The northbound Dales Way Link from Leeds to Ilkley follows the Adel Beck. It passes under the Leeds Outer Ring Road A6120, near the ruins of Scotland Mill (flax), through Scotland Wood, the Seven Arches (aquaduct), the Slabbering Baby Spring to Alwoodley Crags (free car park off Stairfoot Lane at N53.51.470 W001.34.470 which we suggest you use).
This very large ‘Meanwood Valley Nature Reserve North’ contains areas of ancient, replanted woodland and continues a virtually uninterrupted green corridor for some 7 miles from the city centre to open countryside. It has a rich and contrasting landscape of varying habitats including bogs, heaths, grassland, becks and a pond. All of these compliment the woodland areas by adding interest and diversity. Stone loaches and bullhead fish can be found in the becks and the ponds provide breeding grounds for frogs, toads and newts. There are a number of smaller, managed compartments within the nature reserve which include Adel Woods, Alwoodley Crag Plantation, Alwoodley Crag, Adel Moor, Slabbering Baby Fields, Buckstone Field and Scotland Wood.
If you prefer a longer walk following Adel Beck through the nature reserve towards the cache then park off the south side of the A6120 at the valley bottom in Smithy Mills Lane / Parkside (only accessible by travelling westbound between the A61 and A660 roundabouts). Don stout footwear and pick up the Dales Way footpath northbound under the ring road for about 2.5km to the cache.
Adel, north of Leeds may be the most extensive Roman site in the modern county of West Yorkshire. The first description of its extent and nature was given by Ralph Thoresby, the Leeds historian and antiquary. In 1702 he noted in his diary that workmen had discovered a Roman town, which by the ruins seems to have been very considerable. It is situated 1km north of the suggested car park (beyond the golf course) but today there are few surface traces.
The cache contains a code letter which is part of GCR54K Meanwood Meander