World famous for many of its leading attractions - including the World of Wedgwood, The Trentham Estate, nearby Alton Towers, and The Staffordshire Hoard - the City of Stoke-on-Trent can also boast the UK's only Monkey Forest, a tribute to the toilet, and the “home” of the Great British Pottery Throw Down.  Here's a round-up of seven of the most unusual attractions around The Potteries… 

Get naked from the knees down

The Barefoot Walk on The Trentham Estate in Stoke-on-Trent is one of the most unusual experiences on offer in any Capability Brown landscape in Britain.  Using the science of Sebastian Kneipp, The Barefoot Walk - over an array of testing textures including (lots of) mud, bark, babbling streams, grass, pebbles - is based on therapeutic principles.  But it's also simply great fun - for all ages. 

Spend a penny, or two, at Museum of the Loo

Flushed with Pride is a remarkable gallery within the historic Gladstone Pottery Museum, dedicated to the history of the toilet.  Lifting the lid on the role that potters played in its development, it allows visitors to follow the story of the WC from the time of Queen Elizabeth 1 through to the toilet of our future.  A fun, noisy, touchy-feely display for kids of all ages, the gallery features the sights, sounds and smells of a Victorian slum and encourages visitors to discover some of the unusual historical alternatives to toilet paper.

Meet the first knight of football on a city-wide sculpture trail

A statue to the Wizard of the Dribble, the first knight of football, Sir Stanley Matthews is just one of many outstanding pieces of public art, which can now be seen on a Potteries-wide Sculpture Trail in Stoke-on-Trent.  Three nine-foot statues were made by local artists, showing Sir Stanley at different stages of his football career, which spanned more than 30 years.  The location of the statue is Stoke City FC's home stadium, but it points towards the club's old Victoria Ground where Sir Stanley used to torment visiting defenders.

Go potty with a name you can Trust

For over 200 years, Spode made some of the world's finest ceramics ceramics in its original factory in Stoke.  Its demise in 2008 was seen by many, as the passing of one of the greatest names from the British Industrial Revolution.  Fortunately the Spode brand, was bought by Portmeirion, another local pottery company and Spode wares continue to be made elsewhere in Stoke to this day.  What few people know, however, is that the Spode Museum Trust was able to raise the finance to remove a large ceramics collection into safe storage away from the Spode site and then - in 2012 - supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, open the Spode Works Exhibition in one of the buildings on the original Spode site.  The City Council has now purchased the entire Spode factory site and has prepared detailed plans for its regeneration.

Walk with 140 barbery macaques

Trentham Monkey Forest is the only place in the UK where it's possible to walk amongst 140 Barbary macaques.  The monkeys live in total freedom; and a woodland trail allows visitors to walk amongst the them and watch their everyday antics - as they swing from the trees, lounge on the grass and even walk straight past you.  Guides situated along the way provide you with interesting information about the monkeys, and will keep you up to date with what they are getting up to.

Enter the home of BBC TV's Great British Pottery Thrown Down

In 2015, Middleport Pottery, in Burslem, hosted the crew and stars of a brand new BBC TV show, which went in search for Britain's best amateur potter.  The Great Pottery Throw Down presented by Sara Cox, made by the same production company responsible for The Great British Bake Off, was an instant hit.  And a second series will be filmed in The Potteries for transmission this Autumn.  Middleport Pottery itself recently reopened to the public, following an £8.5-million restoration project under the auspices of The Prince's Regenration Trust.

See fairies in a garden

Everyone knows that fairies live at the bottom of the garden.  At Trentham, however, they live all over the spectacular gardens.  The Fairy Trail, featuring 14 beautifully sculptured creatures, is included in the price of admission to the award winning Trentham Gardens.  The latest fairy to fly in is “Spring”, who is seen springing from one giant dandelion to another.

For all other tourist information about Stoke-on-Trent & The Potteries, visit http://www.visitstoke.co.uk.

Ends

For further information, and images, please contact:

Tim Sharman

Tel: 01782-232817

E-mail: tourism@stoke.gov.uk