I had been looking forward to doing the series since it was published a few weeks ago, it is the first long distance trail I’ve done for quite a while and there is just enough daylight hours at this time of year to complete it in one go. For those who would prefer it can be split into 3 smaller loops. To complete in one go needed a bit of pre-planning if you are not going to end up with a 2 mile walk along a road at the end between Compton and Hampstead Norrey’s.
One of the less muddy sections
I decided my best bet was to park in Compton and get the Bus to Hampstead Norrey’s. A quick check of the time table showed that there was a bus a 07:46 so that’s what we would do. A few delays getting ready in the morning meant we (Pip & me) were late leaving Swindon, but my Sat Nav said we would arrive at 07:45, cutting it fine but we could still make it, and we did arriving with just 2 minutes to spare and fortunately there was parking in a lay-by opposite the bus stop. After our short bus ride we were handily dropped off right beside the footpath in Hampstead Norrey’s. Our days walking with a walk across a vegetable field, cabbage I think, to reach number 34 in the series and 08:15 we had found our first of 64 that we totalled for the day. Continue reading →
The Yattendon Yomp series starts from the village of Yattendon, heads north to Ahampstead and then returns back. The day we completed the series, it was a little chilly and fairly overcast but Pip and I didn’t allow that to spoil the morning. The first cache was on the roadside as we headed out of the village but it wasn’t very long until we were off road and into the countryside, the slight breeze in the air added to the wind chill factor so the gloves had to go on for a while.
The series took us across some pretty easy going terrain, mainly farmland and fields. This was a nice series with a mix of caches which came thick and fast, most of a decent size and not too difficult to find. There were a few extra caches to find on the way back to the car. This isn’t a series of spectacular views but overall it was a nice walk and Pip had a good run about.
Gramps Hill, 18 Caches, 3.5 Miles, Letcombe Bassett, Oxfordshire
The trail starts from the little village of Letcombe Bassett, 2.5 Miles south of Wantage in Oxfordshire. I parked next to some lovely thatched cottage, and remembered coming to the village in the past for another series. It was a nice sunny, but windy morning, there were several snow drops coming out on the grass verge, another sign of an early spring. After admiring the lovely houses pip and I headed up the road to GZ, we decided to do number 1 at the end. A short way up the hill and we came to number 2, a quick scramble up the bank and then after a 10 minute search and almost giving up hope of finding it, I suddenly disturbed some camouflage to reveal the cache. We just made it back down the bank and on to the road before a muggle came past. First one found, but I hoped that rest would be quicker. Continue reading →
I parked in the recommend parking space then carefully walked down the right hand side of the road as suggested fortunately there was wide verge most of the way the road being straight meant that I could see the cars coming and they cold see me. It was a lovely start to the day, a little on the cold side and a nip in the air when the wind caught my face but lots of blue sky. As soon as we hit the byway we were facing some great views and I got a good feeling about this trail and the 1st cache was quickly found.
The 2nd cache wasn’t so easy due to a farmer down the track cutting the hedgerow so I had to keep out of his sight. I suddenly spotted the cache but noticed the tractor was heading my way. The tractor stopped and the farmer opened his door and asked if was lost. Of course I said no, he seemed a friendly type so I explained that I was geocaching, and inquired if he knew what that is? No he said, so I explained briefly what it was and it turned out that he knew all about the “treasure hunting thing” and seemed very enthusiastic about it. Continue reading →
Another weekend of unseasonal sunny weather so I headed a bit further afield to Warmington in Oxfordshire to to the Birds series by Marrow Bone. What a fantastic little series the 20 caches are made up of 18 from the Bird series and 2 others along the route. This trail took us through some beautiful countryside with some really great views and one that I would recommend. If you are taking your geodog then you will find that there are a few stiles but Pip had no problem getting through or over them. We passed through one field of cows, alpacas (enclosed) and there was evidence of cows but we didn’t see them today. This is highly recommended series. Watch the video below. or visit the Geocache Trails YouTube Channel.
Newnton’s Contrasting Circular Trail, was my last trail of 2011 but also my first trail of 2012! I had not intended it to be that way but unfortunately as I got half way around the series the first time, I discovered my car keys were missing and I had to cut back to the start where I found them in a field just after number 1. I was very relieved to find them as you can imagine but by this time it was too late to continue the trail, so it meant a return visit to the area this week to finish them off. I’ve compiled a short video of the trail, I hope that you enjoy it. You can also see it at my YouTube channel. More to follow.
25 caches, 7 Miles, Foxley, near Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Peaceful village start at Foxley
Christmas shopping complete (well almost) there was just time to get out for a spot of Geocaching. The Foxton to Norley trail has only been out a matter of a month and it is not too far from home so I decided that this was the perfect series for today. You will be forgiven for thinking that this trail was done earlier in the year, as the weather today was absolutely fantastic for late December, the sun was shinning and the skies bright blue! Foxton and Norley as places do not exist, it is just the cache owner having some fun with the village names that you pass on the way around.
27 caches, 5.2 Miles, Kilmersdon, near Radstock, Somerset.
Jack & Jill went up the hill....
The Kilmersdon Walk series is in an area that I’ve not cached in before, so I was very much looking forward to completing the series. Today was Remembrance Sunday and as parked up outside the church in Kilmersdon with it’s Union Jack flying, the church clock struck 10.30 and then the bell ringers rang out thier chimes for the next half hour.
I spotted the stone carving (above) in the side of a wall at the bottom of Jack and Jill Hill, I hadn’t realised that this village has an association with the nursery rhyme and that the hill featured in the rhyme is said to be one near this village.
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got, and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper,
To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob
With vinegar and brown paper.
The Winterbourne Wilds is the first series by Winter Foxes to celebrate their first 1000 finds. I started the series from number 5 because I didn’t read the cache page so didn’t realise that amble parking was available at the Church. The weather had changed overnight, yesterday it was lovely an sunny but today it was drizzling which spoiled the views but not the walk. Continue reading →
The Circuit of Cocktails for Cachers is a series of 31 caches through about 5 miles of Wiltshire countryside starting from the tiny village of Easton Royal and heading to Milton Lilbourne and back again on circular route. This is a themed series with recipes for 31 different cocktail drinks, best attempted at home!
The trail starts from the little village of Letcombe Bassett, 2.5 Miles south of Wantage in Oxfordshire. I parked next to some lovely thatched cottage, and remembered coming to the village in the past for another series. It was a nice sunny, but windy morning, there were several snow drops coming out on the grass verge, another sign of an early spring. After admiring the lovely houses pip and I headed up the road to GZ, we decided to do number 1 at the end. A short way up the hill and we came to number 2, a quick scramble up the bank and then after a 10 minute search and almost giving up hope of finding it, I suddenly disturbed some camouflage to reveal the cache. We just made it back down the bank and on to the road before a muggle came past. First one found, but I hoped that rest would be quicker. 
