Category Archives: Geocaching

Day 2

Well a good start to the day a light-ish breakfast of just some cereal and toast before heading out for the day to grab a few caches before the litter gathering CITO event. After navigating through some narrow lanes made my way to my first spot for the day, and No16 of the Kerry Ridge-way series then walked back along the road to grab two others. The first of which I spent an age searching, around the bottom of a number of mossy trees, I had given up and was about to start off to the next one when the CO stopped in his car, to say good morning as they were on there way to set up for the event, gave me a hint to where it was, after a few more minutes of searching the cache was in hand and I had made a meal of finding that one. The next one was a much quicker find, then headed back to the car, then drive up the lane to the event.

Reached the hustle and bustle of the event, tables were been set-up for refreshments, we were gathered together for a group photograph, people grabbed bags and there was a quick brief of where the main rubbish spots were. with a bag in hand and armed with gloves headed off to the edge of the woods, and after a brief few minutes with a bag filled of wires and rubbish had quickly filled a bag, the second bag was quickly filled again, with tins bottles and foam squares that someone had dumped. The third bag bad to wait, as someone had dumped some back sack with rubbish in, so I just took these 4 bags back to the gathering point along with a large plastic part from a kids outside toy (picture taken by of CCrevell). After a few more bags and grabbing the cache in the area, headed for a cuppa from Urnie the trackable tea Urn, for a Donation to the North Wales Mega 2016 shortly followed by a piece of cake that our host Denise had made. Also some North Wales Mega Trackables were on sale as well, so I grabbed myself a couple of these.

There was a large pile of rubbish gathered including a large lorry or tractor tire, a car bumper and the remains of a tent.

So the group began to dissipate, new caches had been released in the area but no phone signal for me around here so no chance to get those but had plenty of other target to get for the day. I headed down the track from the car park on foot and made my way From No 19 to No 17 all quickly found, then walked back to the carpark. I then took the car up the bumpy track to do from No 21 to No26 as Drive bys along the track with some stops to take the views. A quick walk from 26 down a muddy trial to No 27. Headed back to the car, then drive around to No29 then struck out along to trail to No 28 then back to have a go at the multi for No29, but came up empty trying to find it, moved on by foot to collect No30 & 31 before turning back to the car again and another search for 29. After a further trip back along the bumpy track, I headed to find No 13 and 12 a quick drive by caches.

On the journey back to Newtown had a few more targets I grabbed Pentre Bridge cache, parking close by and a quick dash back to the bridge the cache was located after a quick search, i parked up again at the Sawmills further up the road and had a walk to get three more caches in the area. It was then back to Newtown for a shower then to head out to the evening event via the local shops where I bumped into some other cachers from earlier on in the day. Upon Reaching CCrevell (Denise) & Wavydale (Dave) house where the event was been held and parked the car in the field opposite next to other cachers cars, headed to the event hosting in the garden, Urnie was on duty again and after a cuppa and chatting to some fellow cachers the two Ashley’s (Monki & P900ajr) Shan (Griswald n Dogs) Louise (TheHorde) Dave suggested a trip out to Ducks Revenge, so off a group of us headed to Ducks revenge in two cars, upon reaching it with some equipment such as torches and some overalls. As Bob (B.B.B) & Sir Harveyjj dressed and donned torches to make an entrance, the cry’s went up has anyone got a pen, I did and handed it over, while Dave told us some history of the location.

After a drive back to the event it was time for a splendid hot pork bap, and accompaniments, followed by a choice of dessert, which i had a Creme Brulee, along with a evening of cache chatting before heading off back to Newtown to the Hotel.

 

After previously venturing out for an event last September in Kerry in Mid Wales not far from Newtown, when this was been hosting again by CCrevell & Wavydale this time it had expanded to two events and CITO after taking the decision to go to all three, over the two days I booked a room in nearby Newtown for two nights, so I could come up on the Friday and hit a few caches before the Friday evening event.

On the drive to Newtown through Welshpool, I stopped just outside Welshpool to grab a cache from a layby, hopefully was not noticed by the lorry that was parked up nearby. After a quick stretch of the legs it was onwards, upon reaching Newtown, parked up and had a quick wander into the town itself grabbing a cache and starting the Newtown multi.  I grabbed myself an OS map for the the area, as this would help to navigate around.

Departing from Newtown I headed up to the Kerry Ridgeway, towards Block wood, after a quick search found the one close to the carpark. I had a my packaged lunch that I had made before I set-off this morning. Headed towards no 9 Kerry Ridgeway, the views from up here were good though a bit misty today. Quickly located 9 and then onto 8 going past the sheep. Onwards to 7 or not was confronted by a field of cows. Due to bad experiences with Cows and Bulls and as I was on my own, turned around and headed to No11, after then went onto one i couldn’t find, well were the arrow was pointing was behind a barbed wire fence, and no paths marked so was not going to climb over to get the cache.

On the walk back to the car I was deafened by a pair low flying RAF Hawks out on training im not sure i’ve seen jets that low, with my ears ringing  arrived back at the car, decided I would try to make my way to the carpark near No1 in the series, though this didn’t go so well in the end decided to turn around and drive back to Newtown it was just after 4 pm at this point. After checking into the hotel, a quick change grabbed something to eat in a pub in Newtown, then onto the event to meet up with the fellow cachers in Kerry.

Upon arrival at the “The Kerry Lamb” found the gaggle of cachers, said hello to some familar faces, hugs of Shan and chatted away for a few hours about caching amongst other things before heading back to Newtown.

 

This was a nice evening event mid week, on a week that I was off work, decided to make the trip up to Cheadleton, early afternoon so I could collect a few caches in the area before reaching the event.

Started off the caches for the day by collecting one in a lay-by on the A34 which i was going to pass on my way there, due to issues on the A500 a different route was taken, A34 then A520. This cache was quickly located and grabbed a coin and a Travel Bug from it.

The next stop on the journey was just outside Cheddleton at the Flint Mill Museum, after having a wander around the buildings learning about the flint and making of dyes. I quickly made my way to the cache site, an interesting hide, I initially wondered where it could be then it struck me I had container in hand and log book signed.

My next few targets were the cachers asylum series and a Cache called Mr G.E. O’cache, these were all in the Former St Edwards Hospital which has been converted into a housing estate with a mix of old hospital buildings and new builds. I parked up and headed for the former church first where Mr G.E. O’cache was located, an interesting variation of a cache this one, no physical log book but once you enter a code and your name the rasberry PI based cache takes a picture and automatically creates a log.

I then headed off to collect some of the cachers Asylum series starting with number 2, which i made my way down a slope then cross country to this cache, moving on following the path now to Number 3 that took some searching before i found this one. Number 1 was easily located, and after finding the right path headed for 4 and the start of the multi in the area. After much searching there was no sign of 4.

I headed back to car after this i was still a bit early for the event so popped into nearby Leek, and grabbed the church micro, then headed to the event hosted by Tuff Cookie at the “The Travellers Rest” pub. On arriving at the event I realised I had lost my wallet during my walking this afternoon, and after searching car pockets and backpack throughly no sign, after a quick call home to get the details of the lost card phone number. I headed into the event signed the log book and had drink with the change I had on me. I then proceeded to cancel my cards, only for 10 minutes later another cacher to walk in to say has anyone lost a wallet today while out caching, had lost it as it turned out on way to cachers Asylum 2 , remembered had I caught my coat on a tree there, and it must have fallen out. Many thanks to Chramm for returning it and i still owe I drink or two.

After catching up a few of the other cachers at the event some familiar faces other new faces. A few more caches were released for the event and out I went with a small group to try to retrieve these, which became more challenging as the darkness set in, with the aid of torches and phones we found these as part of “Team Travellers” The event was claimed as my 1500 find onwards to 2000.