Between 1999 and 2006, if you visited Thornton Hough during the summer you may have been alarmed to see some strange figures lurking around the village - if so, you'd probably arrived during Thornton Hough's annual 'Scarecrow Festival'!
Once a year usually at the beginning of July, the village of Thornton Hough was invaded by hordes of Scarecrows peering out at you from gardens, rooftops, and just about anywhere else you can imagine. The festival was run by a voluntary organisation with the general aim of using any profits for the upkeep of the village and it's neighbours, Raby and Brimstage.
The co-ordinates given above are for a convenient place to park on Smithy Hill.
To complete the cache co-ordinates you will need to collect several pieces of information from around the village itself.
Step 01 - N 53º 19.198 W 03º 02.857 Take the shortest distance on the black sign away from the highest for digit A. There is also a two digit number in a 'triangle'. Take the lower of it's two digits from it's higher for digit B.
A =
B =
Step 02 - N 53º 19.235 W 03º 02.746 Find the sign proclaiming 'Best Kept Village'. The third digit of the most recent date thereon is digit C. There is also a signpost here pointing to four different destinations. Count how many letters are in the longest place name for digit D.
C =
D =
Step 03 - N 53º 19.222 W 03º 02.691 Count how many clock faces there are on the tower for digit E.
E =
Step 04 - N 53º 19.270 W 03º 02.682 There is a metal plaque here set into stone with two dates mentioned on it. Take the earlier date away from the later date for digit F.
F =
Step 05 - N 53º 19.277 W 03º 02.741 On which date of the month was the stone laid? This number is G.
G =
The cache co-ordinates will now read as N53°19.(E-F)(A+D-G)(C-F) W03° 02.(D-B)(C+E-G)(E-B)