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Convent of the Storks [Figueira da Foz] Traditional Geocache

Hidden : 5/12/2002
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


A long, long time ago, in a valley not that far away...

This is my first attempt at hiding a cache. I'll be adding details and stuff as soon as I have the time. Meanwhile:

Some 14 Kms southeast of Fig. Da Foz, there's a small valley which was place to a battle between Christians and Muslims. This valley was under the influence of the castle of Montemor-o-Velho.

The history of this place dates at least to the 8th century. There is a small chapel dated from that era, when Portugal (at the time the Condado Portucalense) was a county of the Kingdom of Leon, one of the early christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula. Both the kindgom and the county grew by conquering back moorish lands until the county became a kindgom of it's own right in 1143 (the remaining christian kindgoms of the peninsula would later become Spain).

The cache is hidden close to a ruined convent, dated from the 16th century.

This is also the starting point to a hiker's path.

Please note that Storks migrate, so you will find them here during the Spring.

(Thanks to djvg who gave me some lessons in History)

Update on 2003/01/27: Unfortunately, the convent is now very dangerous due to all the rain. Some parts of the ceilling have fallen, and more may fall at any time. It may be possible to enter the convent by jumping over a door, but I strongly advise not to do it, please!

On the 15th of August of every year, there's a fair in this place. You won't be able to find the cache then, because there will be people all around.


Would you like to know more about Geocaching in Portugal ?
Join the discussion group and visit Geocaching@PT

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

RA: Fgnaq ba gur ebnq jvgu lbhe onpx gb gur pbairag. Gurer'f n yvar bs byvir gerrf ba lbhe evtug. Gur pnpur vf vafvqr bar. CG: An rfgenqn, qr pbfgnf cnen b pbairagb, irwn n yvaun qr byvirvenf à qvervgn. N Pnpur rfgá ahzn qrynf.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)