Twixt Rathlin and Tory Traditional Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Located on the northern coastline of Inishtrahull Ireland, off Malin Head, Co Donegal
UPDATE 23 JANUARY 2019 At last, the family have been able to get to the cache after 17 years!!. We have replaced the container and added some painted rocks to signify the visit. The location is the same as before, though on today's visit, I understand my daughter came under attack by a number of annoyed Skua's who were dive-bombing her and her boyfriend - so be wary - I guess a peck in the head from those guys is going to hurt! I'd say the other contents of the cache has changed (and gone rusty) since the original 2002 placement, but I am leaving the notes below for a historical record. I think this remains one of Europe's harder to find / access caches given its offshore locations - and the Goecaching Website suggests no one has found it since 2016 - three years ago. Even people familiar with the island have told me they have been unable to find it. That said, my daughter found it today using the coordinates - she was last there when she was 11 - 17 years ago. The cache is in a tupperware box located near to the cliff edge on the northern coast of the island. The cache contains the usual Geocache items to record your visit plus a chat microphone / headset for your PC, a pack of cards and a bottle opener. The island is beautiful, please respect the natural wilderness you find there. It has not been inhabited since the early part of the 20th Century. There is an operational lighthouse at the Western end of the island and a derelict lighthouse at the Eastern End. There is a suitable anchorage in a small harbour on the north side of the island. The cache was placed by the McLaughlin's and Bassis from the East End of London (and Chelmsford) on our regular visit to the island. Our Dad / Grandad's family was from the island. You will need a boat or helicopter to get there (swimming is not recommended as the island is around 7 miles offshore). Views to Scotland, Rathlin Island and Tory Island are possible on clear days. Wildlife on the island includes a herd of Red Deer, Rabbits, many birds who use this as a staging post, and seals in the harbour and on the surrounding rocks. Have fun, enjoy the island, leave no sign you were there. You may be able to hire a sea angling boat to take you there from somewhere like Bunagee Pier near Culdaff on Inishowen in Co Donegal. In case you wonder why the name for this cache - it alludes to a wonderful book about the Inishowen Pensinsula by Harry Swann called "Twixt Foyle and Swilly".
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Purpx haqre gur bayl boivbhf ebpxf ng tebhaq yriry arne gur pyvss rqtr. Gur pnpur vf va n fhvgnoyr tnc va gurfr ebpxf.