Red Ninja - GC2YG57

I came to this final cache in the Ninja series along the muddy footpath from Black Ninja. I walked some of the way to avoid splashing mud everywhere and getting dirty. Once again the countryside opened up from wooded footpaths into open fields with cattle and horses in different locations. From here I could see the churches in both Tyldesley and Atherton as well as over to the Howe Bridge area in Leigh.

As I approached GZ I noticed what I thought was an obvious place for a cache and indeed it was there - I didn't need to recheck the GPSr or read the hint to find it. Although it was in a good hiding place, I'm not sure how long it will survive here due to the number of passers by and the fragile nature of the location.

Anyway, having completed the short Ninja series, I headed off happily homewards along the cycle track.

Black Ninja - GC2YG4Z

I came to this cache from White Ninja. I needed to backtrack a little down the footpath before crossing over Miller's Lane onto another footpath at right angles to the lane. It was very muddy down here and so I decided to walk with my bike to avoid splashes and getting dirty. I didn't walk far before the proximity beeper went off on my GPSr and so I parked my bike and headed off into the trees.

It took a few minutes before I saw what seemed to be an obvious place for the cache container - I oouldn't see the wood for the trees, so to speak! I found the cache soon after after but I must confess to still not understanding the meaning of the hint given. Unfortunately I couldn't sign the log because it was missing - I looked around to see if it was on the ground nearby but didn't see it.  However I did take a photo to prove I as there as well was the 'Key to the Cat Flap' travel bug to move on.

White Ninja - GC2YG4W

I came to this cache from Blue Ninja - the countryside had now opened up into expanses of green fields from the woodlands of the previous area.  The cache location was down a slope with a stream at the bottom where there were several possibilities for hiding a container.  It took me about fifteen minutes to actually find the cache as it was very well-hidden, but I was enjoying being out and about in the morning sunshine and so the time didn't matter.  And most importantly, I found it!

Blue Ninja - GC2XZZB

I went out geocaching by bike again today as this group of four Ninja caches have recently appeared close to my home. Although I have lived in this area for over 28 years, I have never found the time or had the inclination to wander around these footpaths before. However, my relatively new hobbies of birdwatching and geocaching have given me the incentive to do this now, and they have opened my eyes to this wonderful area of countryside so close to my home.

I started off by riding along the paths at the back of the Gin Pit sports and social club until I met Squires Lane, which I followed until it became a public footpath through the fields which met Miller's Lane. Here I turned right and soon I had come to the route of the old railway line which is now a wooded path. It took me longer than expected to find the csche, even though I had an idea of where it was almost immediately - the woodland camouflage was excellent.

After taking a couple of pictures of the area, I was on my way to the next one. A great start!

Firebolt 2 - GC2TC4C

Today I was out geocaching by bike for the first time and, after a successful find at Pirate's Path which is also in Lilford Woods, I checked my 'phone for other caches in the area. This cache was a bonus as I didn't know it was here before I set off.

I started by cycling along the lower path through the woods and avoided the temptation of diving into the trees the moment my GPSr arrow changed direction as I knew the path turned back on itself a little further on. This proved to be the right move as the cache was located only a few metres off the top path.

Unfortunately, being on my bike I had not brought a pencil with me and there wasn't one in the cache container, so I just had to take a photograph of the box to prove that I found it.

A great place!

Pirate's Path - GC2V9YN

Today I finally got round to going geocaching by bike. I'd been thinking of cycling from Tyldesley to Lilford Park in Leigh along the footpaths and bridleways for ages and, with the prospect of a cache and perhaps a green woodpecker in Lilford Woods, today was the day I went for it.

It turned out to be a lot closer than I had realised and the footpaths were great for cycling, so very soon I was in the woods and looking for the cache. The tree cover didn't prove to be much of a problem as it it often is and soon I had the cache in hand.

Unfortunately I had forgotten to bring a pen with me (I usually have one in the car) and the pencil included in the cache container had not been sharpened on either end. After failing miserably in thinking of some way to leave my mark in the log, I just took a photograph of the box as evidence that I actually found it - I may return to sign the log on another day.

P.S. Shortly after leaving the cache location I met a lady walking her dog who engaged me in conversation for over 25 minutes (actually, she did most of the talking!) about all sort of stuff ranging from the history and geology of the area and the use of its plants in homeopathy to how unhappy she was with Wigan Council about their plans for this beautiful part of Leigh. She was a little eccentric, but very knowledgeable and I may put a fuller account here later.

Mark's Wardle Cache - GC12698

This was to be the last cache of the day for Sarah and me - we'd found six caches around Watergrove Reservoir and had DNF'ed on one. The slope was quite steep up to this location, but it was short and we found the cache easily. After one last look at the wonderful views and to check where we were heading, we set off for home.

P.S. On the way back to the car we had another look for the cache we'd missed earlier (Beautiful Wardle) but still no luck.

Dam Fine View - GC1B840

Sarah and I got the approach to this cache wrong having just found the Holy Stone cache, We should have kept our height and walked along the same contour line instead of going back down to the bridleway below. Consequently we had to climb up the slope again and this time it was even further with a fence in the way.

When we got to GZ we once again admired the wonderful views over the reservoir and surrounding hills - it was a great place to be on a sunny August day.

Holy Stone - GC245ZY7

This was the third find of the day for Sarah and me on our sunny walk round Watergrove Reservoir. We could see the holey stone from a way off but it took us a little longer than we hoped to get there as our breathless bodies trudged up the steepish slope from the bridleway- we're not as young as we used to be!

Th'art - GC1KDGP

Sarah and I came to this cache from Bluepot Tunnel West after a short walk round the reservoir in which we paid our respects to a friend who's ashes are buried in the 'Life for a Life' memorial plantation here. At first we couldn't see what Th'art was, we just thought it was a wall, but on standing back and having a better look we noticed it was very creature-like with a long spiny back.

Bluepot Tunnel West - GC15BTN

This was the first first find of the day for Sarah and me on a sunny walk round Watergrove Reservoir. Sarah had been to this cache before so it wasn't hard to find without resorting to the hint. It's a shame the tunnel is now gated as we might have attempted to get to the cache on the other side. Nice view of the reservoir from here.

Another Note To Self

I need to blog and log these caches:

• Beautiful Wardle - Not Found
• Bluepot Tunnel West - Found
• Th'Art Cache - Found
• Holy Stone - Found
• Dam Fine View - Found
• Mark's Wardle Cache - Found

Normal Service Will Be Resumed Shortly

Well, after a break of around four months, I'm back with a new blog design and some more cache finds.  I had to put my blogs on the back burner due to the pressure of work and lots of other things that I needed to do, but I hope that normal service will be resumed from now on.

Details and photographs of some caches that Sarah and I did yesterday around Watergrove Reservoir in Rochdale will be posted here shortly. See you soon.