Good family friendly rides in Staffordshire/midlands area

[PistolPete]

Hi everyone - this is my first post here

I'm looking for some nice traffic-free rides to build up the confidence of my son (8) who's just got his first proper bike, and my wife who has finally got back on a bike after about 15 years.

Ideally, they would take less time to drive to from Stafford than they take to cycle and have a reasonable surface (gravel paths and stuff would be fine, but neither my bike nor me is really suited to a muddy downhill MTB track).

Thanks in advance

[Cadence]

Perhaps a bit further than you would like, but Kingsbury Water Park would fit the bill and would make a full day out.

A combination of dedicated tarmac and gravel trails around several lakes - mostly level or thereabouts. The tarmac stretches are former main roads that have been bypassed for years and would be ideal for beginers. They are part of several circular trails that are well signposted.
Plenty of parking (tarmac or grass), toilets, cafe and bike hire. There is also a miniature steam railway that runs on Sundays and also Wednesdays in the school holidays.
Just outside the park and accessed from there via a canal towpath or road is the Dog and Doublet, a decent canal-side pub.

It's about 10 miles from where I live and is part of a circular route for me. It is a very pleasant place to ride and is open all year round.

https://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.u ... water-park

http://www.cyclenorthwarwickshire.org.u ... ng_leaflet

[roubaixtuesday]

I think the Tissington trail would fit the bill?

Drive to Ashbourne then the trail is gradually uphill all the way so when you've had enough it becomes much easier on the way back. There's a couple of ice cream stops en route.

An enthusiastic 8yo could just about do the whole thing (we did it when ours was about that age, aided by those I've cream stops) but still definitely worth while to do even half of it or less.

Definitely need nice weather, it's very exposed on the top but.

[bikepacker]

You have Cannock Chase on your doorstep, why go anywhere else? Miles of good trails and quiet lanes.

[PistolPete]

You have Cannock Chase on your doorstep, why go anywhere else? Miles of good trails and quiet lanes.

It's not like I've ruled it out or anything, I just wondered what was around. When I've looked at the official trails there the ones that seem to be the kind of thing we would want to do are only a couple of miles long.

I've walked a lot of it though, so I do know my way around quite well.

[Cowsham]

We're just back from that area and visited The British Ironworks near Oswestry -- was thinking while there you could do with a bicycle to get around all the exhibits.

But what a great place for an 8 year old. There's acres of park land with hippos, rhinos, tyrannosaurus Rex, wooly mammoths extinct crocs etc etc etc all life sized made from scrap metal. and miles of trails between them. Then I saw the sign that allows bicycles.

I think the main driveway in is free to cycle round and there's loads of exhibits there but entrance to the rest of the park and the indoor sections is only £7.50 not sure what the children's fees are. Well worth seeing this place. There's larger than life Spiderman Superman etc.

[PistolPete]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions -we're planning on visiting some of them over the summer holidays