O.W.L.2: The Hairy Plodder Trail
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The cache is not at the listed location. This is a possible starting point. It is actually a starting point for the Hidden Secrets Trail (GCP50Z), which if you follow it, will put you close to O.W.L.1 (GCQ7K7). You must complete the O.W.L.1 course to find the start of the O.W.L. 2 course. See below for details. This is a challenging multi-cache that goes up steep park trails.
Attention Hogwart's students. This is Professor McGonagle speaking. In order for you to become witches and wizards, you must pass a series of tests, called Ordinary Wizarding Levels, or O.W.L.'s. The Hogwarts faculty members have created a test course that you must complete in order to receive your second O.W.L. This course, which is set in the middle of a muggle park, will test your abilities to hide your activities from muggles while practicing your wizarding skills. This course will test your mental and physical abilities. You will need to use your skills of observation, divination, and arithmancy.
This course consists of a number of hidden caches. The exact number of caches is a secret that you will need to discover and is one that you must not reveal to others. Locating these caches is your primary goal. To find them, you must use a magical wizarding device, based on Gryffindor's Pointing Spells, or GPS for short. This will get you within about 10-15 metres of the caches, but you must use your divination and observational skills to locate them. Mysterious wordly and otherworldly forces can affect the accuracy of this device, so do not trust it entirely. If it leads you into poisonous plants or up or down steep terrains, you are looking in the wrong place.
Completing the first course, O.W.L.1 (GCQ7K7) is a prerequisite to starting the O.W.L.2 course. The final cache of that first sequence contains the location for the first cache in this sequence, as well as hints for all the caches. Adult wizards may need to bring their spectacles to read the clues. Bring a notebook to take notes on the cache locations and hints. Each cache in turn will point you to the next cache until you reach the final cache. You may also find some hints scattered about. Once you find the final cache, you will have passed the O.W.L. To prove that you found it, you must sign your name into a logbook in the cache. This cache is about the size of a magic book and has room for you to trade magical items with other students, to commemorate your find.
O.W.L.2 is a long and hairy course, requiring plodding up steep hills on established trails. It requires a climb of over 140 metres and a distance of about 1.5 kilometres from the end of O.W.L.1. Only advanced students in good physical health should attempt the entire course. Some of the caches may be too high up for younger students to reach. Older students or adult wizards may help. A wizard's staff is highly recommended, for non-magical purposes.
You must follow muggle rules while you are here. No broomstick-riding or apparating is allowed as this could be observed by muggles. You must get through this course on foot or other means allowed by the park rules. The entire course is on existing trails, which you must take. Cutting through the Forbidden Forest is dangerous and strictly prohibited. Those who do so will face disqualification and a 150 point deduction from their houses. All the caches are only a short distance from the trail. You are not allowed to damage the landscape, so use of the reducto curse and mobiliarbus, diffinido, and incendio spells are prohibited. You are not allowed to make trees and rocks disappear with the evanesco spell. As you will not know what the caches look like, the accio spell will not work. Your primary tools will be your wits, your powers of observation, and your divination skills. Beware of hazards, such as venomous plants, serpents, and giant spiders. Do not attempt this at night, as werewolves and lions are known to hunt here after dark. Remember to conceal your activities from muggles. Parts of this trail are exposed to the full rays of the sun. You may wish to bring a hat, but do not wear a witch's or wizard's hat.
Including the Hidden Secrets Trail and O.W.L.1, the total length of the 3 courses is 2.8 kilometres one-way with a maximum change in altitude of 158 metres. Plan your time accordingly should you choose to do them all at once.
While knowledge of Hogwarts is certainly useful, it not an absolute requirement. For example, visiting wizards, witches, and students from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, or Salem should still be able to be able to find the caches, even though they may not understand all the Hogwarts references.
The final cache contains the following:
Logbook and pencil
A magical figurine
A book featuring magic, witchcraft, and wizardry
Magic stones
10 O.W.L. completion certificates (the first 10 finders may take one)
10/23/05 Update:
In addition to the items remaining from above, the final cache now contains:
Several types of magic wands, including Harry Potter's lumos wand.
Harry Potter's glasses
Scabbers and Hedwig figurines
Tattoo stamps and pad
Magic marker and associated sorting hat puzzle
Halloween items:
Notepads
Stamps
Jumping pumpkin
Black cat
Rat
Pumpkin clicker
Several types of figurines
Update 7/31/17:
The final stage of the cache has been attacked by muggle vandals. The remains of the cache have been retrieved and replaced with a new one. It is half the size of its predecessor and closer to the trail. It is covered to keep it out of sight of muggles. Please make sure it stays that way. The previous stage now contains updated location clues, containing minutes only. The degrees are the same. Good luck, and beware of evil muggles.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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