Leek

Leek is a town in North Staffordshire in the English Midlands.

Understand
Known at the Queen of the Moorlands, Leek is the administrative centre of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. The main industry was silk and textiles, but it has now diversified into tourism and food processing.

By bus
Leek's train station closed in the 1960s so the only real public transport option is the bus.

There are occasional services to Buxton but the most practical option for most visitors is the number 18 bus from Hanley bus station in Stoke-on-Trent (£2 one way, £8.50 for unlimited travel on First Potteries buses all day). This runs once an hour via Stockton Brook, Endon and Longsdon, during the day and runs until just after 6PM. Very limited Sunday service is run by D&G.

The D&G 16, runs from Stoke (Hanley bus station) via Cheddleton and Werrington, roughly twice an hour M-Sa 7AM-8PM. single fare £2, day ticket £3.50 (Feb 2024).

There is an Aimees 109 service every two hours from Macclesfield. No Sunday service and finishes early on a Saturday.

By train
Plans are being considered to reintroduce train links into town. Nearest useful stations are at Stoke on Trent & Macclesfield.

Get around
There is little public transport in Leek though the centre is easy to walk round, taxis are an option. The one bus service within Leek travels through Haregate, which offers exceptionally little in terms of sights or activities. This service is primarily aimed at elderly locals.

See

 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.
 * Rudyard Lake is a reservoir built in 1797 to supply water to the Trent and Mersey canal. It got its name from Ralph Rudyard, who is reputed to have killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's a place of great beauty with and romance. Rudyard Kipling was named after it, as his parents first met at a picnic by its shores. The lake was developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900s by the local North Staffordshire railway company. They took Blondin to tightrope walk across it and Captain Webb to swim after he had first swum the English Channel. It's a mile north of Leek, park in the free station car park.

Do
Take the steam train ride along the lake on the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway.

Take a boat ride on the lake from the Dam Head and walk around the lake.

Support Rudyard sailability, a national centre of excellence for disabled sailing.


 * Leek Blues & Americana festival runs late September.
 * Leek Blues & Americana festival runs late September.

Buy
There is plenty to buy in Leek. There is a market, indoor and outdoor, on Wednesdays and Saturdays in, as you'd expect, the market place - although the quality of the goods on sale varies wildly.

Leek also considers itself a great place to purchase antiques and as much there are numerous antique shops - many of these are clustered on and around St Edwards street and parts of Cheddleton Road.

For day to day needs, Leek has the usual array of supermarkets - Morrison's is on Newcastle Road. There is a small Asda near Haregate, as well as an Aldi, which is closest to the town centre on Haywood street; however, there have been issues involving unfair fines being issued in their car park.

Eat
Leek isn't renowned for its culinary delights but many options do exist. There are a series of the usual Indian and Chinese restaurants throughout the town, as well as the ubiquitous takeaways you'd find in any English town. In addition, many pubs now serve food as well.

Takeaways
These are found throughout the town and many do delivery on orders over £5. Two of the most popular are on the top of St Edwards street.
 * Stake-out (01538399441) - St Edwards street, quick home delivery, friendly service, good quality.
 * Pizza Line(01538398700) - As above.
 * Abbies - Just around the corner, generally good.
 * Moorlands Takeaway - Stockwell Street, could be better.
 * Tangs Dynasty - Stockwell Street Chinese.
 * Emperors Court - Chinese restaurant on West Street, good food.
 * Rudyard - at the Platform 2 cafe at Rudyard Station. Open at weekends year round. Bar meals or carvery at the hotel.

Drink
Leek once boasted the most pubs per capita in the whole of England. Unfortunately economic circumstances have resulted in many of these closing down, the following are all open as of October 2010 (there are more pubs, but these are the highlights). Most of the pubs are centred around St Edwards street, while the bars are largely around the market place.

Pubs



 * Benks (Stockwell street) - Offers multiple pool tables, a jukebox and a good variety of lagers. Also occasionally referred to as the Union, as this was its former name. The rear entrance is on Union street which adjoins Stockwell street


 * The Valiant - Unofficial Stoke City supporters pub. Do not go in there wearing a Port Vale shirt, especially on a match day. Perfectly fine apart from that although it does get loud on match days.

Sleep
There are several hotels in Leek, and the local Tourist information centre (at the Nicholson Museum & Art Gallery) will happily book you a room for a small fee.

Stay safe
Leek is a relatively safe town with little crime. On Friday and Saturday nights the usual drunken chaos occurs, which is to be expected in any English town. There are occasional fights in the Market Place or in the Elmos bar, but these are usually quickly broken up. In addition most are between people who already know each other. There are sometimes large groups of young people hanging around in the evening, but 99% of the time if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone.

Go next
If you're driving then Buxton in Derbyshire is a worthwhile visit and boasts a Theatre amongst other things.

Alton Towers is another favourite among visitors.

Stoke-on-Trent boasts the nearest train station and has the most frequent bus services to/from Leek. This is the easiest route for people without their own car.