Ilam and the River Manifold

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Our view

"Explore the countryside once walked by Izaak Walton, often regarded as the 'Father of Angling'."

Walk directions

Leave the car park from the corner by the information panel (pedestrian exit) and turn right through a black iron gate. Follow the ‘Circular Walk’ on a faint track through the park around to the right. Cross a stile and turn left on to the road out of Ilam village. Go uphill, then turn left on to the Castern and Throwley Road. Fork left with the road towards The Orchards, then across Rushley Bridge.

Go through Rushley Farm, then turn right through an easily missed walkers’ gate. It’s beside sheep pens and before the drive up to Musden Grange. A second gate leads into hilly pasture. Bend left into a valley bottom, continuing through woodland then several fields.

Go over a series of stiles and gates and, at the final one, turn left on to a country lane. At the crossroads turn left towards Ashbourne. Go left through a gate at the next public footpath sign, and cross the field diagonally to a double stile. Maintain your direction diagonally across six fields, passing just to the left of a farm and crossing a tall and wide stile through a holly hedge.

At a gate in the hedge to the right of Fieldhead Farm turn left on to the gravel track. Follow this round the boundary of the farm then, at the second bend left, take the easily missed second footpath on the right (just to the right of a metal gate).

Follow the field edge path uphill. In the next field, pass a small depression in the ground then follow the left wall down the field. Join a farm road, pass a derelict farmstead, then veer right of the track. Head beside the field wall then through a gap stile in the far corner

Follow the direction pointer past a redundant gap stile to a fallen down waymarker where fields to your right come to a corner at a tumbledown section of wall. Go right and follow the new wall on your right at the top of a sloping field. Go through a collapsed gap and veer diagonally left downhill, aiming just to the left of the pointed hill (Thorpe Cloud) ahead. After crossing both a clear then a faint vehicle track, the path through the grass becomes clearer.

Go across two fields, a stile and then a bridge and into Ilam Park. Turn right on to a track then at a gate fork left and uphill on a broad track that crosses the grounds back to the car park. Note that where the track fades, you should stay left of an apparent waymarker – it’s just an orienteering post.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Tarmac roads, parkland, open hillside and and shady woodland (may be muddy), many stiles

Landscape - Parkland, woodland and hillside

Dog friendliness - Keep on lead unless threatened by cattle

Parking - At Ilam Hall National Trust pay car park

Toilets en route - At Ilam Hall

Walks in Staffordshire Dog-friendly walks in Staffordshire

About the walk

The Manifold and Dove Rivers were both fished by Izaak Walton, known as the ‘Father of Angling’, and the author of The Compleat Angler, or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Since the first edition appeared in 1653 it has never been out of print. Born in Stafford in 1593, Izaak Walton moved to...

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Staffordshire features lofty moors, deep dales and tremendous views of both. Further south are the six sprawling towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent, which historically have had such an impact on Staffordshire’s fortunes, not to mention its culture and countryside.