Meet Report: 11-13 July 2025.

This meet was based at Rockhall Cottage, the BMC’s Don Whillans Memorial Hut built against the rocks of The Roaches.

The meet attracted both climbers and hillwalkers, filling all available places.  The weekend officially designated a heatwave, it was bad news when Paul, Bill and Solvig arrived to find no water from the taps.  A plumber restored the supply but it failed again at 4am.

Mick and Bill had a warm Friday walk from the hut to Hen Cloud, down to Roaches House and returning over Hen Cloud to the hut for cool refreshments.  Arriving later, Anca and David got in an evening climb or two making the most of the day until the 2130 sunset.

After the morning arrivals of the Smiths, Tim and Shaun, Tim went on a 40km mountain bike circuit from Parsley Hey via Tissington Trail, Dovedale, Milldale and the Manifold Valley.  Thirsty work requiring correction at Ye Old Rock Inn.

Mick, Michael and Helen walked along the Roaches crest in the relative cool of the early morning with views of Jodrell Bank on one side, and Ramshaw Rocks on the other. Beyond the trig they visited the Hanging Stone (Hanging Stone has a plaque in memory of Lt. Col. Henry Courtney Brocklehurst. He was invited to join Shackleton’s 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition but had to leave the Endurance in Buenos Aires due to the outbreak of WW1).

A shady deciduous woodland path took them to Castle Rock, besieged by family groups, and up into the cool, damp and green chasms of Lud’s Church, a land slip feature with a steady congregation of visitors.  They returned by quieter tracks and paths above the Black Brook valley via Gib Torr and Hazel Barrow. 

Paul and Bill picked their way to the Roaches ridge behind the hut and took the ridge path, descending to Roach End and returning via the road. They found the heat and intense sunlight made the trek exhausting.

Climbers Solvig, Nick, Shaun and James warmed up on a couple of short routes before tackling Pedestal Route, Nick’s first multipitch climb, and between them, Jeffcoat’s Buttress and Black Velvet.   

Meet leader Solvig then devoted herself to sorting out the water supply. While waiting for the plumber she nipped off to free solo Captain Lethargy in an attempt to recover Toby and Conrad’s stuck cam, which David Large later retrieved.  Visits to the pump lower down the slope resulted in about twenty minutes of restored supply then an admission that it needed new parts unavailable at the time.  The hut warden agreed that without water for washing, cooking and flushing a refund of fees was in order. Meanwhile, James led Saul’s Crack with Shaun’s encouragement, and Nick following.  Conrad and Toby sought something to drink in the local pub.

By then it was too hot, the walkers had returned and it was time to sit in the shade and chat.  Harvey arrived, stopping off on his way to the Vercors in France.

In the evening, after the meal, the climbers set out again for Maud’s Garden and Damascus Crack.  Harvey scrambled on boulders.  Helen walked over Hen Cloud.  Anca and David maintained their tradition of finishing their route just after sunset each day.

Then most headed home to reduce pressure on the severely limited water supplies – mostly bottled and brought from Leek.

Nick and Solvig’s final climb on Sunday morning, Valkyrie, was complicated by another party cutting across them and dealing with a jammed rope. They then tidied up the hut as best they could. 

Tim stopped on the way home in the Clwydian Hills and cycled a 28km round of Moel Famau and part of Offa’s Dyke. The extreme windless heat causing him considerable concern for his safety. 

The Roaches is a popular crag.  It is worth noting the majority of the climbs made on the meet were on the better quality routes. 

Despite the curtailment and the heat this was an active meet in an area not often included in our calendar.  With a wide range of ages and some faces not seen for a while, it was a chance to renew old friendships and make new ones.

Routes climbed Right Route VD *** Captain Lethargy HVD soloed Pedestal Route HVD 4a *** Black Velvet S 4 *** Black and Tans S 4a *** Fern Crack S 4b ** Damascus Crack HS 4b ** Right-hand Route HS 4c ** Mauds Garden S 4a*** Jeffcoat’s Buttress HS 5a *** Aqua VS 4b * Valkyrie VS 4c *** Saul’s Crack HVS 5a ***

Attending:  Mick Borroff, Solvig Choi, Nick Crapnell (PM), Toby Dickinson, Paul Dover, Bill Gibbs, Tim Josephy, David Large, Harvey Lomas, Shaun Penny, Anca Pordea, James Smart (PM), Helen Smith, Michael Smith, Conrad Tetley