Roaches

Members: Chris Thickett, Alan Peck, Roger Dyke, Jim & Sandy Gregson, Lester Payne, Lorna Marsland, Iain McCallum, Neville McMillan, Sheenah Hendrie, Bob Haynes, Ken Beetham, Dave Wylie, Frank & Margaret Williams, Al Metelko, Peter Walker.

Guests: Joan and David Green, Mike Graves, Radka Dvorakova, Reg Way, Vladi Georger, Peter, Phil Dale, Sylvia Haynes, Richard Walker.

Firstly, a note of caution if you are offered a lift by Chris Thickett in his Citroen ZX. Our survival of roundabouts taken at 60 mph owed more to lack of traffic that driving skill. You have been warned!

After this hair raising drive we just managed to squeeze in all the KMC cars at Danebridge, a very popular parking place, even more so when featured at the start of a walk in the previous days Manchester Evening News. The hordes were arriving as we set off at 9-30 up to the Hanging Stone, not a place of execution but a large rock overhang from which to view the rest of the walk - along the ridge culminating in the Roaches and Hen Cloud, then back by the valleys on the eastern side, the Churnet, Black brook and the Dane. Jim forges ahead from this point leaving the usual crowd of winter walkers to continue at a more leisurely rate to the Roaches.

Having survived the perils of the Doxey Pool we were entertained by Al and Neville each soloing a route on the crag, which was very busy for a November Sunday. We continued to Hen Cloud by way of Rockhall, the steps and the lower tier, and, on the far side dropped down to a minor path contouring the foot of the rocks to our chosen lunch spot. It was soon evident that a few people had missed this turn, including Reg Way - very unfortunately. He had been left, behind a wall, on a recent meet of Iains, now we had lost him again - not on purpose Reg - honest! We regrouped at Roach End - Reg arriving by car - cleverly having missed the least interesting section of the walk. United once more we walked down into Gradbach Woods and a visit to Lud's Church. This eerie spot has an interesting history, which the meet leader inflicted on his flock once they had been led into its gloomy depths. Our next and last stop was at Castle Rocks, another great view point for the Dane valley before returning to Danebridge by the riverside path, a lovely walk through the woods.

Iain McC, Al Metelko, Alan Peck and Lester extended the walk to Gradbach Mill - which probably meant they got caught by the downpour which we watched from the comfort of the Wild Boar Inn.

A rather undemanding twelve miles - but through a very beautiful and interesting area. The company was great, as usual, with Vladi and Radka adding to international flavour.