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!

The Highleigh Speedy Hike 1 - Geocache

Sadly I forgot the battery to my camera this trip, so smart. So the pictures are taken on my phone and will be slightly poorer than usual (also means no video of the trip.) We drove to Almondington in Selsey to do a 17 series, this series involves three types of caches: Tradtional, Co-ordinates and Letterbox. 

HS1 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 1

The first one was simple and easy but we did have to do this last on the way back because a dog walker just stood, and what seemed like, watching us while we waited for her to pass. She didn't pass so we had to carry on, luckily she didn't go the same footpath otherwise it would have gotten awkward. 

HS2 Letterbox The Highleigh Speedy Hike 2

This was our first Letterbox cache and was quite fun to do. I took a little note book with me to add the stamps to! We read on previous logs that the pacing was quite small for counting steps so we made sure to do smaller paces and were successful, pretty much perfect. It also helped with the trick of seeing where previous people had trodden! It was a little box of treasures! The log was too wet to write on as it was breaking down into little pieces.

HS3 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 3

Out into the windy field, nestled into a nook of the tree! 

HS5 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 5

One of the few driest logs on this trip, a nice little reindeer ring inside! Did have to climb over a ditch as we weren't sure which side of a footpath to take.. we obviously chose the wrong side. This was a co-ordinates cache and wasn't hard to work out. 

HS6 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 6

Again we had to cross back over the ditch, which would be fine if it wasn't so steep and had water at the bottom. Lewis stayed on one side to save us from both risking the jump across. The bottom was very soft clay and trying to jump off from it was difficult. Had we known the path met up further down at the next cache we could of just doubled back on ourselves but I like a bit of adventure and risk! I wouldn't of liked it had I gotten we tor muddy though. In the picture the ditch doesn't seem a problem but actually standing on one side is very steep and just too large to jump.

HS7 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 7

Another Letterbox cache that required 254 paces to be counted! Counting to 254 in your head isn't as easy as it sounds. Luckily Lewis kept quiet while I counted and didn't try to put me off! Unfortunately there was no stamp inside, someone must have taken it or misplaced it. Even if you don't count the paces exactly you can easily see the caches from the path if you keep your eye's open!

HS8 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 8

Another co-ordinates cache, again not difficult to work out except for the fact the sign that has an answer on is broken and you have to guess the correct answer. The hint did tell the answer but I didn't have the cache on my GPS updated since the sign broke! The cache was in the hole of a tree with lots of little snails hiding inside. Luckily none were on the box.

HS10 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 10

Another co-ordinates cache, hidden away in a little hole covered by sticks and twigs! One of the questions in the cache was confusing as we couldn't find a carved shape in the bridge but we tried out all the answers and eventually found the right co-ordinates for the cache.

HS11 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 11

A Letterbox cache that had an actual stamp and ink pad! Unfortunately the cache was quite wet inside and the ink pad didn't work very well, the log was damp too but still managed to write on it! 

HS12 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 12

Having to wear gloves for this little cache as it's protected by nettles we found it after having to get on our knees! Inside we found a little friend whom we have taken into our care. He's very cute but must be rather cold in no clothes so we're planning on taking this little fellow with us on holiday and will put him in a cache there so he can be nice and warm!

HS13 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 13

Can you see the little box? 

HS15 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 15

So there is some confusion with this cache to whether me and Lewis actually did this.. it's a co-ordinates cache but we didn't even work out any co-ordinates and managed to find a cache. The GPS took us straight to it. I have a picture of Lewis finding the cache and there's no other cache that it could be so.. we must have done it. Shows how easy the cache must be I suppose!

HS16 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 16

Last two traditional caches that link back to the road to the start. This cache hides inside the pole and is attached by transparent string that reveals it's hiding spot. Was tricky to get out as the previous person really shoved the log all the way down and in. 

HS17 The Highleigh Speedy Hike 17

Last cache on our biggest series yet, (in one go) a little magnetic behind a duck sign. 

These caches are a lovely walk, a nice loop round. Unlike the canal where you have to walk all the way back, this takes you back to the start. It isn't too long of a walk and it has a range of ranges both in style, size and type. Most of the logs were damaged, nearly full or wet and the stamps only worked at 2 out of the 4 for Letterboxes. We enjoyed the day out and saw some deer and geese along the way!

Travelling time: 1:37

Stopped time : 1:12

Distance: 5.86km - 3.6miles