Stoke-on-Trent to Derby

Why would you cycle from Stoke to Derby, and why would you go to Stoke anyway?

Well the two cities are only 30 miles apart as the crow flies. Ask any passing crow.
Also the cost of a train ticket is a bargain at £6.65 with a railcard.  As well to buy a return ticket (which costs only 5p more than a single) so that you can do part of the journey home by train, from Blythe Bridge, Uttoxeter or Hatton should that become necessary.
And whilst Stoke may not be the most attractive of places to visit, it is a good springboard for cyclists to better places, particularly along the Trent and Mersey Canal and especially the Caldon Canal. See index for details of these rides.
 
For motorists the A50 trunk road is a good fast route, but not for cyclists. The best option for cycling is to use the towpath of the Trent and Mersey Canal southwards to Stone and then follow the B5027 road to Uttoxeter, with a final run to Derby on NCN 549 and NCN 54.

                               Click on map to enlarge.
Mileage breakdown:
                                Stoke to Stone 8 miles
                                Stone to Uttoxeter 15 miles
                                Uttoxeter to Derby 21 miles
                                Total 44 miles

 Alighting from the train at Stoke we leave the station via Car Park 3 and turn left at the junction ahead.  The Trent and Mersey Canal lies down below the fence on the left here.

 Down the long ramp to the water level and the towpath heading South.

 The worst thing about Stoke is the appalling graffiti on the walls,
 but do not be too depressed as there are fewer walls as we get out into the countryside.

Several bridges cross the canal, being numbered from the T & M Canal end where it joins the River Trent on the Derbyshire/ Leicestershire border at Derwentmouth near Shardlow.

 The towpath is hard surfaced all the way to Stone, a distance of some 8 miles, but varies much in quality due to cobblestones and tree roots.

 We are still in the City so lots of industrial buildings alongside.

                             Soon we approach Meaford Power Station.

                And the tunnel which appears to run beneath it.

                        The scenery improves as we leave Stoke behind.

   Innovative waterside seat here mounted on some old wagon wheels

    The locks here are at Stone so we leave the towpath to cross the          bridge ahead.

               Take the path on the right to leave the canal.

                 This road leads into Stone town centre,

The pedestrianised main street has lots of good places to buy food and drink and leads us eastwards towards Uttoxeter.

                                 This is Lichfield Road.

 At the first set of traffic lights we turn left following the B5027 signed "Uttoxeter".

 Climb up the hill, pass over the level crossing and keep on the B5027 all the way to Uttoxeter.

 The road is undulating, passes through pleasant, if not spectacular scenery, and should not be carrying heavy traffic.

                               Another level crossing.

                          A nice downhill run here towards Uttoxeter.

                And here we are at entry to Uttoxeter.

                      Follow the signs pointing to Derby.

                                         Left at junction here.

 At the A50 roundabout we find the NCN 549 path to Derby via                                           Sudbury and Hatton.

  This runs alongside the busy A50 trunk road taking us back into Derbyshire over the River Dove which marks the County Boundary. From here on we follow NCN route 549 which joins Route 54/68 all the way to Derby. This is documented elsewhere on this Blog.
                              Refer to Index.