landmark
Alton Towers
Major British theme park set in the grounds of a historic estate in Staffordshire with record-breaking coasters.
25 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Stafford
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Stafford
Stafford is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Great Haywood, 36km from Dovedale.
Stafford is in England, United Kingdom, with about 70,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Great Haywood, about 8 km away.
Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about 15 miles (24 km) south of Stoke-on-Trent, 15 miles (24 km) north of Wolverhampton and 24 miles (39 km) north-west of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 at the 2021 census, and is the main settlement within theRead more
larger Borough of Stafford, which had a population of 136,837 in 2021.
Stafford has Anglo-Saxon roots, being founded in 913, when Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, founded a defensive burh; it became the county town of Staffordshire soon after. Stafford became an important market town in the Middle Ages and later grew into an important industrial town, due to the proliferation of shoemaking, engineering and electrical industries.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Stafford?
Within an hour or so of Stafford: Alton Towers (25 km), Ironbridge Gorge (32 km), Black Country Living Museum (32 km), Black Country Living Museum (Peaky Blinders) (32 km).
Are there any good drives near Stafford?
The nearest famous roads are A54 Congleton to Buxton, A537 Cat and Fiddle Summit and Goyt Valley road, Peak District.
Where is Stafford?
Stafford is in England, United Kingdom, about 8 km from Great Haywood.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 70,145
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 52.8052, -2.1164
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Stafford
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Ironbridge Gorge
Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the world's first iron bridge built in 1779.
32 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Black Country Living Museum
Open-air museum rebuilding an industrial Black Country town: canal boats, a working replica Newcomen engine, 1930s fish and chips fried in beef dripping, and a coal mine walk. A key Peaky Blinders filming location.
32 km · about 35 min drive
film location
Black Country Living Museum (Peaky Blinders)
The open-air museum in Dudley provides the canal-side streets and workshops of Peaky Blinders' Small Heath.
32 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Dovedale
A limestone valley of caves and pinnacles crossed by famous stepping stones over the crystal River Dove.
36 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Thor's Cave
Vast natural cavern with a 10m symmetrical arched mouth gaping from a limestone crag 80m above the Manifold Valley. The scramble up is short and the view through the arch is one of the Peak District's best.
36 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Dovedale and the Stepping Stones
A limestone ravine of caves, spires and the famous stepping stones across the River Dove.
36 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
The Peter James Collection
A remarkable private collection of over 100 classic and vintage cars on display in Birmingham.
39 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Stafford
- 44 kmA54 Congleton to BuxtonA fast moorland alternative to the Cat and Fiddle, rolling over the Peak District's western edge past Danebridge and the Cheshire border.
- 49 kmCat and Fiddle ViewpointA high-altitude viewpoint on the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton, one of England's highest roads with expansive moorland vistas.
- 49 kmGoyt Valley road, Peak DistrictA quiet reservoir road between Errwood and Fernilee in the Goyt Valley, wooded and twisting, often closed to through traffic on summer Sundays.
- 49 kmA537 Cat and Fiddle SummitThe 515 m high point of the A537 between Buxton and Macclesfield, long one of Britain's most notorious motorcycling roads.
- 51 kmCat and Fiddle RoadA thrilling moorland road between Macclesfield and Buxton in the Peak District, one of the UK's most famous driving roads.
- 51 kmCat and Fiddle Road (A537)The moorland road between Macclesfield and Buxton, a Peak District favourite with sweeping bends and long sightlines. Average-speed cameras now cover it.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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