Welcome to Queer Quest. This geocaching trail re-imagines the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight through a queer lens, immersed in the very landscape which inspired the legend. As you follow the route, each cache marks a moment in Gawain’s legendary journey—challenges, temptations, and revelations—while also sharing local LGBTQ+ histories and folklore from the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Just like Gawain’s quest to test courage and honesty, this trail invites you to explore the countryside and uncover stories often hidden or overlooked. Inside each cache you’ll find a small piece of artwork and a short tale that links the epic myth to real queer lives and landscapes.
You are also invited to share your own reflections and post your response to be included in our archive.
___________________________________
Gawain makes a deal with Lord Bertilak. Each day he stays at the lord’s castle, he will be sustained with the spoils of the lord’s hunt. In return, Gawain must give to Lord Bertilak what he has received that day.
Each day, Lady Bertilak kisses Gawain, and in the evenings, he passes these kisses on to Lord Bertilak in return for game.
___________________________________
Artist statement: This piece has been hewn from gritstone which made its way into the
artist’s pocket one very wet afternoon up The Roaches in October 2025! The inspiration
for this artwork is a real declaration of love up on The Roaches (in better weather,
I hope!) Big shout out to Ian Knapper stone masonry for his part in making this piece
come together.
___________________________________
Visitors to our Pride in the Moorlands stall shared their stories, and it became clear that the high ground and clear air of the Roaches makes it a place where deep truths are voiced. For one man, a campsite became a clearing for identity: "I was first camping on the Roaches with a friend when I told him who I really was—it was the first time I'd come out to anyone." For a young lesbian couple, a hilltop walk became the genesis of connection: "We were standing on top of a hill on a walk at the Roaches when I first told her that I loved her."
___________________________________
Access Information:
Disabled layby parking nearby. Suitable for a power chair or wheelchair user but it is just off the roadside.