Appley Park Traditional Geocache

Appley Park is a landscaped park that slopes gently down to the biggest sandy beach on the Solent. There are many facilities including cafes, play area, tree climbing, public toilets and public car parking in the park, which is accessible from Ryde Esplanade by car and an easy walk from the hovercraft, railway, bus and ferry terminals. The cache site is in a quieter part of the park, and not far from the Appley Tower folly. 

Part of the Isle of Wight Geocaching Project.
Check our website for a picture of the cache container and a list of all of our caches. Can you find them all?

History

Appley Park and Puckpool Park in Ryde are part of the historic grounds of St John’s House, which was landscaped by Humphry Repton. In the parks’ grounds are lodges and parkland trees that were once associated with the grand house. Many ancient oaks survive in this unique beach-fringed landscape. Sufficent remains of the ancient coastal woodland and original features to give the site an interesting and historic perspective.

Defence

Puckpool was strategically important because of its views over the Solent. The fort was a shore defensive battery constructed during the 1860s.

Wildlife

You may see red squirrels, particularly amongst the ancient oak trees of Little Appley Park. On the shore you will find the shells of periwinkles, slipper limpets and dog whelks and their eggs. Lugworm casts can be seen at low tide. Little egrets, black-headed gulls and oystercatchers feed on the beach. Woodpeckers and garden birds frequent the wooded parks. In the cache area look out for ancient woodland plants such as dogs-mercury, violets and wild garlic.

The cache is in an area of ancient woodland that can be approached from either the east or the west. It might be a bit wet in winter but it is not far from the surfaced path so you should not need to venture too far to find it.