happyhiker logo

 

 Home

Privacy & Cookie Policy

My Walks

List of
Ordnance Survey Maps

Walking Time Calculator

Hiking Store

Choosing
Equipment

Finding Your way

Safety

Etiquette

Right to Roam

Footpath Closures

Weather

About Me/Site

Links

Contact

Blog

Famous Walkers/Hikers

Accommodation 

© John Kelly
All Rights Reserved

 

Feedback button

Kindle Books

20 Yorkshire Walks with only one map OL21

Kindle book - My Lanzarote. 10 walks and a personal view

Kindle Book And A Pub For Lunch

20 Walks in the Yorkshire Dales with only one map OL2

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Roaches

Starting point  and OS Grid reference:

Lay-by on road from Upper Hulme (SK006619)

Ordnance Survey Map
OL24 – The Peak District, White Peak area.

Buy this map from
List of OS Maps

Commission from map sales is used to fund the website, so keeping it free to use.

 

Distance:  3.4 miles Date of Walk:  23 September 2019

Ascent:
Descent:

See Walking Time Calculator

1634ft (498m)
1654ft (504m)

Traffic light rating:   

(For explanation see My Walks page)

Memory Map logo      gpx logo 

For advice on .gpx files see
My Walks
page

PDF logo

 Click the PDF logo above to give a printable version of this walk without the photos.

The Roaches walk sketch map

To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here.

Introduction: The Roaches are a dramatic rocky ridge on the far western side of the Peak District. Consequently, they are often thought to be in Derbyshire though are in fact in Staffordshire. They are a coarse sandstone, generally referred to as gritstone, beloved of rock climbers and indeed, you are likely to see climbers when doing this walk, not least because there is a climbing school nearby.

The name “Roaches” is believed to have come from the French for rock, “Roche”.

At their highest point, they rise to 1657ft (505m), well above the surrounding area and so give a fantastic view all along their length.

Separated from the main ridge is Hen Cloud but this is worth the modest climb in itself because its rocks at the summit really complement the views.

On top of The Roaches is Doxey Pool, a small tarn, supposedly inhabited by a mermaid who entices the unwary into the pool to join her. As with all good mermaid stories, I was disappointed (again!).

This is a circular short walk of only 3.4 miles. I kept it short because bad weather was expected but the walk could easily be extended to include Back Forest and the cave Lud’s Church and/or Ramshaw Rocks, another impressive, if shorter outcrop overlooking the A53. However, one bonus of doing it this way was that I walked along the bottom of The Roaches first and their towering mass against the sky was quite a site. I also had time to soak in the vistas. The summit path along the ridge is fairly level though there is a slightly challenging descent, although there is an easier path round (SK 005626). However, you will miss some of the best bits of the ridge if you take this route.

There are some steep drops on this walk, especially if you are looking for the photo opportunities, so care is needed.

The walk starts from a lay-by on a minor road off the A53, about 3 miles north of Leek, signposted for Upper Hulme. This is a road which loops back to the A53. Turn off this loop road (unsigned) and simply follow the narrow road. There are many lay-by parking areas giving some idea of how popular The Roaches are. I parked in the third lay-by which sits between Hen Cloud and The Roaches.

Start: Just by the lay-by (SK 006619), turn right indicated by a fingerpost, through a walkers gate. There is a yellow public footpath arrow.

A view of Hen Cloud from the road.

Climb the hill on the broad green path ignoring the first gateway. When the path divides, keep straight ahead.

As the hill levels out at the col, turn right through a walkers’ gate (SK008620) and follow the obvious path to the summit of Hen Cloud (SK 009616).

Hen Cloud

View from Hen Cloud showing Tittesworth reservoir.

Rock outcrops on Hen Cloud

Eroded rock on Hen Cloud

Return the same way to the gate and go straight across the col and through another gate and follow the path straight ahead.

South Eastern end of The Roaches

When the path divides, keep left to follow the bottom of the crags. Just after going through an old gateway, there is a great view (SK 006623).

View from The Roaches to Hen Cloud

Continue on the path through the trees, where you get the spectacular skyline created by the crags. When you meet another path at a ‘T’ junction of paths, turn right to climb the gap between the crags (SK005625).

Drematic crags on The Roaches

Crags on The Roaches

At the top of the hill, turn left, following the well trodden path to the right of the dilapidated wall.

Looking along The Roaches ridge

At SK 004628, pass Doxey Pool.

Doxey Pool

Continue along the ridge to the trig point (SK 001639).

Rock strata on The Roaches

Trig. point on The Roaches

Return the same way but on meeting the point where you climbed up from the trees, continue along the ridge.

View north from The Roaches

You reach a point where you start you descent from the ridge down the ‘nose’ of the ridge back to the col. This is a little tricky and care is needed.

Part of the rather tricky descent

Continue the descent until you come to an obvious large gap on the left, through which is a view to a derelict farmhouse. Turn left through the gap and follow the path down to the col. A right turn here will return you to the parking area.

The gap to look for on the descent to access the path.

If you need to buy any hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Store

All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.