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Halfway between Leek and Buxton near the UK's highest inhabited village Flash the ride passes a group of rocks known as the roaches.
Hen Cloud is an impressive, solitary edge which rises steeply from the ground below. The Roaches themselves have a gentler approach and actually consist of two edges, a Lower and Upper tier, with a set of rock-steps connecting them. Built into the rocks of the Lower Tier is Rock Cottage, a tiny primitive cottage which was once the gamekeeper’s residence and has now been converted into a climbing hut. Below and to the west of the main edge is a line of small subsidiary edges known as the Five Clouds.
Ramshaw RocksRamshaw Rocks The area was once famous for its wallabies. These were released in World War II from a private zoo at Swythamley and managed to breed and survive until the late 1990s, when the last survivors seem to have disappeared.
The whole area is a favourite place with walkers and rock-climbers, and the edges provide some of the best gritstone climbing in the country, with famous classic routes such as Valkyrie, the Sloth and The Swan. In some ways the area has become a victim of its own popularity for the area is very busy at weekends.
Valkyrie at The Roaches
Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks are formed from a thick bed of coarse sandstone ('gritstone') of Namurian age, a subdivision of the NW European Carboniferous system from ca 315 to 326.4 Ma, which occurs widely across the Peak District and takes its name, the Roaches Grit, from this location. The nearby Five Clouds are formed from a thinner bed of similar sandstone known as the Five Clouds Sandstone. These sandstones originated as delta sands dropped by major rivers draining a mountainous landmass to the north. The sandstone beds of both The Roaches and Hen Cloud dip moderately steeply to the east into the north–south-aligned syncline known as the Goyt Trough. The same beds at Ramshaw Rocks dip steeply to the northwest into the syncline. The southern end of the Roaches is defined by the presence of an east–west fault that runs through the col separating the Roaches from Hen Cloud.
Roaches Tea room and Reataurant
UK. 01538 300345
Hot Chocolate
Taste of Staffordshire
The Award winning Roaches Tea Rooms is a family run business which are located on the South-western edge of the Peak District National Park at Upper Hulme, near Leek, Staffordshire.
Nestling on the hillside of the spectacular Roaches, the Tea Rooms are situated at 300 metres above sea level with breathtaking views stretching over the valley, Tittesworth reservoir and far beyond across to the Wrekin, Shropshire and the welsh mountains. Visiting and Walking around this tranquil setting is an absolute must!
The Roaches Tea Rooms, serves an excellent selection of Teas, Coffees, Chilled Drinks, Homemade Cakes, various Breakfasts, Staffordshire Oatcakes, Light bites, Sunday Roast Lunches, Weekday Lunches, Afternoon Teas and of course our famous 'Perfect Puddings'.
All of our food is freshly prepared and we always have a fantastic selection of traditional home-made Daily Specials and much, much more!
We are very proud to have been awarded 5 Stars in the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme by the Food Standards Agency and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
