Walking the Roaches, Rock Hall, Queens Chair and Dockseys Pool.

A small walk from Roaches gate past Rock Hall, up onto the top tier of the Roaches, Dockseys Pool and a scramble back down to the foot of Hens Cloud. On a good dry day this is a small walk that is fun for all the family.

                                      Hens Cloud from Roaches Gate and the start of the walk.

To get to Roaches gate head from leek on the A53 Buxton road, then turn left for Upper Hulme and left again and head up the road to the Roaches looking for the five bar gate in between the Roaches and Hens Cloud, this is Roaches Gate. The parking is all road side parking and so it is an advantage to park as near to the gate as possible.

Start the walk going through Roaches gate and heading straight up the path half way along the path take the rough path on your left towards Rock Hall a former game keepers cottage built into the rock face of the lower tier of the Roaches. Follow the path to the side of Roch Hall and look for the stone stepped path taking you to the top of the lower tier. The lower tier is popular with climbers and they can be seen climbing regularly from this path.

 Take these steps to the top and follow the path to the left along the edge, Just at the side is the Queens Chair a stone carved Chair right on the edge of the cliff which was visited by the Prince and Princess of Teck August 23rd 1872.

Follow the edge path round to the left for about 12 minutes until you reach a cross path, turn to your right and go up the stone steps again onto the second tier of the Roaches.

                                             The view looking back down the stoned path way.

At the top turn left and follow the ridge of the Roaches for about 15 minutes and you will come along to a small pool Known as Dockseys Pool. Local beliefs are that the pool is bottomless and is haunted by an old hag. The pool is believed to come from a deep underground chamber and its water level does not vary no matter how hot or rainy it gets adding to its mystery.

                                                                       Dockseys Pool.                                                                   

From the pool you could carry on along the edge past the Trig Point and follow the path down to Roaches End, cross over the road, through the style, turn right and over another style and walk through the woods to Lud's Church, a deep chasm in the middle of the woods. However to keep this just a small walk double back to the top of the second set of stone steps still on the top tier of the Roaches. Continue to walk straight on along the edge of the Roaches and look at the views over to Hens Cloud, Lower tier Roaches, Ramshaw Rocks to your left, Five clouds to your right and Tittesworth Reservior.

                                                                        Hens Cloud.

Tittesworth Reservoir

The Five Clouds

From the end of the Roaches follow the rather uneven and tricky path over the rocks down to the bottom. If this path is to tricky go back slightly and take the easier path that you would of just passed on your left now on your right or take the steps back down and double up the walk.

                                                           Path back down to Hens Cloud
As you desend you should pass a derelict house, follow the path towards Hens Cloud until you reach a Junction of paths and the gate onto Hens Cloud at this area there are lots of small rock more suitable for children to climb on. Also from here you could go through the gate  and ascend Hens Clould which could easily be walked up and back down or turn right and follow the path with the wall on your left hand side back to Roaches Gate. This walk only takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to walk but can be stretched to a good day taking in Hens Cloud and climbing.