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SCHOOL VISITS to RUDYARD LAKE & THE LAKE RAILWAY

School or other group visits are very welcome and we will do whatever we can to make them rewarding for your group.

Please let us know what you want to achieve and we will do our best to help. The railway has some current and past teaching staff amongst its volunteers who appreciate the issues around school and group visits. We can supply contact details for recent schools who have visited us.

We offer a specially discounted round trip rate of £2.50 per head for school groups when trains are scheduled to run. We have dates on Wednesdays in June, July and September during school term time. If you want to visit on a day when we are not scheduled to run this can be arranged but special rates may apply. Please contact us for details.

The lake is 2.5 miles in length and is the longest straight stretch of water outside the lake district. The railway starts from Rudyard Station where there is a free car park. The railway runs along side the lake for most of its length and is the ideal way to see the lake. The railway runs on the track bed of the old North Staffordshire Railway and information on the history of lake and railway is available.

A steam train in snow and sun on the Rudyard Lake steam Railway

The Lake is in fact a reservoir for the canal system has a long history set out in detail on the the lake webpage opposite. It is over 200 years old also has its own Navy and again more details are on the webpage devoted to it.

LOCATION

The railway and car park are on Rudyard road, the B5331 one kilometre west from the junction of the A523 Leek to Macclesfield Trunk Road. watch out for the brown signs on the A523 which are about one kilometre North of Leek. The post code if you have a SaT Nav is ST13 8PF. This will take you onto Rudyard Road. The entrance to the station is right next to the old railway bridge. Take the ramp up into the car park.

The railway and lake are close to the Staffordshire, Cheshire & Derbyshire borders and is easy to get to.

Facilities

The railway is the best way to see the lake especially if there are mobility issues. Check out our webpage opposite for more information.

The lake has a variety of boating opportunities including rowing boats, trip boat and dragon boats. Its also home to Sailability a national centre of excellence for disabled sailing.

A New children's adventure play area designed by the children of the local St. John’s School is open on the Dam Head. It has a tunnel, climbing frames etc. Find the talking tree if you can and view the birds from the hide.

Platform 2 cafe our catering facilities is open at Rudyard Station at weekends from mid March to the end of October and on selected dates midweek in summer. There are party options available. Please ask for details.

Our new large covered picnic area is available at Rudyard Station without any extra charge for booked school parties. However a room indoors is also available at the Lake activity centre near to the Dam Station. Telephone Ray Perry 07718 808881 or email info@rudyardlake.com for details.

The Railway History

Rudyard Lake is a historic site where Rudyard Kipling's parents met and named their son after the spot they met. The lake railway uses narrow gauge steam engines on its trains and is just North of Leek in Staffordshire close to the borders of Cheshire and Derbyshire.

The lake was originally developed by the North Staffordshire Railway Company to offer days out to the workers of the Midlands and North West. Rudyard Lake retains its beauty and serenity and was recently named the 3rd most romantic spot in the UK. The lake is a great school day out and centre for picnics , sailing, boating and fishing as well as riding the steam train. It makes a superb day out for children. The steam trains run whatever the weather and have covered coaches.