Originally published as a Premium Member only cache for
the first week, this restriction has now been removed and it is now
open to all Enjoy!
This cache involves a journey of just over 1 mile through
woodland taking you to a secret passageway for deer, a redundant
Victorian bowling green and the remains of the Cleeve Hill
windmill, a traditional windmill which last turned a millstone
around 150 years ago. There is also the opportunity to visit the
site of an old Lime Kiln. I have been unable to find much hard
information about the mill or why there was a bowling green here so
if you know more or have any old photos please post the information
in your log, or
email me, so that this listing can be updated and tell
something of the local history.
GPS reception can be very poor in this woodland setting so
please note that the route is all on the South side of the
A370, except for a surprise mini excursion under it! Enter the
woods from the recommended parking below. There is no need to go on
the road or to enter the privately owned grounds of Brockley Hall
on the North side. If you visit this cache in the spring (around
April/May) the bluebells and wild garlic can be seen in flower.
Deer, small mammals, woodland birds and other wildlife can often be
seen if your progress is stealthy.
Parking is available for two cars at the recommended starting point at the foot of Brockley
Coombe - N51 23.834 W002 45.577. Alternatively you can park in the
quieter Brockley Lane on the North side of the A370 cross roads.
Please do not park at the nearby Brockley Fruit Stall to do this
cache without their express permission, though they are well worth
a visit to stock up on vittle’s whilst you are in the area.
Stage 1 - (The coord’s for this cache) N51o
23.811 W002o 45.813
Proceed to the first stage which is near the main A370 but
protected from the road by a wall - stay in the woods as you do not
need to go onto or beside this busy road. As you approach this
stage notice the row of magnificent horse chestnuts in the wood.
Look for a surprise feature which was constructed to allow deer
safe access to the grounds of Brockley Hall. You will find a torch
useful as you have to enter this feature to find the first stage
micro cache containing the first clue. Please do NOT enter the
private grounds on the other side and take
special care not to disturb roosting bats - see ‘Bat Alert’
below.
To find the hidden micro containing the clue:
Take ten paces in
To where old meets new
Arch three sixty degrees
To discover the clue
Stage 2 - N51o 23.566 W002o 45.612
This stage is a further micro hidden on a bowling green and
containing the second part of your clue for the cache. It is hard
to believe this was once a manicured lawn but look at the old map
below this listing showing an extract from the 1888-1889 OS map,
that’s precisely where you are when you get to these coordinates!
I’m afraid I cannot work out how to get a direct link so if you
want to see the 1880’s map online you’ll have to do the following:
1) click on Old-Maps.co.uk ; 2) enter “Cleeve” in the
Search box and click Go; 3) select “Cleeve, Somerset” from the
resulting matches; 4) click on the Enlarge Map icon i.e. the bottom
one on the right of the map - the windmill/bowling green area is in
the bottom right corner. The bowling green can also be seen on the
current 1:25,000 OS map.
To find the hidden micro containing the clue:
To discover this clue
You’ll must look around
For a regal location
An arboreal crown
Stage 3 - The Cache
Use the clues gathered at the first 2 stages to locate the cache, a
2.5 Ltr lock lid container hidden nearby the remains of the Cleeve
Hill windmill. A windmill in woodland? Why? - you ask. As glorious
as these woods are, they have not been here for that long, probably
less than 150 years and before that the hill was open to the
prevailing winds. This hilltop is known to have been heath land in
Saxon times. Whilst there is not much left of this building it is
still clearly discernable and holes for the two floor level support
beams and one of the turning shaft beams can still be seen. Please
take great care not to disturb the crumbling walls.
Trades - It is disappointing to cache setters when they see the
contents of cache boxes deteriorate over time so if trading items
please remember the geocaching guidance ‘Trade up or Even’.
Enjoy your
visit !
While you are at the windmill you can visit the nearby remains
of an old Lime Kiln at N51o 23.438 W002o
45.547 . There is hardly anything left of this kiln but if you
choose to search these woods further others are more complete.
Bat Alert
Lesser Horseshoe bats, which are a protected species, use Stage 1
as a roost. Please ensure that as you enter and whilst you are in
there carefully you watch the roof for sleeping bats. Ensure that
you do not go within 1 meter of them, especially over the winter
months when they hibernate - remember your body heat and warm
breath can also disturb them. Lesser Horseshoe’s are quite rare and
simply handling them can kill them through stress. For further
information see the The Bat Conservation Trust.
Credits - All poetry used in the clues for this listing
was inspired by the great bard himself, Rupert Bear. 
To see an Ordnance Survey map showing the recommended parking copy
the coordinates (below) and paste them into this website
