Three points of interest for the price of one cache.
All that remains of Comiston House is a 16th Century angle-tower of rubble that stands 20 feet high, is 12 feet in diameter with two oval gunloops for defensive purposes. The tower was turned into a doocot with 160 nest holes.
The easiest way to reach the tower is to take a short detour off the path used by Robert Louis Stevenson on his way to Swanston and the Pentland Hills. It is well signposted - the path not the detour.
I was going to call this cache the "Fairmilehead Home Guard" as the friend that pointed it out to me thought the nearby buildings were used for this purpose. I couldn't find any evidence of this so settled on Comiston House but when I returned with the box a sign had been added to the building proclaiming "Fairmilehead Home Guard Club"!
When mention is made of the Home Guard it is easy to think of Dad's Army and regard it all as something a bit quaint and genteel. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Home Guard were taught guerilla warfare and were prepared to fight to the last man in defence of their country. There was a programme on TV recently that explored some of the weapons and tactics to be used in defence of London and it was heavy duty stuff. A million miles removed from Warmington-on-Sea.
As for Dad's Army, can you remember Sgt. Wilson's catchphrase? What was Pte. (don't tell him) Pike's first name? Even harder, what was Pte. Godfrey's first name? We're doomed!! Don't panic!!
