The Chained Oak – The Lord's Bridge loop from Alton Towers Resort

Hiking trails & Routes

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire

Staffordshire Moorlands

Farley

The Chained Oak – The Lord's Bridge loop from Alton Towers Resort

Easy

4.7

(3)

hikers

The Chained Oak – The Lord's Bridge loop from Alton Towers Resort

01:36

5.98km

70m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Last updated: October 7, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Guest House

Get Directions

360 m

The Chained Oak

Highlight • Natural

"On an autumn night, the Earl of Shrewsbury was returning to his home at Alton Towers when an old woman suddenly appeared in the road ahead of his horse and coach.

The coach stopped to find why she was there at which point the old woman begged for a coin.

The Earl cruelly dismissed her, so the old woman stated that she would place a curse on him.

The old woman told the Earl that for every branch on the Old Oak Tree that fell, a member of the Earl’s family would die.
The Earl dismissed this and carried on his way.

That the same night, a violent storm caused a single branch from the old oak tree to break and fall.

Later that evening, a member of the Earl’s family suddenly and mysteriously died.

Now firmly believing the power of the curse, the Earl is said to have ordered his servants to chain every branch together to prevent other branches from falling."

The Oak tree remains chained up.

Tip by

422 m

Barbary Gutter Woodland Path

Highlight • Trail

The woodlands, now belonging to Chained Oak Farm were formally owned by Alton Towers, the former seat of the Earl of Shrewsbury.

The track through the wood is called Barbary Gutter. This was used by the Earl as a private road to Saint Giles Church. Both the church and Alton Towers were designed by Pugin.

This track passes the “Chained Oak” tree, the very tree the Earl became obsessed with in 1830.

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743 m

The Lord's Bridge

Highlight • Historical Site

A listed early 19th century bridge of ashlar construction. the bridge has a single arch over the river and two smaller arches either side.

Probably built for the Earls of Shrewsbury as a carriage bridge, now it is the footbridge that connects Dimmingsdale to the Churnet Way (Oakamoor to Denstone) ... and the Chained Oak.

Source: Churnet Valley Guide

Tip by

1.15 km

Reproduction Cast Iron Milepost

Highlight • Historical Site

A very welcome waymark along the hike. One of many useful mileposts identically cast as the 1800 ones which are still to be found along the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Tip by

2.73 km

Bolton's Copper Mill Site

Highlight • Historical Site

Little evidence of this industrial history remains on the site, although the gate posts which once stood either side of the railway are visible in a small copse and some raised stone platforms still exist close to the bridge.

Source: Oakamoorpc

Tip by

2.87 km

Oakamoor Limekilns

Highlight • Historical Site

The kilns at Oakamoor were continuous draw kilns. The kiln was a brick lined pot with a stone face, built into a bank. Being on a bank made it easier to load the kilns fron the top with the heavy alternate layers of coal and limestone. It also made collection of the quicklime at the base of the kilns simpler operation. The steep sides of the Churnet Valley were ideal for limekilns of this type.

The last lime was produced in Oakamoor in 1921.

Source: Churned Valley Guide

Tip by

3.00 km