The Roaches Ramble, Cheshire / Staffordshire

The Sutton Rambling Club continued their fortnightly summer programme with a very invigorating 10 mile linear hike taking in some very attractive countryside on the western fringes of the White Peak spanning the Cheshire / Staffordshire border. The route included grand views as we walked along the fantastic gritstone edge; The Roaches.

The ramble started at The Wild Boar Inn on the A54 (Grid Ref 959673). The first section crosses the road and heads south down to Danebridge where we will have a morning break or early lunch stop depending on timings. From here the route wends its way eastwards along the Dane Valley Way following a wooded hillside path by the River Dane.. At a suitable point near the village of Gradbach we will stop for a picnic lunch.

Duly refreshed we start the afternoon with a visit to Luds Church ,a natural cleft in the rocks south of Gradbach This feature was formed by a landslip detaching a large section of rock forming this cleft over 15 metres high and 100 metres in length… It is fairly certain that the Lollards (followers of John Wycliffe,an early church reformer) used this site as a place of worship until the early 15th century,.The church was also used as the model for the “Green Chapel” in the classic medieval poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. An aura of medieval romance can be experienced here.

There will be ample opportunity to enjoy this fascinating place before ascending the ridge onto a permissive path leading south east onto The Roaches.

We continue along this lovely ridge up to the trig point where we will have an afternoon tea stop. This is an area of rock and heather which once belonged to the Swythamley Estate. In fairly recent times wallabies have been sighted in this wild country. The land was purchased by the Peak District National Park Authority in order to protect this special location and guarantee public access.

The final leg of the walk continues to the south-east edge of The Roaches and then cuts across to our final destination the Tittesworth Reservoir (Grid Ref 995603) The coach will depart for home from between 5.30 pm and 6.00pm.

Non members are always most welcome and can be guaranteed a day of healthy exercise,attractive scenery and friendly company.. The McEwens coach leaves the “Staff of Life” pub on Hack Lane in Sutton-in-Ashfield at 9.15am and the Bancroft Lane end,Stockwell Gate(near the Asda supermarket) in Mansfield at 9.30am. There are other pick up points en route. The coach fare is £9,accompanied juniors free. There is no necessity to prebook your seat on the coach.

 

If you would like further information please ring
John on 01623 796396 or Bernard on 01623 648879.

Alternatively see details of our next ramble or our latest rambling calendar

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