Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. I know this might seem like a weird thread, but given that Alton Towers is not known for its excellent local roads or being easy to access once one leaves the M6 or M1, I’d be interested to know; what driving route do you typically take to Alton Towers once you leave the motorway? From having looked at Maps, there appear to be quite a few different routes to pick from even if limiting your choices to one of either the M1 or M6 rather than both, so I’d be interested to know which way you typically get to the park.
The reason I made this thread is because whenever my dad drives us to Alton Towers, he seems to take us there via a route that none of the satnavs or navigation apps recognise as a route to Alton Towers. From having examined the local roads on a map, he comes off the M6 Northbound at Stoke-on-Trent, near to the Stoke City football stadium, and then briefly takes the A500 before joining the A50 between Stoke and Uttoxeter. He then comes off that road at a roundabout next to a McDonalds in Uttoxeter and drives along a different road through Rocester (past the JCB headquarters), Denstone and then Alton village itself before arriving at the park in a Northbound direction. When I went to the park as a child, I always associated the journey to Alton Towers with things like the JCB plant and the winding through Alton village itself, as that was the way my dad always drove us.
However, as I said above, this route does not seem to be on the radar of any navigation app or satnav. From where I’m based, Maps recommends coming off the M6 at Stafford rather than Stoke-on-Trent and briefly driving along the A513 around the top of Stafford before winding along local roads that don’t even seem to be classified as A or B roads. This takes you through sparse countryside and a number of tiny Staffordshire villages and hamlets before eventually hitting the town of Cheadle and passing through Oakamoor to arrive at the park in a Southbound direction. The only time I’ve ever been driven to the park this way was by my mum, who religiously followed the satnav the whole way and got increasingly angry and confused with each rural Staffordshire village we were directed through…
With this in mind, I’d be interested to know; what is your preferred route to Alton Towers once you’ve left the motorway? Do you follow the route suggested by a navigation app, or do you have a different route that you prefer, as my dad does?
For clarity, I put this in Trip Reports and Plans because I wasn’t sure where else would be better to put it, and I also thought that a discussion about preferable driving routes to Alton Towers may be helpful for folks who are planning a trip.
The reason I made this thread is because whenever my dad drives us to Alton Towers, he seems to take us there via a route that none of the satnavs or navigation apps recognise as a route to Alton Towers. From having examined the local roads on a map, he comes off the M6 Northbound at Stoke-on-Trent, near to the Stoke City football stadium, and then briefly takes the A500 before joining the A50 between Stoke and Uttoxeter. He then comes off that road at a roundabout next to a McDonalds in Uttoxeter and drives along a different road through Rocester (past the JCB headquarters), Denstone and then Alton village itself before arriving at the park in a Northbound direction. When I went to the park as a child, I always associated the journey to Alton Towers with things like the JCB plant and the winding through Alton village itself, as that was the way my dad always drove us.
However, as I said above, this route does not seem to be on the radar of any navigation app or satnav. From where I’m based, Maps recommends coming off the M6 at Stafford rather than Stoke-on-Trent and briefly driving along the A513 around the top of Stafford before winding along local roads that don’t even seem to be classified as A or B roads. This takes you through sparse countryside and a number of tiny Staffordshire villages and hamlets before eventually hitting the town of Cheadle and passing through Oakamoor to arrive at the park in a Southbound direction. The only time I’ve ever been driven to the park this way was by my mum, who religiously followed the satnav the whole way and got increasingly angry and confused with each rural Staffordshire village we were directed through…
With this in mind, I’d be interested to know; what is your preferred route to Alton Towers once you’ve left the motorway? Do you follow the route suggested by a navigation app, or do you have a different route that you prefer, as my dad does?
For clarity, I put this in Trip Reports and Plans because I wasn’t sure where else would be better to put it, and I also thought that a discussion about preferable driving routes to Alton Towers may be helpful for folks who are planning a trip.