Had done my research so there were 4 normal caches and one multi loaded into the phone to get here. Headed out of the Newton Linford car park for the obligatory loo stop, then turned left off the main path straight away to follow the boundary of the park. Much, much quieter out this way. Thought the first cache was going to be simple.. GZ really obvious. However, 3 seperate searchers could find nothing in the hole. Failed right at the start. Always depressing. Later checks on the log however prove that this one is really missing, not us being useless.
The second one, Lady Gray's, was in a fab location, a kind of mini valley. Ma found this one, and while she was reading out the essay that some nutter had written in the log, some lady shouts down from above "hey I found that one last week, I wrote the really long log". I hope she didn't hear me about 3 seconds earlier as I was being just slightly critical and mocking! Very happy with the treasure in this one.. a red Team GB band. Amazed Ma didn't want it.
Next cache was in the perimeter wall, or so I thought. Brief look, then engaged brain and took more notice of distance to cache. Ran down the hill to the gate Chalkie had seen, then back up the hill, got the cache under a tree by a path that runs the other side of the wall outside the park. Laughed when I saw it was an old Cadbury Options jar, then laughed some more when I found the Linnetbirds had left their calling card. Best bit was the awesome treasure inside...
Another failure on the fourth cache, Dear oh deer. Found what we think must have been GZ, but no sign of the Tupperware. Quick check of the log while writing this (Wed) reveals it's been temporarily disabled.. it's gone!
Nice view from here though!
Next to tackle the multicache. Down the hill, nearly commented 'should I lie down to make it easier?' when Chalkie said we'd have to 'jump the dykes'. Back up the other side to the woods. Still getting used to new iPhone map. I thought we were almost there, but turns out the massive walled area of trees was not even on the map and we would have to go to the even bigger walled area of trees behind it that I hadn't been able to see. Went striding off to find the plaque, family slowing further behind. Found the plaque on a bench. Worked out the co-ordinates from the clues.. and discovered we would have to back up the hill to where we had just come from. Family given two options. Come and get the clue, or stay on the bench and I would go get it on my own.
They chose option one.
To be fair, Pops came with me. So we hiked back up the hill to the bench we had just walked past. Worked out the co-ordinates, and discovered we would have to go past the cache we had just failed to find, right back halfway across the park. I fear there is a lesson here about multis!! Phoned Ma and Chalkie and told them where to meet us and how to get there. Still, nice views to keep us going..
We made it to GZ and I was having fears that it wouldn't be found after all this effort, but luckily there was a decent hint, and I braved the smell of wee and dug it out.
Dad was doing his best C&A advert posing..
So I thought I'd have a go too!
This is my normal caching pose.. sitting like JJ investigating the toys on offer..
Another good haul..
The Linnetbirds had got there first again!
Timed our arrival at the RV point quite nicely.. Ma had just got the tea and cake in!
Revived us just enough to manage the considerably shorter, but considerably more crowded walk back by the river. Only the thought of the ice cream shop at the end saw us through! This did not bode well for the Peaks on the morrow! Delicious choccy ice cream in Newton. Who needs an actual lunch!
Home v early, so tried to book somewhere for a carvery. Failed, so went to Forest Gate and hoped. Very nice, and the cleanest my plate has been in a while. Home not too late so watched the Jerez MotoGP. Well, Chalkie and Pops watched GP, I researched caches for Monday in the Peak District and Ma fell asleep.
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