Burton upon Trent & National Forest

With an unparalleled brewing heritage and attractions and countryside to get your heart racing, there are plenty of things to do in Burton and the National Forest.

The National Brewery Centre is a gem for real ale connoisseurs, offering an insight into the growth of the brewing industry, ales brewed on-site to sample, and the largest collection of brewery equipment, memorabilia and advertising in the country.

Fans of sporting excellence and the Great Outdoors are spoilt for choice, with pulsating horse racing at Uttoxeter Racecourse, the National Football Centre at St George’s Park, and plenty of walking and cycling routes to choose from.

Explore The National Forest’s vast new and maturing woodland, with the annual walking festival featuring guided and themed walks for all abilities, and The National Forest Way spanning 75 miles, and routes like the Branston to Jackson’s Bank passing through valleys and picturesque villages.

There’s also great cycling in The National Forest, with on and off-road trails like the Wychnor Cycle Route, a circular 20 mile course starting and finishing in Burton and taking in villages like Barton-under-Needwood and Alrewas.

Get back to nature at reserves like Branston Water Park and Fradley Junction, in the heart of Burton at Trent Washlands, and in the gardens of the National Memorial Arboretum as you discover more than 330 thought-provoking memorials.

Make a furry friend on a National Forest Llama Trek and meet pigs, reindeer, rabbits, ducks and more at the National Forest Adventure Farm, before getting to grips with their JCBs in the Big Dig Zone or taking on the huge Maize Maze in the summer.

Shop til you drop at Barton Marina, Mercia Marina and The Octagon Shopping Centre and Coopers Square Shopping Centre in Burton, or pamper yourself with an overnight stay and soothing spa session at Hoar Cross Hall and the Hilton at St George’s Park.

If you’d like to stick around for longer, there are plenty of homely places to stay in Burton, such as the award-winning Amber House, our Bed & Breakfast of the Year in 2016, and one of Staffordshire’s best self-catering properties at Heywood Hall.

And there are some of Staffordshire’s best places to eat in Burton too, such as The Winery, offering gourmet dining on the banks of the River Trent, Michelin Guide mainstay The Duncombe Arms, and Denstone Hall Café, our Tea Room/Coffee Shop of the Year 2016.