A Hiking Guide for The Roaches and Lud’s Church
4 Minute Read
In this travel guide I’m going to give you information on how to walk along the incredible ridge-line of The Roaches before dipping down into the narrow rock walls of Lud’s Church.
This walk is located in the Peak District, UK. It is suitable for all ages but requires a relatively good level of fitness. This is a very popular spot for hikers, dog walkers, and rock climbers.
In this Roaches and Lud’s Church walking guide I will discuss:
- What is it?
- Where Does it Start and Finish?
- How Long Does it Take?
- What is There to See?
- How to Get There?
See also:
Mam Tor and Kinder Scout Circular Walk
Day Hiking Gear Essentials
1. What is it?
The Roaches is a 505 meter-high ridge that soars above Leek and Tittesworth Reservoir. Its prominent position means it’s a great place for walkers and hikers. Also due to the rock formations, it’s highly revered amongst rock climbers!
Lud’s Church is a steep chasm of rock located in the Dark Peak, hidden amongst the trees of the Back Forest. (Lots of cool names there). It’s a short walk away from The Roaches and can easily be included in your itinerary.
Both features are in the Staffordshire region of the Peak District National Park. They’re located in the north of England close to the cities of Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. The nearest towns are Leek, Buxton, and Macclesfield.
The walk is a 12km ridge hike that follows a trail from various car parks along The Roaches before looping round through Lud’s Church and back to your car.
There are a few signposts at the trail heads pointing you in the direction of the main features. It’s easy to follow the well-trodden paths and the ridge itself is small enough not to get lost.
If you wish to follow a map, there’s a route you can use on the AllTrails app. It will track your walking time, distance, and will guide you where to go.
2. Where Does it Start and Finish?
The best way to get to the trail is by driving. There are few different options for car parks depending on whether you wish to start your walk down in the forest at Lud’s Church or up on the exposed ridge of The Roaches.
Just like Mam Tor and Kinder Scout, car parks in the Peak District fill up early. Make sure you get there in good time to get one of the few available spots. Don’t be tempted to park on a verge outside the car park if it’s full. I saw some cars that had done this and each one had a parking fine.
If you want to walk The Roaches first, head to The Roaches UKC Parking. There’s a long stretch of single-file parking on this section of road. It’s free to park and is located by the start of the trail. There are a few sections so drive up and down the road to look for a spot.
Farther south on Roach Rd I saw an unofficial-looking car park in a farm offering paid parking. I’d say only go here if the main parking spots are full!
The second best parking spot is the Lud’s Church Car Park. Park here if you want to start the walk in the forest by Lud’s Church. It’s also free to park but again is very small and tough to get a spot. It’s also slightly farther away from the trail head.
Where the road crosses The Roaches at its centre (close to Bearstone Rock) there were a few cars parked in a small slipway. I’m not sure how good a parking spot this is but it could be a place to look if everywhere else is full.
3. How Long Does it Take?
The walk will take you around 3 – 3.5 hours to complete. I recommend stopping for lunch or a snack break when you’re crossing The Roaches to take in the views.
There are many small paths and diversions you can take if you wish to explore different routes. It’s easy to spend all day scrambling about and discovering new paths.
As this is a short day hike within easy access to your car, it’s possible to walk with only a small backpack. That should make the distance relatively easy to cover and not overly demanding.
See also:
Day Hiking Gear Essentials
4. What is There to See?
The great thing about The Roaches and Lud’s Church circular walk, is the variety of landscapes you get to witness in a short day hike. When walking along the gritstone escarpment of The Roaches you can see a patchwork of fields which fall away below you and stretch far into the distance.
To the east and north is the Peak District National Park. To the south and west, idyllic English countryside. The hills rise up around you and it’s even possible to see Mount Snowdon in Wales on a clear day.
In the middle of The Roaches is Doxey Pool a beautiful spot that is shrouded in myth and mystery. Some say it’s bottomless, others say an evil mermaid dwells within its depths!
Down around Lud’s Chruch you enter the fringes of the Back Forest and can hear the rushing water of the River Dane (you cross this river if you park at Lud’s Church).
There are many grazing livestock in the fields and the opportunity to see woodland wildlife when in the forest. The area is a nature reserve maintained by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
5. How to Get There?
The trail is mainly accessible by car. The closest train station would be Buxton which is about 20 minutes from The Roaches. Train stations in Macclesfield and Congleton are each 30 minutes from the hike. It may be possible to book a taxi from the train station to the start of the walk. Just make sure you book a pick up point so you can get back!
The closest bus stop would be the Old Buxton Road on the A53. Bus number 16 from Leek to Buxton stops there. A short walk through Upper Holme will get you to the start of the trail head in 15-20 minutes.
So if you’re unable to drive and need to use public transport, try taking the train to Buxton railway station, then change to the number 16 bus. After 20 minutes, get off at Old Buxton Road and walk from there to the trail.
Before You Go
Thanks for reading my travel guide on The Roaches and Lud’s Church circular walk. If travel guides like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more!
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