The Piggery - bijou country home

Stay in our converted piggery, built out of local stone and set in lovely grounds on the edge of Ipstones. Set back from a narrow country road which is barely trafficed, you will feel the stresses of modern life slip away. The Piggery is decorated as a tiny house, complete with its own shower and toilet and warmed by underfloor heating. The Piggery is a great base for visits to Alton Towers, The Peak District, The Potteries and for outdoor pursuits. We are in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands, with walks into the Churnet valley on the door step. In September you can hear the resident stags rutting in the Churnet woods when the sun starts to set. You could walk down to Frogall by the canal and steam railway watching out for Kingfishers and with an ear open for woodpeckers. Hetty's tearoom is a lovely cafe/restaurant, recently opened in an old mill-building on the canal, which serves fabulous light snacks (the obligatory Staffordshire oatcake!) and a variety of cakes, including gluten free. We are 15 mins from the spectacular Roaches, with lovely walks of elevation, gritstone and heathers. (Stop off at The Lazy Trout in Meerbrook for excellent food). Ilam and Dovedale are highly recommended as a pretty but unique Staffordshire village with the famous stepping stones and flat topped hill.Our family lived there for generations, so Dad or I can probably bore the bones of you with Ilam knowledge! I'll leave it for you to ask... For cyclists the area is superb! There are many routes, challenging hill climbs and great training ground for serious competitors. For those after something more leisurely, try the Manifold Valley cycle track, through the cast scenery of the White Peaks. look out for Thor's Cave and sit by the river at the Manifold cafe with a refreshment. For gardeners I recommend a visit to Trentham Gardens, quite breathtaking planting in the restored gardens by Europe's finest designers (and also attractive cabin retail units). Locally, Consall Hall at the head of the Churnet Valley has beautiful landscaped gardens, splendid in Spring with the Rhodedendrons and Azalaes in flower. The iconic Chatsworth Hall is a lovely country drive away and for those looking for Instrusrial history, Stoke-on -Trent is the place for you! Gladstone Pottery is an excellent museum, I don't know anyone who hasn't been fascinated with a day there, or come home without having tried to throw a pot or paint a china flower! Emma Bridgewater, she of the spotty mugs, has breathed some life back into Stoke with her highly successful factory. It is worth a visit to the factory shop and the boho/Industrial cool cafe and decorating studio. After all that you will be so glad to sink onto the super comfy double bed or sip some wino on the patio, fire pit blazing and soak up the complete peace and quiet. Unfortunately ,The Piggery is not suitable for accompanying dogs. Although dinky, you have a retro kitchen unit with kettle (tea and coffee provided), a toaster, fridge and microwave and all the necessary crockery. Ipstones is a pretty village in the Staffordshire moorlands with a thriving community spirit. With three pubs, a shop and butchers to cater for your needs, friendly locals abound and frequent music nights (Sunday night acoustic night at The Sea Lion). The walking surrounding The Piggery is excellent - it is just off the Staffordshire Way, on the doorstep of Consall and Froghall Warf, which use the industrial heritage to great use with canal cafes and pubs and steam railway. The ale rail is a great way to enjoy what local beers and ciders are around with a trip on the train! f you don't want to think about cooking on your break we have two pubs which serve food in the village ( and one for people looking for a traditional local with a great range of whisky). They are 10 minutes walk down the country lane, so park up and potter down! I recommend The Marquis of Granby for a great meal at really good prices. it is popular round here though, so booking is necessary! There are a many other recommendations around, with Leek, Ashbourne , Cheadle and Buxton offering plenty for every palette.