The Roaches and Lud’s Church

Saturday 26th September 2015

With good weather forecast at the end of September I decided to head off to the Peak District and do a walk over some crags that are very popular with rock climbers, but where I’d not been in well over ten years. On that occasion I had come from the north, from Gradbach, but now I parked at the foot of Hen Cloud and immediately encountered a problem. I started the walk by blindly following a large group of people who were going through a field below the hill until I realised there wasn’t a footpath that goes from that field onto Hen Cloud. When I realised this I returned to the road, unlike the crowds ahead of me who seemed determined to find a way out of the field and through the dense wood at the top. I walked along the road until I reached a track that contains the proper footpath and followed this up the western slopes of the hill coming off this track onto a narrow path that climbs gloriously steeply up heather slopes and was reminiscent of paths that I have been on in the Lake District and in Scotland. The only difference was that this path was much shorter and therefore it wasn’t long before I had climbed up to the top of Hen Cloud.

This satisfying, albeit brief, climb brought me past steep cliff faces that rock climbers would have salivated over while I simply continued onto the rocky hilltop of Hen Cloud. I was disappointed with the cloud cover above the Roaches that was dulling the good views that I had been promised while the sun was shining a short distance away outside of the Peak District. In the opposite direction to the sunshine the crags of the Roaches could be seen to the north and that was my next destination. After a hop or two over the gritstone crags at the top of Hen Cloud I started off along the clear path down to the connecting saddle, but rather than head straight toward the Roaches immediately ahead of me I turned to my left, and walked past the Don Whillans Memorial Hut, known as Rockhall Cottage, to the foot of the crags. Rock Climbers were scattered across the cliffs attempting to ascend them by the shortest way possible. I don’t have the head for heights required for rock climbing, but I did want to take the climber’s path that passes along the foot of these tall cliff faces so I could take in these immense structures.

Eventually the path climbs up to the top of the ridge where I joined the many other people walking above these popular crags. I had a thoroughly enjoyable walk along the top of the ridge as I tried to make my own way, not on the wide path, but as close to the edge as possible so I could take in the glories of these crags. The lack of sunshine did little to ruin my fun as I danced about from rock to rock along the edge while the crowds stuck to the path that keeps a safe distance away from the edge passing through the heather-filled moorland. Most of the heather was now going to seed but there were still some purple flowers in bloom to remind me of the warmth of the summer, even if I wasn’t feeling it. After passing the trig point at the highest point on the ridge I descended to the narrow road that crosses the Roaches ridge and at this point came off the ridge to take a path to my right that descends into the wooded valley of Black Brook, which soon flows into the River Dane.

A pleasant walk through Gradbach Wood along an at times muddy path took me to the awesome fissure or chasm known as Lud’s Church. I last visited this astonishing place more than ten years ago and now I wish I’d been back sooner as I feel that I have been unjustly forsaking it for far too long. Lush vegetation covers the walls of one side of this deep ravine while bare rock covers the sheltered sides of this spell-binding place. Many legends have been created about Lud’s Church and it is no surprise to see why as it is such an amazing place so I spent a long time exploring it and didn’t want to leave. When I was there more than ten years ago it was in the middle of winter and mud covered the floor of the chasm deterring my exploration, but I had no such problem now so I was able to walk along the many side branches and along the main chamber of the chasm in awe of the tall, sheer rock faces. I could imagine Lud, whoever he was, holding his secret services in this immense space away from prying eyes and have a surprisingly large congregation able to hear his sermons.

Eventually I made my way out of the chasm and down to the bottom of the valley beside the River Dane where I took a path through delightful woodland that I’m sure must be an amazing place to walk through when the spring flowers are in bloom. I followed the river until just before reaching Danebridge where I turned left onto a well-constructed concessionary footpath that climbs steeply through spectacularly gloomy woodland eventually emerging after such a great climb in disappointingly dull farmland. A short walk through the farm brought me to the Hanging Stone, at the start of the ridge that becomes the Roaches. By now the sun had finally come out and I was able to have an enjoyable stroll along this ridge through heather moorland past occasional outcrops that are a hint of the glorious crags that were to come. I had a pleasant walk along this ridge as I took my time walking through the heather and bilberry until eventually I reached the Roaches once again.

This time I stayed on the main footpath as I retraced my steps along the top of the ridge enjoying the sunshine and the views south along the whole length of the Roaches. At the southern end of the crags, above Rockhall, I found a scrambling route down the rocks that added a lovely little treat to my wonderful walk along the ridge. A path is marked on the map passing below Hen Cloud but I couldn’t find it on the ground so in the end I passed once more over the top of Hen Cloud and followed the slender path that cunningly descends the steep southern slopes plunging into woodland and finally emerging beside Roaches Hall. The track coming from this old hunting lodge brought me back onto the road. This was a fabulous walk past some awesome crags that are justifiably popular with climbers and walkers alike and must be one of the best places to walk in the Peak District.