Westport Lake
🏟 Playground & park · Longport / Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent
Westport Lake
Stoke's largest lake and nature reserve near Tunstall, with a well-equipped children's playground, a level lakeside walk and a visitor-centre cafe.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Park and lakeside paths open daily during daylight hours; visitor centre and cafe hours vary (check before visiting) · Free · No booking needed
📍 Location & directions
Address: Westport Lake Road, Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4RZ
Plus Code: 9C5V2QXP+64
About Westport Lake
Westport Lake is Stoke-on-Trent's largest expanse of open water, a lake and local nature reserve on the edge of Tunstall near Longport. The lake is owned by the Canal and River Trust and the wider park is operated by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, with a visitor centre overlooking the water. It is a popular, free family destination built around a level footpath of about one mile that loops the lake, making it easy going for buggies and less mobile visitors, and wheelchairs are available to hire. For children there is a spacious playground near the visitor centre with lots of equipment, including slides, swings and climbing frames, set over cushioned safety flooring. The visitor centre is home to a welcoming cafe with panoramic views across the water, along with toilets and baby-changing facilities, though the centre's operation has changed in recent years, so it is worth checking current opening times before a visit. As a nature reserve and important overwintering site for birds, the lake is a fine spot for wildlife watching, and it connects to the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Westport Greenway for longer walks and cycle rides. There is a car park off Westport Lake Road, with parking charges that are waived for blue badge holders. Entry to the park and lakeside is free.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Children's play area with cushioned flooring
- Visitor centre
- Cafe overlooking the lake
- Toilets with baby changing
- Level one-mile lakeside footpath
- Nature reserve and bird-watching
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: Car park off Westport Lake Road (parking charges apply; free for blue badge holders)
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
- Play surface: Cushioned safety flooring
- Accessibility: Level one-mile footpath around the lake; wheelchairs available to hire; baby-changing facilities
🧒 Ages & play
- Slides
- Swings
- Climbing equipment
📍 Nearby places to play
- Middleport Park · approx 0.6 miles · Middleport, Burslem
- Tunstall Park (Victoria Park) · approx 1.0 miles · Tunstall
- Burslem Park · approx 1.1 miles · Burslem
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Westport Lake free to visit?
Yes. Entry to the park and lakeside is free. There is a car park off Westport Lake Road where parking charges apply, free for blue badge holders.
What is in the playground?
There is a spacious children's play area near the visitor centre with slides, swings and climbing equipment, set over cushioned safety flooring.
Are there toilets and a cafe?
Yes. The visitor centre has a cafe with views over the lake, plus toilets and baby-changing facilities; check current opening hours before visiting.
Where is Westport Lake?
It is off Westport Lake Road in Longport, on the edge of Tunstall (ST6 4RZ), and is the largest lake in Stoke-on-Trent.
Is it suitable for toddlers and buggies?
Yes. There is a level one-mile path around the lake that suits buggies and less mobile visitors, plus a well-equipped playground.