Not so much a crag as a group of crags, The Roaches is Staffordshire’s major climbing attraction, and rivals anything on Peak Gritstone. The Main Crag, which is split into two distinct tiers (upper and lower), holds the greatest concentration of routes and is by far the most frequented area, while the nearby Five Clouds and Skyline crags are favoured by those seeking a little more privacy.
The variety of climbing styles found here is exceptional, with delicate slabs lying alongside thuggish cracks and some of the biggest roof climbs on Grit.
Note: although this group of topos is named ‘The Roaches Routes’, we have also featured a number of the more notable boulder problems, especially those which lie on the edge itself, rather than in the boulder fields below. More detailed coverage of The Roaches bouldering can be found elsewhere on 27Crags.
Conditions and Aspect: Virtually all the Roaches crags have a southwesterly orientation, attracting sunshine from early afternoon onwards. The Skyline crags, together with the upper tier of the main crag are situated just below the ridgeline and are therefore quite exposed to wind, which makes these areas the fastest to dry after rain. Conversely, the Five Clouds and lower tier of the main crag lie somewhat further down the hillside and are consequently more sheltered (so take a little longer to dry). The rock on all these crags is, in general, impeccable, though certain routes feature varying degrees of vegetation and some of the cracks can be a little green and dirty.
