A mad spring morning of wild skies and tearing clouds, of heavenly slashes of blue and thunderous slabs of slate grey racing over Staffordshire. Walking up the road into Barlaston, I passed Esperanto House, the UK's weekend rendezvous for speakers of the international language. What a nice thought on a blowy morning - hearty gusts of Esperanto wafting around the Arts and Crafts houses of Barlaston, the village green and the curious modern church.

There's altogether more to “Beornwulf's town” than meets the eye, as visitors discover during Barlaston Wassail each New Year's Eve, what with chariot-racing, dancing on the green and flaring torches lighting a grand late-night procession out to the nearby ridge of Downs Banks. I set out along the processional route and the rain set out after me. It caught me at the top of the bank, a proper grey-out that mercilessly lashed the countryside. Hail sparked in silver jags off the path, wind roared in the stunted oaks along the ridge. Then the storm howled off east, leaving every twig and half-opened bud with a dangling teardrop. I dropped down into the shelter of the hidden valley below Downs Banks, and made my way back to Barlaston along paths gleaming and sticky.

On the outskirts of the village, Barlaston Hall stood square and dignified in red brick, commanding a superb view over ornamental lake and parklands. Hidden beneath the well-mannered paddocks lie abandoned coalmines whose collapsing tunnels almost brought the house down before it was stabilised and restored in the 1990s - a long and painstaking process.

Beyond lay Wedgwood Pottery's leafy industrial estate. There's an excellent visitor centre and a new museum. I shook off the raindrops and went in for a look-see. What the one-legged pottery designer Josiah Wedgwood started in his native Burslem in the 1750s grew into a mighty industry. Wedgwood made creamware for the dinner tables of the world, and blue and black Jasperware for its dressing tables. Techniques have altered, but the craftsmanship hasn't. This dedicated, specialised, intricate craft still flourishes near where it all began.

The walk back to Barlaston lay along the Trent & Mersey Canal, commissioned by Josiah Wedgwood to carry his fragile wares. I'd spent yesterday cruising the waterways towards the Potteries in a slow boat, looking forward to a good walk in this tempting Midlands countryside. It had lived up to all my hopes.

Start & finish Village green, Barlaston, Staffs (OS ref SJ 894384).

Getting there Barlaston or Wedgwood stations (NB, no longer served by trains, but by bus from Stoke or Stafford (www.thetrainline.com). By road: M6 (Jct 15); A34 south; side road to Barlaston.

Walk (Six miles, easy grade, OS Explorer 258): Upper House Hotel entrance (894383) - field path (yellow arrows) to ridge crest (897375) - follow ridge south to road (899363) - return to Barlaston northwards via valley bottom path for 2-3 miles ( left over stile at 900374 to regain ridge). From village green follow

Wedgwood Visitor Centre signs past Duke of York pub (894385) and Barlaston Hall (894391) - cross stile beyond (894393) to road (893396) - left over bridge - right (890395) to visitor centre - return to road - right over railway - left (884393) along canal to Plume of Feathers pub (887383) - left into Barlaston.

For detailed directions, online map and more walks: www.christophersomerville.co.uk

Refreshments Duke of York pub (01782 373316); Plume of Feathers (01782 373753), Barlaston; Wedgwood Pottery tearooms or restaurant.

Accommodation The Graythwaite Guest House, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1DS (01782 612875; www.thegraythwaite.co.uk).

More information Wedgwood Visitor Centre (0870 6061759; www.thewedgwood visitorcentre.com); Wedgwood Museum (01782 371900; www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk); canal cruising (www.hoseasons.co.uk); Stoke-on-Trent TIC (01782 236000; www.enjoyengland.com).

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