The Roaches to Lud’s Church Peak District Hike

Walk details

Route: The Roaches + Hens Cloud + Lud’s Church circular walk
Distance: 11.5 km / 7.14 miles
Grade: Easy-moderate
Navigation: Easy to follow route
Time: 4 to 4.5 hours
Summary: A fabulous walk through spectacular scenery steeped in legend. Moderate initial ascent up The Roaches, small slippery steps down to Lud’s Church and a couple of short but strenuous climbs back up through ancient woodland.

On our way up The Roaches

For my birthday this year I decided that what I wanted to spend a day outdoors. My autoimmune condition has been particularly bothersome over the last few weeks, but undeterred and with stubborn determination on my side, we set off early on Friday morning and headed for the Peak District.

We piled our walking gear in the boot of the car, and stopped off en route for water and snacks to eat on the go. The Roaches were easy to find, and close to Tittesworth Reservoir where we’ve walked before and near to Barnswood Scout Campsite where we’ve camped several times in the past.

The marked path up The Roaches

We parked up, changed into our walking gear and headed up. The walk is graded as ‘easy but strenuous’ and with long parts of it uphill, we did have to stop a few times to catch our breath, and though no parts were a true challenge, we certainly did feel some of the longer uphill climbs!

I’d heard about The Roaches (what a horrible name!), and with it only being a 40 minute drive from home, I decided that it would make the perfect location for a hike. I consulted my Collins Short Walks in the Peak District book and found the perfect route, which also took in the highest pool in the Peak District and the cave known as Lud’s Church.

Spectacular rock formations at The Roaches

The scenery continually changed, making for a truly fascinating walk, as there was always something new to look at. I love walks like this, and despite the dull and overcast weather, I was beaming from ear to ear.

Pretty early on in the walk after the initial ascent, I spotted something on a rock far in the distance. I rushed to swap my camera lens to try and capture it. I managed to get a shot, and when I zoomed in, I was delighted to see that it was a red Grouse! Having never seen one before it really made my day.

At the top of The Roaches new the fabulously named Hen Cloud, we came across a tranquil tarn known as Docksey’s Pool, which made for some magical photographs.

According to The Roaches website, the pool is supposed to be bottomless and is connected by underground channels to Mermaid pool about 3 miles away, and it’s also the highest pool in the Peak district.

Docksey’s Pool at the top of The Roaches in the Peak District

We carried on walking across the ridge until we finally got to the Trig Point marking the summit.

The Roaches Trig Point

 

We continued on, down the far side and eventually emerged at squeeze stile, then on across a field and into some of the most beautiful woodland I’ve ever encountered. We picked our way along the path, but had to frequently head off-track to avoid vast swathes of mud that threatened to sink us up to our ankles.

   

 We soon found ourselves at a cliff, and headed down teetering, slippery stone steps into a hidden cleft with its own microclimate and some fascinating and delicate flora. As we progressed through Lud’s Church, with towering rock either side of us, there was a truly special vibe in the place and we were both instantly transported back in time.

 

Path through ancient woodland leading to Lud’s Church

Legend has it, that Lud’s Church has offered shelter to renegades, and it is claimed that Robin Hood used it too. When the followers of the early church reformer, John Wycliffe were condemned as heretics, they use it as a place of worship in the early 15th century, which is where the name comes from.

Deep Inside Ludds Church 

Not sure what this is, but it was growing everywhere

The church is the ‘Green Chapel’ referenced in the classic medieval power, ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ and there is an undeniable crackle of ancient energy that remains in the space that we both felt there. Truly breathtaking, my photographs don’t do it justice!

The woodland walk back following the stream

The walk back took us back through the bottom of woodland we’d passed through earlier, though this time we were on the lower path running next to a pretty stream. There were a couple of short climbs before we made it back to the squeeze stile, and then to finish off the circular route, we stayed relatively flat and walked 2 miles down a country road back to the car park.

The perfect way to celebrate my Birthday. I loved every second of this walk, and we’d highly recommend you try it!

Related links

• Collins Short Walks in the Peak District
• Great Country Walks The Roaches
• The Roaches

 

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