| Trips - The Roaches |
Rob Lillywhite.Tel (home): 01926 499882. Email: trips@warwickclimbingclub.co.uk
The Don Whillans Memorial Hut, Rockhall Cottage, The Roaches, Staffordshire. Tel: 01433 639368.
This unique hut is partly built into the side of the crag and will hold 12 people in two rooms on alpine bunks. The hut has full cooking and dining facilities, hot and cold water, a drying room, showers and an electric fire (based on our experience in 2003, the electric fire will not be needed but an electric fan may prove useful). No dogs, smoking or camping are allowed. Cars can be parked on the roadside about 200 yards from the hut. Do not leave valuables in your car as the Roaches has a bad reputation for car break-ins and vandalism.
On the Saturday night, we normally hold a bbq, so bring disposable foil-type bbq's, beer and food to cook. The nearest pub is not really within staggering distance although there is a fine tea rooms/cafe a short distance from the hut.The hut costs œ135 for Friday and Saturday night so the individual costs will be approximately œ5.60 plus per person per night.
Take the M6 north, exiting at Stoke. Take the A53 from Stoke to Leek (be careful of multiple speed cameras). From Leek follow the A53 to Buxton. Turn left a few miles out of Leek to Upper Hulme and follow the road down and out of the village. The Roaches are obvious from there. Distance from Warwick is 88 miles. See Map.
The finest of all the western gritstone cliffs (and some argue finest of all grit) is the superb tiered outcrop of the Roaches. Standing proud above the Cheshire plain, the crag has routes of all grades and of a length that is exceptional for grit. The rock is tinted a pale pinkish and tends to be rather less abrasive than that of the Eastern Edges, though that doesn't mean that the cliffs many superb jamming cracks won't leave their mark!
Weather and Climbing ConditionsMWIS Peak District - detailed 3 day forecast (recommended) |
GuidebooksOn Peak Rock - (BMC 2002) Western Grit - (Rockfax 2003) Staffordshire Grit: The Roaches - (BMC 2004) |
MapsOS Explorer 1 - Dark Peak OS Explorer 24 - White Peak |