The Roaches and Lud’s Church
1 SK013609 Turn left out of the car park (opposite Ye Olde Rock Inn) and walk down the road, turning right after the church and heading straight on the footpath alongside the river. Turn left at the path T-junction, ignore the next track on the right and take the left fork to Well Farm. Turn left here and start a short, steep climb to the path leading around the southern flanks of Hen Cloud. Turn right for the final steep climb to the rocky, 410m summit and enjoy the great views.
2 SK008615 Descend via the path north towards The Roaches. The best way up is to the left of the very interesting Don Whillan’s Hut carved into the cliffside. Follow the path through what seems like enchanted pine forest with such bright green moss covering so many boulders. Keep ascending on this path until it pops out at the hill top, then turn left to walk along this ridge with great views and interesting rock formations to play on. Pass Doxey Pool (watch out for the nymph that will try to tempt you in!) and the trig point at 505m and descend to the road.
3 SJ995644 Cross the road and continue along the undulating ridge with the wall to your left and forest below to your right. Take the right fork, then at the path crossroads continue straight on, this time with the wall to your right. Continue down the hill to a path T-junction, turn right and head towards the forest, taking the right fork to explore Lud’s Church’s dark, deep, muddy chasms and logs hedge-hogged with two-pence coins.
4 SJ986656 From Lud’s Church, retrace your steps to the fork and turn right to head down through Forest Wood, cross a footbridge and take the right fork along a track to Gradbach. Turn right and walk through a farm and out into fields again on a track running south-east to Cloughhead with Gradback Wood on the right. At Cloughhead continue on the same path up a steep slope, then back downhill to a road.
5 SK008650 Turn 90° right here for the path over Goldsitch Moss, past Goldsitch House, over Black Brook and past Blackbank and back to the road. Turn right at the road and follow it a short distance to a T-junction. Here take a path straight ahead of you, running south-east up to Lower Stake Gutter. Turn right at the track to follow the Churnet Way to Ramshaw Rocks.
6 SK020624 Enjoy a final view and a bit of a scramble if you have the energy over Ramshaw Rocks, then descend, still on the Churnet Way, crossing a road, passing Naychurch and following the same stretch of river back into Upper Hulme for a well-earned pint in Ye Olde Rock Inn.