Sheep Island Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A ten minute walk at low tide from Snab Point (N 54° 03.908 W 003° 12.634) on Walney Island on an obvious track. (DON'T ATTEMPT TO WALK ACROSS THE SANDS BEFORE CHECKING THE WEATHER AND TIDE FORECASTS)
Sheep Island is a small grassy island just over 1/4 mile (400 m) from the shore of Walney Island, opposite Snab Point. It is one of the Islands of Furness. Its area is about 15 acres (6 ha).
Sheep Island is a small and not overly exciting island to look at, a shingle beach leading up to a grassy plateau covered with scrub.
It is accessible on foot at low tide from either Walney, or from Piel Island.
The island is uninhabited and there is no shelter.
Between 1892-1922 it included a small isolation hospital, located within a wooden building (long since gone) which was erected by Barrow Borough Council at a cost of £257.
The hospital was intended for use by ships on their way into Barrow. Any crew members suspected of carrying a notifiable disease were supposed to dropped off here.
The other great thing about Sheep Island (and no, not a sheep in sight!) is the view it gives across the Walney Channel towards Barrow and the views of the other islands.
Piel Island looks particularly attractive with the castle silhouetted against the bright sun.
Tides Tables for Sheep Island / Ramsden Dock can be found at (visit link)
The island can be readily reached 2-3 hours either side of low water - if you want to link the cache with a walk over to Peel Island (Pie(l) and Peas Please (GCQM9K) make sure you are on your way back from Piel by say at least an hour after low water.
Also dont be tempted to drive unless you really know what you are doing.
A 'half way to Piel' waypoint is given below. It makes a nice and unusual walk of about 2.5 miles (round trip)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Oruvaq ehvarq jnyy haqre ebpx.