inventors
After a full and somewhat exhausting day around the park we took the mono-rail back to the Alton Towers Hotel, and relaxed in the beautifully landscaped gardens while the children hopped back and forth over the stepping stones across the lake. The hotel is themed around the world of Sir Algenon Alton, the famous traveller and inventor, and is filled with crazy inventions and a wonderful pirate ship that is perfect for little climbers.
The hotel not only has child-friendly restaurants, but also a bar and evening entertainment for kids and grown-ups. We dined in the Secret Garden restaurant, which has mouth-watering dishes for grown-ups as well as a healthy and appealing kids' menu, then watched the pirate-themed kids' cabaret.
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