Apedale Heritage Centre
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Newcastle-under-Lyme
What it’s like
A real drift mine you go down with a guide, plus a museum, a light railway and mining kit you can actually get close to.
The main event is the mine tour: a guide takes you underground into an actual drift mine, not a mock-up, and walks you through what it was like to work there. It's only on weekends and bank holiday Mondays, running from 11am to 3pm, so a weekday visit gets you the museum and railway but not the tunnels.
Kids need to be five or over to go underground, which is fair enough given what's down there, but it does mean this isn't a toddler day out. Above ground there's a museum to wander round, a surface mining exhibit with real artefacts, and the Apedale Valley Light Railway to ride, so younger children still get a proper morning out even if the mine's off limits to them.
Entry to the site is free, and you only pay for the mine tour itself, £10 for an adult and £6 for a child or senior, or £26 for a family of four. That's a decent structure if you've only got one or two kids keen on the tour and everyone else is happy pottering about outside.
The café does drinks, snacks and meals, including North Staffordshire oatcakes if you fancy something local, though hot food is reduced on Mondays. Parking's on site but about 600 yards from the entrance, and there's a 6'6" height barrier that catches out taller vehicles, so it's worth knowing before you turn up in anything van-shaped.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 and up; under-fives are welcome above ground but not down the mine
- Parking
- On site, about 600 yards from entrance
- Food
- Café serving drinks, snacks and meals including North Staffordshire Oatcakes
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair available to borrow
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only in café and museum
- Getting there by bus or train
- Bus 4/4A from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Chesterton nearby
- The mine tour only runs weekends and bank holiday Mondays, 11am to 3pm, even though the café's open daily.
- There's no booking link listed for the mine tour, so it seems to work on a turn-up basis within those hours.
- The 6'6" height barrier at the car park can mean roadside parking for taller vehicles.
- A wheelchair is available to borrow for the accessible parts of the site, though the mine itself is off limits.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Getting onto the site is free. The mine tour is £10 for an adult, £6 for a child or senior, or £26 for a family of two adults and two children.
Do we need to book the mine tour?
There's no booking link listed, so it looks like a turn-up-on-the-day arrangement during the tour hours.
What age can go down the mine?
Five and up. Under-fives aren't allowed underground for safety reasons.
When can we do the mine tour?
Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays only, 11am to 3pm. The museum keeps the same days and hours.
Is the mine accessible for wheelchairs?
No, the mine tour isn't accessible for wheelchair users. Reception, the lamp room and café are wheelchair friendly, and there's a wheelchair to borrow.
Is there parking?
On site, but it's about 600 yards from the entrance and there's a 6'6" height barrier, so taller vehicles may need to park on the road instead.
What food is there?
A café serving drinks, snacks and meals, with North Staffordshire oatcakes on the menu. Hot food is reduced on Mondays.
Can we bring the dog?
Only assistance dogs are allowed in the café and museum, but there's outside seating if you've brought a dog along.
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