Salty Old Seadog Multi-Cache
genieus: We have known for sometime that we would have to archive this cache due to the closure of Haslar Hospital. Today is the day that the hospital is no longer open to the public so we have removed the cache. A very sad day for Gosport and the surrounding area.
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An easy walk around the historic “Royal Hospital Haslar”.
You do not need to enter any occupied buildings in order to access the clues although the suggested cache trail leads you around some of the more interesting parts of the site. All parts of the cache trail are negotiable by a wheelchair although there is a steep slope at one point.
Construction was started in 1746 as the “Hospital for Sick and Hurt Seamen of the Royal Navy”. The original buildings were built from locally quarried clay and were said to be the largest red brick building in Europe at that time. Although considerably extended over the years, it still retains much of its very distinctive charm.
The site is still owned by MOD, although it is currently leased to the Portsmouth NHS Trust, who operate it as a normal civilian hospital. Public access is permitted to all areas (as with any other hospital) but normal discretion should be exercised near residential and ward areas. I strongly suggest that this cache should only be attempted during daylight hours, in order to avoid drawing attention to yourself.
Public parking is not available on the main site. A visitor’s car park (free) is provided to the west of the main gate and this must be used. The published co-ordinates are those of the car park entrance.
Enter via the main gate, past the MOD Police checkpoint. You will not be challenged or searched under normal circumstances and there is no requirement to explain where you are going. Just walk straight through and follow the footpath.
After about 100 metres, take the first left turn (on the corner of “A” Block).
This will lead you down a long straight road with a view of the Spinnaker Tower in front of you.
Go to N 50 47.177 W 001 07.387 and find out when JPL Thomas was here.
Note down the date as AB/C/DEFG
Now walk through the blue doors and follow the railway lines into a grassy courtyard. Cross straight over, up a few steps, and enter a corridor through automatic double doors, then turn left. This corridor has a detailed pictorial history of the site on display, and very useful blue leaflets are normally to be found on the wall here.
Go back out into the courtyard and exit it at its southern end near a sign for the Pharmacy.
Go to N 50 47.034 W 001 07.480
This unusual building was constructed as a watchtower in order that patients could be kept under observation while they were out in the grounds
Note down the building Number as HJ
Go to N 50 47.014 W 001 07 698 and find a plaque which records some sombre details.
Note down the dates as “from KLMN to OPQR”.
The final cache is an ammo box located at
N 50 JL.(G-H)(A-Q)R W 001 (D-O)(C+K).LJE
Please note that the cache is about fifty feet away to the right from its original location
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Oruvaq n fyno
Treasures
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