This was a quick return visit as last time I came the museum was closed and so I couldn't fulfill the requirements of the cache. I found the answers quickly and then spent another fifteen minutes fascinated by the pictures and exhibits in the small mining museum.
Although I can just about remember Agecroft and Mosely Common Collieries when they were working, and I come from Salford and now live in Wigan, the world of mining and miners is completely foreign to me as no-one in my family has ever been involved in it.
It's good to see that this way of life is largely gone but not forgotten. Being a miner was a terrible job and few people would wish to do it today, but the sense of community spirit, teamwork and 'looking after your mates' must have been awesome at the time.
Great cache! E-mail and picture on its way.
Check out this cache here: Astley Green Colliery at http://www.geocaching.com/
Sunday 29 March 2009
Dragonfly Path
This was my fourth cache today and the third in the 'Dragonfly' series whilst out with sarahjones65. The route had turned out to be a very easy but pleasant walk through a wide bridleway in the woods on a sunny Sunday morning.
I found the cache quite easily after seeing the clue and was quite surprised how big the container was - I thought from the description that it would be smaller. We noticed there was a NWCaching 2009 TB Racer competition Travel Bug inside and debated whether or not we should take it - we didn't want to hold its progress up if we couldn't drop it off.
However, when we noticed that there was a Conwy destination cache in the race, we decided to take the Minnie the Minx TB as we'd be passing through Conwy next week.
We also took a supermarket trolley coin thingy with a nice smiley face on it but found we had run out of things to leave so could only leave my calling card. Sorry!
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Path at http://www.geocaching.com/
I found the cache quite easily after seeing the clue and was quite surprised how big the container was - I thought from the description that it would be smaller. We noticed there was a NWCaching 2009 TB Racer competition Travel Bug inside and debated whether or not we should take it - we didn't want to hold its progress up if we couldn't drop it off.
However, when we noticed that there was a Conwy destination cache in the race, we decided to take the Minnie the Minx TB as we'd be passing through Conwy next week.
We also took a supermarket trolley coin thingy with a nice smiley face on it but found we had run out of things to leave so could only leave my calling card. Sorry!
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Path at http://www.geocaching.com/
Dragonfly Bridge
This was the fifth and last cache of the day whilst out with sarahjones65. The bridleway was coming to an end and another main road was in sight. The bridge in the cache name must be the one over which this road passes.After reading the clue it was obvious what we were looking for and sure enough we soon came upon it. The cache is inside another item which also made it a bit more interesting and colourful.
After signing the log and replacing the cache, we investigated the area around the end of this trail. As we did this, two riders on horses passed us and galloped off down the bridleway, the sound of their hooves echoing in the woods.
A satisfying end to a very pleasant morning's caching on the Dragonfly trail. Why isn't it called that, I wonder?
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Bridge at http://www.geocaching.com/
After signing the log and replacing the cache, we investigated the area around the end of this trail. As we did this, two riders on horses passed us and galloped off down the bridleway, the sound of their hooves echoing in the woods.
A satisfying end to a very pleasant morning's caching on the Dragonfly trail. Why isn't it called that, I wonder?
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Bridge at http://www.geocaching.com/
Dragonfly Pond
This was my third cache of the day with sarahones65. When I heard the clue, I guessed correctly what and where the cache would be before we arrived at the location. Soon it came into view and we went straight to it - guess I'm becoming used to this caching business now.Sarah found the cache fairly quickly and signed the small log book whilst I took some pictures. I do like these nano caches - I'll have to get some to hide myself.
The cache was situated in the vicinity of a disused gravel pit now filled with water. It looked quite beautiful in the morning sunlight until a dogwalker passed by and his dog jumped into the water with a well chewed football in its mouth, momentarily spoiling the serenity.
On leaving the site we read the noticeboard and it dawned on us why the caches round here are all begin with Dragonfly. And then onto the next Dragonfly cache ...
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Pond at http://www.geocaching.com/
The cache was situated in the vicinity of a disused gravel pit now filled with water. It looked quite beautiful in the morning sunlight until a dogwalker passed by and his dog jumped into the water with a well chewed football in its mouth, momentarily spoiling the serenity.
On leaving the site we read the noticeboard and it dawned on us why the caches round here are all begin with Dragonfly. And then onto the next Dragonfly cache ...
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Pond at http://www.geocaching.com/
Dragonfly Stump
Second cache of the day with sarahjones65, who was in total charge of planning the route today. Because I didn't have a clue exactly where we were going, I just followed her lead. From the location of the last cache, I had thought we were doing a towpath trail along the canal - not today it seems. We crossed back over the main road from the canal near Moses Gate and into a reclaimed landfill site with warnings about not touching the soil or water in this area at its entrance - hmmm!
Then we walked across the lumpy field up to some woods, where Sarah decided we should be on the other side of them. She scrambled down the wooded slope and found a path at the bottom. Only when I was sure she knew this was right did I follow.
We had actually gone a long way round to get to a point we could have reached easily from the previous cache - nevermind, it all adds to the fun!
This cache was an easy find just off the footpath in a part of Moses Gate Country Park I'd never been to before. I thought the Park was just the area around the lakes and fishing lodges - I didn't realise it continued on the other side of the main road. I learn something new with nearly every cache.
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Stump at http://www.geocaching.com/
Then we walked across the lumpy field up to some woods, where Sarah decided we should be on the other side of them. She scrambled down the wooded slope and found a path at the bottom. Only when I was sure she knew this was right did I follow.
We had actually gone a long way round to get to a point we could have reached easily from the previous cache - nevermind, it all adds to the fun!
This cache was an easy find just off the footpath in a part of Moses Gate Country Park I'd never been to before. I thought the Park was just the area around the lakes and fishing lodges - I didn't realise it continued on the other side of the main road. I learn something new with nearly every cache.
Check out this cache here: Dragonfly Stump at http://www.geocaching.com/
No.15 - The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal
After a terrible week of downs with few ups, I went out on a sunny morning with sarahjones65. Sarah had planned the route and so I knew nothing about the clues or where we going exactly - all I knew was that it would be near Moses Gate. We parked at the top car park at Moses Gate Country Park and were soon off up the main road to find the canal - or at least that's what I thought.
After a short discussion at the bridleway crossing over the main road, we decided on a path up a small rise and soon found this cache without much trouble.
Then we carried on up the rise until the canal came into view. Where did we go next? Well not where I thought we'd be going !!! See if you can find my next log today.
Check out this cache here: No.15 - The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal at http://www.geocaching.com/
After a short discussion at the bridleway crossing over the main road, we decided on a path up a small rise and soon found this cache without much trouble.
Then we carried on up the rise until the canal came into view. Where did we go next? Well not where I thought we'd be going !!! See if you can find my next log today.
Check out this cache here: No.15 - The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal at http://www.geocaching.com/
Saturday 28 March 2009
My First Cache - The Dead Centre of Leigh?
Yes, I've gone and done it - I've hidden my first geocache! It's a quick 'cache and dash' along a public footpath with car parking within easy reach.
Of course I can't tell you too much more about it because the idea is for you to go to http://www.geocaching.com/ and get the details. What I can tell you is that it's called The Dead Centre of Leigh? and it's a regular sized flip-top plastic box containing a Snoop Dog Travel Bug, a party popper for the FTF (first to find) to pull in celebration and all the normal other stuff including a log book and pencil. I've also put it in a camouflage bag just to make it that little harder to find and to try to keep it dry.
At the moment the cache description with location coordinates is awating a reviewer from http://www.geocaching.com/ to check that everything is OK and so it should be available for viewing in a couple of days. I'll be announcing it here with the web address when I know its gone 'live'.
Postscript - Yeay - it's been published tonight!
Check out this cache here: The Dead Centre of Leigh at www.geocaching.com
Of course I can't tell you too much more about it because the idea is for you to go to http://www.geocaching.com/ and get the details. What I can tell you is that it's called The Dead Centre of Leigh? and it's a regular sized flip-top plastic box containing a Snoop Dog Travel Bug, a party popper for the FTF (first to find) to pull in celebration and all the normal other stuff including a log book and pencil. I've also put it in a camouflage bag just to make it that little harder to find and to try to keep it dry.
At the moment the cache description with location coordinates is awating a reviewer from http://www.geocaching.com/ to check that everything is OK and so it should be available for viewing in a couple of days. I'll be announcing it here with the web address when I know its gone 'live'.
Postscript - Yeay - it's been published tonight!
Check out this cache here: The Dead Centre of Leigh at www.geocaching.com
Wood and Water
I spent more time planning how to get to this one than I did in actually finding it. I couldn't work out where the best place to park was because there didn't seem to be any continuous footpaths that went near it from the main roads on my GPSr's TopoMap.
After one dead end down a lane where I nearly ran over a pheasant, I decided to park at the end of another lane (and footpath) near where the new Culcheth High School is being built. The lane was blocked by a huge tree to stop traffic going up it, but walking is fine.
The GPSr indicated that I was walking slightly in the wrong direction at first, but once past the school the lane turned and I was back on track. On reaching a sort of crossroads of lanes I turned right I was heading for the Wood - now where was the Water?
After a minute or so in the Wood the Water came into view, with much of it covered in green algae. I knew what the clue was because I always read them before I set off, and soon I saw something that matched the description. I started moving piles of leaves and wood debris looking for the cache. Hang on a minute, am I in the right place I thought. A quick look at the GPSr told me I hadn't gone far enough. So off I went further into the wood.
I found the rusty old remains of the car that's mentioned in the description and several other items that matched the clue - but this time I waited until the GPSr indicated I was in the right place. It was more or less bang on and I could the see the cache box from a distance because it was exposed.
The previous log had mentioned this so after signing the log, taking the Red Rose Travel Bug and leaving a supermarket trolley key ring 'thing' (anyone know what these a called?), I thought about hiding it in a better place which would still match the clue. Better not, I decided, and just replaced it where I found it with some extra branches and leaves to cover it.
Well, this was a short but pleasant walk on a freezing cold day and it's another cache chalked off the local list - so I'm quite happy.
Check out this cache here: Wood and Water at http://www.geocaching.com/
Wednesday 25 March 2009
MootePower#1 - Flipping Cache
Oh bother! I was determined to be the FTF (first to find) this one after it being so long without a find logged. Thanks to some help AndroidAndy I'd solved the clue on Saturday but couldn't get down to the location until today (Wednesday). And now the previous poster at www.geocaching.com/ has beaten me to it. I repeat, oh bother (polite version)!
I can't say too much here without giving the answer to the puzzle - if you want to understand this gobbledegook you need to look at the cache description here. I'd been through many of the same permutations as the cachers before. I'd reversed the two numbers, subtracted them, converted them to two different co-ordinate systems and done 'the computer thing' with all of them to no avail. The answer turned out to be slightly easier (only a bit though) than all my ideas and eventually AndroidAndy cleared it up for me, without actually telling me the answer. I had also e-mailed Moote twice for some pointers but got no replies.
It's actually a really good puzzle, but perhaps a little too difficult for non-computer geeks. Once you have the co-ordinates, finding the cache is relatively easy - a clue isn't needed as everything you need is in the cache description.
The cache box is quite large and full of bric-a-brac. I took a lanyard and keyring, but left nothing because the contents were all wet. I signed the large log book which was a little damp but not too bad and put the cache box back in its hidey-hole upside down to keep it drained. It was quite well hidden and I replaced it as such.
The whole location area is very interesting and just a little further along from another cache which I'd done with sarahjones65 a few weeks earlier. Whilst I was there I ventured further into the woods and came across a house, an adventure playground in amongst the trees and a swampy lake. I'll be returning here for a family walk in the summer I'm sure.
Checkout this cache here: MootePower #1 - Flipping Cache at http://www.geocaching.com/
I can't say too much here without giving the answer to the puzzle - if you want to understand this gobbledegook you need to look at the cache description here. I'd been through many of the same permutations as the cachers before. I'd reversed the two numbers, subtracted them, converted them to two different co-ordinate systems and done 'the computer thing' with all of them to no avail. The answer turned out to be slightly easier (only a bit though) than all my ideas and eventually AndroidAndy cleared it up for me, without actually telling me the answer. I had also e-mailed Moote twice for some pointers but got no replies.
It's actually a really good puzzle, but perhaps a little too difficult for non-computer geeks. Once you have the co-ordinates, finding the cache is relatively easy - a clue isn't needed as everything you need is in the cache description.
The cache box is quite large and full of bric-a-brac. I took a lanyard and keyring, but left nothing because the contents were all wet. I signed the large log book which was a little damp but not too bad and put the cache box back in its hidey-hole upside down to keep it drained. It was quite well hidden and I replaced it as such.
The whole location area is very interesting and just a little further along from another cache which I'd done with sarahjones65 a few weeks earlier. Whilst I was there I ventured further into the woods and came across a house, an adventure playground in amongst the trees and a swampy lake. I'll be returning here for a family walk in the summer I'm sure.
Checkout this cache here: MootePower #1 - Flipping Cache at http://www.geocaching.com/
Sunday 22 March 2009
Here Be Dragons! - Where's George?
Sarahjones65 and I decided to make this cache our last today before returning home for brunch. After three successive DNF's and two finds today, we were hoping to even things up with this one.
I see George quite regularly as I drive past the garden centre near this location (at least I think its St. George, it's a large knight on horseback), so I knew roughly where we were heading.
We parked on the opposite side of the road down a small side road next to a timber workshop. After crossing back over the main road, the entrance to the path was just past some newish offices and through a wooden gate at the end of a private car parking area.
The path was muddy, but the recent temperatures seem to have dried a lot of it out. The branches of several trees did make for a very scratchy, twisty, crouchy walk. When we got to GZ we thought we found the item mentioned in the clue right away - no such luck!
It took another ten to fifteen minutes of searching numerous items that seemed to match the clue description before Sarah came up with the goods. The cache was swimming in water again, but the log was dry. We took nothing and left nothing and when we replaced the cache we turned it upside down so hopefully water won't be able to collect in it again.
Satisfied with our last three results, we returned home via 'MeatMart' where we bought our Sunday Roast for Mother's Day.
Check out this cache: Here Be Dragons! - Where's George? at www.geocaching.com
I see George quite regularly as I drive past the garden centre near this location (at least I think its St. George, it's a large knight on horseback), so I knew roughly where we were heading.
We parked on the opposite side of the road down a small side road next to a timber workshop. After crossing back over the main road, the entrance to the path was just past some newish offices and through a wooden gate at the end of a private car parking area.
The path was muddy, but the recent temperatures seem to have dried a lot of it out. The branches of several trees did make for a very scratchy, twisty, crouchy walk. When we got to GZ we thought we found the item mentioned in the clue right away - no such luck!
It took another ten to fifteen minutes of searching numerous items that seemed to match the clue description before Sarah came up with the goods. The cache was swimming in water again, but the log was dry. We took nothing and left nothing and when we replaced the cache we turned it upside down so hopefully water won't be able to collect in it again.
Satisfied with our last three results, we returned home via 'MeatMart' where we bought our Sunday Roast for Mother's Day.
Check out this cache: Here Be Dragons! - Where's George? at www.geocaching.com
Howfen 1
After just having done the Hall Lee Bank Park cache at the entrance to this area, sarahjones65 and I took a very pleasant stroll down the winding paths in this 'park'.
This location is one of the reasons why I love geocaching - finding a hidden gem in a local place that I've never really noticed or explored before. I only wish it was on my doorstep.
It's not a 'park' in the traditional sense, no grass or playgrounds here - more a country park with a winding water course and steeply wooded banks of trees. I can imagine that it will be a wonderful place in the summer.
Not that all the area is picturesque - there's a lot of broken and damaged trees, fallen brickwork and some rubbish in places, but on the whole it's a great location.
I don't know, but I imagine this is some kind of drainage culvert that takes storm water, and this has caused some of the tree damage and has undercut many of the meander banks. This has caused some areas to cave in.
Whilst working our way to cache location, we discussed the idea of bringing a group of kids here to learn about geocaching. We could set up a few extra caches to find and the kids could set some themselves. The place is big and diverse enough to allow this in an interesting but reasonably safe environment. Yep - I think I'll be doing that sometime.
Anyway, we found the cache without much difficulty and after signing the log we took a 'Madagascar' penguin and left a large biro. Then we set off to the next location hoping it would be as good as this one.
Check out this cache here: Howfen 1 at www.geocaching.com
This location is one of the reasons why I love geocaching - finding a hidden gem in a local place that I've never really noticed or explored before. I only wish it was on my doorstep.
It's not a 'park' in the traditional sense, no grass or playgrounds here - more a country park with a winding water course and steeply wooded banks of trees. I can imagine that it will be a wonderful place in the summer.
Not that all the area is picturesque - there's a lot of broken and damaged trees, fallen brickwork and some rubbish in places, but on the whole it's a great location.
I don't know, but I imagine this is some kind of drainage culvert that takes storm water, and this has caused some of the tree damage and has undercut many of the meander banks. This has caused some areas to cave in.
Whilst working our way to cache location, we discussed the idea of bringing a group of kids here to learn about geocaching. We could set up a few extra caches to find and the kids could set some themselves. The place is big and diverse enough to allow this in an interesting but reasonably safe environment. Yep - I think I'll be doing that sometime.
Anyway, we found the cache without much difficulty and after signing the log we took a 'Madagascar' penguin and left a large biro. Then we set off to the next location hoping it would be as good as this one.
Check out this cache here: Howfen 1 at www.geocaching.com
Hall Lee Bank Park
This is my second visit to this cache which I drive past every working day. I had been once before, but didn't spend too long looking because of an abundance of muggles and heavy traffic on the main road.
This time I was with sarahjones65 and I was quite shocked to see that the entrance sign had disappeared and that there were signs of works around the cache location. Hopefully it has just been removed temporarily for renovation work, because it a rather nice arced sign with the name Hall Lee Bank Park - see my previous post where there is a picture of it from my first visit.
I kindly let Sarah delve around in the vegetation whilst I took a few pictures - well I'd read the previous log at www.geocaching.com! Thankfully she found it quite easily as some of the vegetation that was here last time seems to have been cut back and removed. And no sign of the doggy bag!
The log was quickly signed and off we went into Hall Lee Bank Park in search of Howfen 1.
Check out this cache here: Hall Lee Bank Park at http://www.geocaching.com/
This time I was with sarahjones65 and I was quite shocked to see that the entrance sign had disappeared and that there were signs of works around the cache location. Hopefully it has just been removed temporarily for renovation work, because it a rather nice arced sign with the name Hall Lee Bank Park - see my previous post where there is a picture of it from my first visit.
I kindly let Sarah delve around in the vegetation whilst I took a few pictures - well I'd read the previous log at www.geocaching.com! Thankfully she found it quite easily as some of the vegetation that was here last time seems to have been cut back and removed. And no sign of the doggy bag!
The log was quickly signed and off we went into Hall Lee Bank Park in search of Howfen 1.
Check out this cache here: Hall Lee Bank Park at http://www.geocaching.com/
Anyone For Tennis?
I chose to do this cache from memory, as I'd put the coordinates in our GPSr on a previous occasion but I'd not brought a printout of the details and more importantly, the clue. I was hoping for a bit of luck in finding it - we deserved some by now!
We parked in a nearby car park and walked the short distance to Central Park in Westhoughton. We walked past a large modern playground and a fenced bowling green on our way to the cache. By its name we'd gathered it was going to be near some tennis courts and as we approached GZ we could see the telltale white lines on a large tarcmaced area which is currently undergoing some improvements.
We walked up a steel wheelchair ramp towards one corner of the tennis courts and then down some stone steps. The GPSr was indicating the cache was somewhere amongst the shrubbery, but after investigating this we decided that there wasn't really anywhere good to hide a cache and then concentrated on the steps.
I remembered that the cache was a drill case, by which I took it to mean a long thin plastic case which once held a drill. There were plenty of nooks and crannies in the steps down which a long thin object could have been poked, but after ten minutes looking we couldn't find anything.
Depression was starting to set in, and we gave up once again. I did have a quick look under the metal ramp on the way back to the car but didn't have any success. Nevermind, I know we'll find the next one because it's been logged just a couple of days ago. Let's get there quickly and improve our cache count!
We parked in a nearby car park and walked the short distance to Central Park in Westhoughton. We walked past a large modern playground and a fenced bowling green on our way to the cache. By its name we'd gathered it was going to be near some tennis courts and as we approached GZ we could see the telltale white lines on a large tarcmaced area which is currently undergoing some improvements.
We walked up a steel wheelchair ramp towards one corner of the tennis courts and then down some stone steps. The GPSr was indicating the cache was somewhere amongst the shrubbery, but after investigating this we decided that there wasn't really anywhere good to hide a cache and then concentrated on the steps.
I remembered that the cache was a drill case, by which I took it to mean a long thin plastic case which once held a drill. There were plenty of nooks and crannies in the steps down which a long thin object could have been poked, but after ten minutes looking we couldn't find anything.
Depression was starting to set in, and we gave up once again. I did have a quick look under the metal ramp on the way back to the car but didn't have any success. Nevermind, I know we'll find the next one because it's been logged just a couple of days ago. Let's get there quickly and improve our cache count!
I can see the Pub from Here
Second of the day with sarahjones65 and just a little further down the same road where the Water Tower was. A short hop up a few steps and alongside an odd building which also looks as if it something to do with the Water Board (perhaps a pumping station?) and our GPSr was indicating we were in the right place.
We looked around amongst many discarded bottles but to no avail. No sign of the cache anywhere and our spirits were starting to drop. We'd had three DNF's last week and were in serious need of success this week.
The problem with some locations is there just doesn't seem to be anywhere to hide a cache, unless something unusual has been done with, like bury it under the ground. And then, if that's been done, it could be absolutely anywhere - where's the point in that. Anyone can make a cache impossible to find, but that's not the idea - you want people to find your caches.
Well, needless to say we gave up on this one after about twenty minutes of looking and decided to e-mail the same cache owner as for the previous cache. Not daunted for now, we moved on to the next one.
We looked around amongst many discarded bottles but to no avail. No sign of the cache anywhere and our spirits were starting to drop. We'd had three DNF's last week and were in serious need of success this week.
The problem with some locations is there just doesn't seem to be anywhere to hide a cache, unless something unusual has been done with, like bury it under the ground. And then, if that's been done, it could be absolutely anywhere - where's the point in that. Anyone can make a cache impossible to find, but that's not the idea - you want people to find your caches.
Well, needless to say we gave up on this one after about twenty minutes of looking and decided to e-mail the same cache owner as for the previous cache. Not daunted for now, we moved on to the next one.
Check out this cache here: Pub at www.geocaching.com
Water Tower
Today, sarahjones55 and I tackled six caches in the Westhoughton and Chequerbent areas. I had been to two of the caches previously and recorded DNF's (did not find) and so I did not have high hopes of finding them today as the no-one else had found them since. But as we were in the area I thought we'd have a quick look.
We started at the Water Tower, a wonderfully round building that's now a house but was once something to do with the water board. Actually the cache is a little further up the road, along a public footpath, but this is the best landmark in the area.
The Farmer was in his tractor working in the adjacent field as we left the car for the footpath. There were also plenty of muggles about walking their dogs or just having a stroll. Because I'd been before, I let Sarah do all the work and use the GPS and clue to see if she came up with a different location to me. She didn't and soon we were scratting around in the undergrowth around GZ just like I'd been doing a few weeks ago.
No luck here then, and so we gave up quite quickly and decided to e-mail the owner for a maintenance check.
We started at the Water Tower, a wonderfully round building that's now a house but was once something to do with the water board. Actually the cache is a little further up the road, along a public footpath, but this is the best landmark in the area.
The Farmer was in his tractor working in the adjacent field as we left the car for the footpath. There were also plenty of muggles about walking their dogs or just having a stroll. Because I'd been before, I let Sarah do all the work and use the GPS and clue to see if she came up with a different location to me. She didn't and soon we were scratting around in the undergrowth around GZ just like I'd been doing a few weeks ago.
No luck here then, and so we gave up quite quickly and decided to e-mail the owner for a maintenance check.
Check out this cache here: Water Tower at www.geocaching.com
Saturday 21 March 2009
Flipping Flapping - The Towpath Trail
This was to be our fifth and final cache of the morning before returning home to wake up the kids and eat bacon butties as we do on many Sunday mornings.
With the previous cache successfully found, we were hoping to go out on a high - how things don't always work out as you'd like.
The going was much the same as in the previous cache, with some farms and works along the canal banks. In one place some drainage pipes had slipped into the canal and there was a road bridge being stored in a rather unusal place. How did that get there and where is it from, we thought.
After getting to GZ and looking at the clue, we decided that we knew where it should be, but it wasn't there. We were soon joined by a barking sheepdog from a nearby farm as we investigated other possible places. There was no sign of Ron, the resident duck that gives the name to this cache, however.
The hawthorne is this area was particularly sharp and dangerous - it's very easy to get scratched on your face and even in the eye when you're busy looking for a something - much care is needed.
After fifteen minutes or so we were yet again convinced that the cache had gone and we'd need to add this one to the e-mail list. Boy has Lollybob got some work to do! We left disappointed and named this day Black Sunday as 3 is the highest number of DNF's we've ever recorded in a day.
Check out this cache here: Flipping Flapping - The Towpath Trail at www.geocaching.com
POSTSCRIPT:
This cache has now been archived by the owner and is no longer available.
Chop Chop - The Towpath Trail
It was quite a long walk to this cache location from the previous one. However this was made very interesting by a feature along the way - the Plank Lane Bridge over the Leeds - Liverpool Canal.
As we approached the Bridge, Sarah and I debated if it was the one we were thinking of. I sometimes used to drive down Plank Lane from Tyldesley on my way to work in Golborne. There used to be a lot more buildings and mine workings around here, and from the canal things looked different. I wasn't sure it was the one.
The bridge looked very different too. Sarah was convinced that the original ironwork which lifted the bridge has be replaced with a smaller, more compact structure. I thought it might just have been painted different colour as it is now grey when it used to be reddish.
Anyway, the bridge was being lifted as we approached to let the muggles on the canal boat we had seen earlier through. As we got to the road over the canal, the bridge was back in place and the cars were crossing again. It was the one we were thinking of and it made an interesting an unusal viewpoint to see all this from the canal, rather than from a car on the road.
After reading the information boards around the bridge we walked on to the cache. We soon found the location near a field which presumably has sheep in it most of the time, hence the name of the cache. Today there were none to be seen anywhere - maybe they've already met their fate.
Hooray! - this one was there if a little (well, a lot) wet. It seemed to be an old pepperpot sealed with insulation tape, but the seal wasn't very good and the log book had turned into papier machee. I was impossible to sign it and so I just left one of my newly-made calling cards - My GeekTeacher avatar and blog address on a laminated credit card sized piece of paper. At least it records that I found it.
With a successful find recorded, we went on with some hope to our final cache of the morning.
Step into Pennington - The Towpath Trail
This was the third cache today and after a DNF at the previous cache we needed cheering up with an easy find here. It was not to be.
It was only a short walk from the last location and the clue was very obvious. It was located at the top of some steps that lead down to one of the trails around Pennington Flash. We quickly found the place the cache should have been and I nearly cut my fingers on some glass that seemed to have taken its place. I do hope that this is not wanton vandalism and that the cache has not been deliberately removed and glass put in its place. I live in hope.
Anyway, the cache was definitely not where it should have been and this will be another one we e-mail the owner about a maintenance check.
Nevermind, onwards to the next cache location - we really do need a find here. The walk along this section of the Leeds - Liverpool Canal is particularly pleasing here, with excellent views of Pennington Flash from a viewpoint we don't normally see. This made up for the disappointment of not finding the previous cache and our spirits improved as we made our way along the towpath.
POSTSCRIPT:
This cache has now been archived by the owner and is no longer available.
Sunday 15 March 2009
Wee Beasties - The Towpath Trail
This was the second cache of the day with sarahjones65 and, after a good start, we were quite confident of doing well today. We got to GZ (Ground Zero) where the cache was supposed to be and spent a good twenty minutes looking for it without success in an around a pussy willow tree.
We decided that as we'd be passing it again on the way back, we'd leave it for now and revisit it later. However, even on the second attempt we had no luck. We're not even sure what the 'Wee Beasties' are supposed to be - spiders, snails, bugs in the grass?
We gave up looking after another twenty minutes and decided to e-mail the owner for a maintenance check when we got back home. It seems it might have gone missing.
POSTSCRIPT:
This cache has now been archived by the owner and is no longer available.
Fore - The Towpath Trail
I've been very busy doing a project for work over the last two weeks and, much to my dismay, I've had to put my geocaching activities on hold. Inspite of not having finished all my work, I decided it was time to resume today and so off I went this morning with sarahjones65 to do the first part of Lollybob's Towpath Trail along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Leigh.
Parking the car in the nearby Pasonage Retail Park, we walked across the road to the canal after confirming with a little old lady that we could get to the canal this way. Whilst crossing the concrete bridge we had a quick look at the fisherman with endless patience sitting in hope on the canal bank.
The morning had started well and we found this cache quite easily, almost as soon as we had got started along the towpath. We had to wait for some muggles on canal boats to slowly sail past before we could sign the log and replace the cache, but the signs were good for a pleasant morning's caching.
Little did we know that this would turn out to be Black Sunday...
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Geocaching on BBC Countryfile
I've just downloaded this from last Sunday's BBC Countryfile:
I downloaded the program using BBC iPlayer, edited it in Movie Maker and then uploaded it to YouTube. I've only included the main title, the geocaching part and some end credits.
I hope the BBC don't mind - it's only an extract and I'm not making any money out of it.
I downloaded the program using BBC iPlayer, edited it in Movie Maker and then uploaded it to YouTube. I've only included the main title, the geocaching part and some end credits.
I hope the BBC don't mind - it's only an extract and I'm not making any money out of it.
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