Exmoor/Minehead - Geocache

Oh boy are you in for a treat this blog, I must say that this is probably one of the best series I have yet to do. As well as one of the most rewarding ends. We were away on holiday with Lewis' family in Minehead and planned a couple of cache walks; nearby our cottage was a series in a town called Luxborough, near the Exmoor National Park. This is a generous journey offering 16 caches, all of which will not disappoint with caches from Micro to Large, very large indeed!

1 Slowley Does It

First cache in the series is right besides the bay where you park to start the journey, the first is a simple Micro hidden well behind a sign post.

2 Slowley Does It

 Slightly up off the path, this cache requires I climb up a bank. The log (literally) isn't what it seems. Picking it up revealed that the cache was hidden inside.

3 Slowley Does It

Took a little rummage but still an easy find!

4 Slowley Does It

This cache earned a favourite point from me, with a hint of "Field of Eden"; I knew the trees were suspicious. Hanging in one tree was an apple, the cache hidden inside. Luckily we had done this series in Autumn and no leaves were on this tree. Having done this series in Spring perhaps this cache would be a much harder challenge to spot!

5 Slowley Does It

 A good old, under the stone cache.

The series takes you a long a footpath that provides you with some amazing views, although the journey can be tiring with a slow incline up the hill to the top. Very glad I wore my walking mud boots as the field was slightly wet and full of cow poop. 

6 Slowley Does It

Something magical about this tree, it seems to grow a special kind of fruit. 

7 Slowley Does It

Some of the containers on this series are so charming, this being one of them. It makes the journey seem that bit more fun when you have playful caches rather than just micro or small tubs. 

8 Slowley Does It

 I spotted this before Paul said we were approaching, the pile of sticks inside a tree were very suspicious. 

9 Slowley Does It

 A lovely hint of "Ho Ho Ho", a Christmas tree hiding away a little bauble. A bit of a prickle arms reach away but still great. I like that it's green so it blends away!

10 Slowley Does It

 This cache is actually quite large and if you were walking from the other side of the tree you'd definitely not miss it. It makes it hard to believe more muggles haven't found this.

11 Slowley Does It

Again this is a cache that would seem suspicious to passers by, it's like a fairy has nested up in the tree and has put little doors to hide all the holes. Can you find the right hole with the hidden cache?

12 Slowley Does It

 I've seen a rock cache like this before, I also believe it was when we were journeying with Kashpop. It's a hollowed out rock with a micro inside.

13 Slowley Does It

 This cache took us a few tree searches to find, we couldn't seem to locate the correct tree stump but eventually found we kept going up the wrong path. I think we were trying to avoid going up hill again but the caches took us that way..

14 Slowley Does It

Guarded by a rat!

15 Slowley Does It

 Another cache that took a little exploring to find the correct spot, with Paul's GPS it doesn't tell you how many meters away you are so you end up going either side of the path until you find the cache. 

16 Slowley Does It

 Now this is a multi-cache, it is the final cache in the series and it leads you to probably the biggest cache I've found so far, perhaps ever will find! It does take you slightly off path and we were stumbling around in the woods for ages trying to find this location. Being in the trees makes your GPS jump around proving even more difficult to find the cache.

Once you have found this cache it only provides co-ordinates to the final cache.

 Lewis found the final cache and look at the size of it! It is a massive box big enough for anything you could possibly want to swap. Sadly no trackables inside but if you have one you want to get rid of, then this would be the best place! You have to have the patience to do the series though (or cheat and do just 16.) 

This series is great for any age, children would love the cache containers while it gives adults a break from the same micro caches you find daily. It does take a while to walk, especially if it's windy like it was for us. The view is great as you reach the top of the hill and it's overall a really great walk. It's about 4.5 miles and we were out for about 3.5 hours but that includes a lot of stopping for photos.. I would recommend this series to anyone and will definitely be giving lots of favourite points away!

Millennium Country Park - Geocache

Having two visitors come and see us in Bedford this weekend, Matt and Adam. We decided to explore the local area and headed out for the Millennium Country Park in Bedford (or near)? I completely forgot to take pictures during this journey but luckily Matt had his camera. He may not have taken pictures of every cache we did but I'll use what I have to show our caching journey.

MVT Tree Man Letterbox (Stewartby)

The first cache has no hint, most of the caches in this area are explained in the name of the cache so you can easily find what you're looking for. This took us a while to find because we assumed the bird box was, well, a bird box. Never assume when geocaching. This was Adam's first ever find so congrats, Adams first cache and find!

This cache had a stamp inside but we hadn't bought any ink, it was a damp log but space inside to write in. It was a great hide, I just hope no little birds have tried to get inside to make a home only to be pushed out by a cache! 

MVT Bobbies (Stewartby)

All these caches are nice little hides, hidden among objects and luckily we found this little guy while moving some logs off the cache. He's a small little salamander guarding the cache and protecting it from Muggles!

Moving on!

MVT Horse Trail (Stewartby)

 This one we had to do a little "navigating" to get too.. Probably best for little ones or those that don't mind crawling along to reach the cache. Matt stayed behind so no actual cache pictures but Lewis retrieved a Kinder Egg toy because it looked exactly the same as the car on Matt's Sat Nav, so now it is stuck inside his car. Luckily it was a dry day for shimmying through.

MVT Bark Off (Stewartby)

 Finding this cache just by pushed this tree support, with no tree actually inside. An easy find but more venturing into bushes.

MVT Bluebird in a palm tree (Stewartby)

At first we thought this cache has been muggled as there were suspicious holes around the front area, the cache is found round the back, full but found!  

MVT 20 Jurassic Park (Stewartby)

 This is a great cache, hidden under a pile of logs, we got Matt singing the theme tune to Jurassic Park as we made the discovery!

Again we were greeted with a protector, a toad. It was very suitable considering Toads are quite dinosaur like.. ish.

MVT Caution! Crossing Point (Stewartby)

This last cache we did (but definitely not the last cache in this series) is the smallest of the finds yet. We actually couldn't sign the log because the log was so squashed into the tube we couldn't retrieve it. 

After this cache you can carry on the path and follow up until you can either turn left or right. Right takes you back to the car park whereas left can take you on to the next loop of caches round the lake. The route we took is about 2.2 miles and took us roughly an hour and 45 minutes, stopping to look for caches. It's a very nice route, nice even terrain despite some caches requiring ducking and crawling. Nice to discover a new area and will head back with Lewis sometime to finish the loop!

Scent - Geocaching in Bedford

I haven't been caching in quite some time but just took a stroll in Bedford Park to find a cache. It was such a great cache I had to make a quick post about it. It's just off the edge of the park, backing onto the tennis courts. You're nice and concealed so you can search without anyone watching! Finding the cache took us about 10 minutes, rummaging around in the undergrowth. 

Lewis found the cache and opened up the box, inside is a puzzle. A scent based puzzle! You're presented with 10 scents 0-9 and you have to find the correct smells to correspond with their number. 

We figured out the combination and managed to retrieve the Geocoin, Best of British inside! It's traveled around the world at least once so hopefully we can move it on when we go to Somerset in a couple of weeks!

If you're ever around Bedford this cache is definitely worth checking out, although you'll need a good sense of smell. Not worth attempting if you have a blocked nose!

Cambridge - Geocache

So me and Lewis have moved up to Bedford (which means a whole new area of caches to explore!) I haven't done a blog post for quite sometime although me and Lewis have done some caches here and there. 

We decided to travel to Cambridge for the day and explore the local area!

Belt tightening

This cache was very unique and very different, it's located on the corner of Christ's Pieces park. You have to really think open minded and take the title of the cache into mind. We did spend quite a while standing there staring into space wondering where this cache could be. Once you notice it, it is very out of place!

 

Although this does require quite a bit of stealth as people would probably wonder why you're removing some black belt off of a lamp post! 

1496 And All That

We did attempt this cache but were sadly unsuccessful, after wondering around the location trying to get to the co-ordinates it was quite frustrating not being able to find the cache. I could even borderline say that's quite a silly cache yet clever.

Cambridge Central Library

Now this is probably one of the best caches me and Lewis have yet discovered. It's a mystery cache but it's actually quite easy compared to some of the riddles we've encountered on Mystery caches. 

You have to answer several questions in which the answers are actually located in the library. This then gives you co-ordinates outside of the library. Outside of the library you will find part 1 of the cache which then tells you where to find the cache inside the actual library. 

I didn't show any images of the answers to the questions or what you find at part 1 purely because I don't want to spoil this cache and make it an easy find for anyone. It is definitely worth the time and was a great unique cache hidden in plain sight!

We do plan to do several more caches soon and get back into the caching game, but for now we added these unique finds to out collection!

Walberton - Geocache

We headed out to Walberton at lunch time so that we could try out the local pub. We had planned a lot of caches today so needed to fill our bellies! Walberton is a village in West Sussex; it only contains three Traditional caches and one Mystery. The only pub in the village is The Holly Tree. 

The outside is very charming and if you plan on stopping for something to eat while caching here (despite there not being many) this is well worth a visit. 

 I actually remembered to take a picture of the food this time! My pie was FULL of steak and not just small pieces of beef; these were big chunks cooked so nicely. Lewis' burger was pretty big and you could tell it was handmade fresh purely because of the shape and size. Really nice food and average pub pricing. My Steak and Ale pie was £11 and I think the fish and chips were the same price. Lewis burger was around £11 too. Staff were very friendly so I recommend stopping by for lunch or dinner.

On to caching! 

Piggy Cache

We parked in the village community hall's car park, free to do. The first cache was about 650 meters away from the car park located in some fields. The day was quite warm for a British Winter but quite muddy too. The first cache was very easy to spot, it's a larger ammo box full of all sorts! Great cache for kids.

 Doesn't Lew look lovely? 😎

Roman Villa - Walberton

Of course Lewis would pick a cache that was Roman related, you can see that the site of the Villa is very open; with a view far and wide all the way round. With Roman buildings the idea was to be on open plain or a site where you had a vantage point to the surrounding area. if I have Listened to Lewis correctly it was key that you could see all around you in case of attack, they couldn't sneak up on you!

You can see a lot of flint as you walk along the field as well as newer grass were recent trenches for excavating had been. Walking towards the cache Lewis picked up a piece of Roman tile (most likely roof); you can tell it's Roman because the clay isn't baked red all the way through. 

Upon approaching the tree you had to explore it to find the cache, It's attached to some string so it's required to dig your hand inside and pull it out. Favourite point for sure.

Church Micro 871 St. Mary's, Binsted.

Continuing along the path you reach a nice steep hill with a church at the top! The cache is located just outside the church grounds, and is the smallest cache in this village. It was a easy find and surprisingly nice and dry. This cache does take you through a golf course so keep your eyes open for an over head balls!

After this cache you can head back the same way and easily follow the roads back to the car park. I once again forgot to reset the GPS but we were most likely walking for 1.5-2 hours. I calculated 2.08 miles but that's with straight lines unlike the paths actually traveled being quite windy and around fields. By this time my FitBit was around 6400 steps at a guess. 

We did then travel to Firmile Bottom in Arundel which we planned to collect 2 series but as it was getting dark we collected 2 caches of one series that were far out and plan on the rest of the series another Saturday!