Dogmuck Park!?! (not really) Multi-Cache
Professor Xavier: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache I am archiving it. Please note that as this cache has now been archived by a reviewer or HQ staff it will NOT be unarchived.
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Ed
Professor Xavier - Volunteer UK Reviewer
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Dogmuck Park!?! (not really)
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Move over Mr Spooner!
Mugdock Country Park is a great place to visit, almost whatever the weather.
There’s a bit of everything to suit people of all ages. There’s a kids play area and an adventure trail on the side of Gallow Hill. Visit the website for tales of torture and witch dunking (Mugdock-country-park.org.uk). There are various ponds and a loch for the folk that like to watch the waterfowl. There’s a pheasants wood though I’ve never seen a single pheasant there. There are nature walks. There’s a walled garden, which also contains a nursery.
The main visitors centre has a discovery room, a craft shop, loos, somewhere to buy an orienteering map, a café (I can personally recommend the soup which was a very welcome treat after an extremely cold and wet trek on the Reservoir Dog Walk cache) and a gallery where local artist tout their ware. Though I’ve never been they also show the occasional film and put on seminars. You could have fun painting some pottery at the weekend.
Last summer during an RSPB sponsored event the kids got to dip into the pond up on Gallow Hill and inspect the wildlife.
There are places to fly kites and the local archery club practice here.
There are even two castles to visit. One is not accessible (Craigend Castle) due it’s poor state of repair but the other one (Mugdock Castle) is open to abuse.
The area used to be known as the Craigend Estate and from 1949 to ’56 over 200 acres was covered by the Craigend Castle Zoo. They had lions, chimps and even an elephant.
It’s really close to the West Highland Way but I don’t suppose many of those mad fools stop to visit Mugdock!
The starting point I have chosen is in the main car park for the visitors centre. There are car parks all around the periphery of the park. Go to N55° 58.368 W 4°19.803 and note the number of the one of the buses that comes here (Call this XYZ). (XYZ is not 850 but the other one). Go SW about 20 m and find the honesty box. They ask for a paltry donation of 10p per visitor but note how much they estimate it costs per visitor per annum for the upkeep of the park (Call this CD).
Going down to the main visitors centre go into the courtyard and at N55° 58.348 W 4°19.833 you will be standing on a couple of manhole covers. One has BS followed by a three digit number cast onto it (Call this EFG). Up on the wall in the courtyard are a couple of colourful mosaics. Take the last letter of the word that is in the left hand mural and record it’s position in the alphabet where A=1 etc. (Call this H).
Next go to the kids play area at N55° 58.345 W 4°19.888. Note the number of swings (proper ones only at the N end of the play area) (Call this J), the number of slides (chutes for the Scots!) (Call this K) and note the number of squares on the snakes and ladders board (Call this LM).
Maybe I should have mentioned bringing a calculator if your mental arithmetic isn’t that great!
EFG x (J/2) – LM + (2 x J) = NOP where Northing is 55° 57.NOP
XYZ – (H x CD) – (XYZ/CD – K) = QRS where Westing is 4° 19.QRS
These coordinates will take you over to Mugdock Castle and you can find the cache in a black bin liner under a fallen tree.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Tb gb gur AR pbeare bs gur jnyyrq tneqra bs gur pnfgyr. Gur pnpur vf nccebkvzngryl 20 z gb gur RFR
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