Ramshaw Rocks and The Roaches 28 September 2025

Lots of visitors at The Roaches.

Tittesworth Water Reservoir the road below The Roaches.

The Roaches information board.

Hen Cloud, not on my itinerary today, but one for Mike later in the day.

The path to Well Farm with Ramshaw Rocks on the skyline.

Heading towards Well Farm with southern part of The Roaches on the skyline.

Ramshaw Rocks from Well Farm access track.

The Roaches from Ramshaw Rocks.

Stepping out on Ramshaw Rocks.

Ramshaw Rocks.

Ramshaw Rocks again.

Nearly at the end of Ramshaw Rocks.

Red grouse near Ramshaw.

Red grouse near Ramshaw.

Ramshaw Rocks behind us.

Ed's back, but he doesn't look too good!

Ramshaw Rocks from our lunch spot near Moss End Farm.

A common kestrel seen from our lunch spot.

Shining Tor from the path the path in the Black Brook valley.

The path from Roach End to the trig point on The Roaches.

Mike on the path to the trig point.

A Peak District on the The Roaches.

At the trig point on The Roaches.

At the trig point on The Roaches.

Heading for Doxy Pool on The Roaches.

Tittesworth Water from The Roaches.

The main descent from The Roaches.

The delightful path below the climbing rocks on The Roaches,

Mike starts his climb up Hen Cloud.

Rock Hall looking very sad!

Distance: 7.4 miles (8.1 miles)
Climb: 1444' (1644’).
Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Overall wall average: 1.4 m.p.h.
Temperature: 10.2 – 13.4 Celsius.
BWF: Max 3. A 9.2 m.p.h. Gentle breeze.
Birds seen or heard today were few and far between, but those we did see included: Meadow pipit, Carrion crow, Raven, Red grouse, Jackdaw and Common kestrel.
We arrived at the start below Hen Cloud to find that the layby we usually use already full. We didn’t find a parking space until we had driven half a mile further up the road. Thankfully we didn’t have use the £5 to park that a farmer offered to park in his field.
The forecasts were pretty accurate, dry with a cool wind making it feel like the 8-10 Celsius it suggested.
In fact, we wore our fleeces to well after lunch and we had started to set along the path across The Roaches.
The whole area was really busy, particularly The Roaches where there were lots of climbers as well as walkers, many with well-behaved dogs. Nevertheless, it was good to see so many young people and people of different ethnic groups enjoying being outdoors.
Conditions underfoot were good, even those areas where in the past had been somewhat boggy.
Distant views towards Tittesworth Water Reservoir were rather hazy all day.
After descending from The Roaches, I went straight back to the car, but Mike decided to extend his walk to climb of the top of Hen Cloud as well.
Overall, a good and enjoyable walk.
We headed to the Wilkes Head in Leek to celebrate our day out with a pint of Whim Ales Hartington Bitter, even if Mike did have to wait until he got home – we both had a carry out!
The Wilkes Head was in chaos as they were getting ready for one of their locals 60th birthday party in the evening.
Some improvements to the décor had been done since our last visit, but there is still plenty to do!

A Short Moel Famau Walk 24th September 2025

The main features seen from Bwlch Penbarra.

The Vale of Clwyd from Bwlch Penbarra.

More of the Vale of Clwyd seen from Bwlch Penbarra.

Even more of the Vale of Clwyd seen from Bwlch Penbarra.

The Offa's Dyke Path to Moel Famau.

Our route to the Clwyd Forest.

Moel Famau looks a long way off!

The Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau, seen through the trees in the Clwyd Forest.

The track we will follow to the Offa's Dyke Path and the Summit.

Waiting for me to catch up!

Moel Famau still looks a long way off.

Moel Famau ahead. Taken by Fran.

New growth on the fir tree.

Mike making a point to Nigel!

On the top of the Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau.

Snacking on nuts provided by Mike.

The Offa's Dyke Path.

Offa's Dyke Path.

Offa's Dyke Path to the right.

Bwlch Penbarra Car Park is just around the bend!

The view from my lunch spot at Bwlch Penbarra viewpoint.

The new outdoor area at the Square Bottle.

Distance: 3.6 miles
Climb: 889'.
Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h.
Overall wall average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 10.2 – 15.2 2 Celsius.
BWF: Max 3.  A 9.2 m.p.h. Gentle breeze.
Birds seen or heard today included: Meadow pipit, Carrion crow, Raven, Coal tit, Common blackbird, Woodpigeon and Eurasian jay.
Although I was only doing a short Moel Famau walk, I met up with t8he Chester Contingent at the Bwlch Penbarra car park, ready for a 10-00 start.
The temperature recorded was 13.5 Celsius, but the wind made it feel cooler than that!
We all set off wearing jackets, but it wasn’t long before we decided they were no longer needed.
My route took a forest track through Clwyd Forest, to the east of the Offa’s Dyke motorway. On this section we saw nobody, a situation that changed once we joined the Offa’s Dyke Path south of the summit.
The Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau was as far as we went together, after that, I headed down the Offa’s Dyke Path back to Bwlch Penbarra, whilst the rest of the group extended the walk by heading northward and eventually returning to the start on the western fringes of the Clwydian Hills.

Distant views were rather hazy, but still pretty good.

I arrived back at Bwlch Penbarra, just after 12-00, a good time to stop for lunch, sitting in the Sun overlooking the Vale of Clwyd.

I was hope just after 13-00, so I decided to catch a bus into Chester and take a look at the Square Bottle after its recent refurbishment.

It was pretty busy, and the only place that I could find a seat was in the new outside area. It was pleasant enough, quite sheltered, but today very noisy as building work was still ongoing.

Nevertheless, Oakham’s Citra and Old Rosie Cider went down well, before catching the bus home

Home in time to clean my boots outside before getting my dinner ready.