The Abbots
Stash
Abbots Pool, Nr
Bristol
"Abbots Pool Woodland, on the edge of the
village
of
Abbots Leigh,
near
Bristol,
is an interesting place to explore. The large pond, which is the
central feature of the woodland, was originally developed for the
medieval practice of farming for fish. The tobacco magnate Walter
Melville Wills owned the property from 1915-1945 and changed the
pond to its current appearance by raising the level of the dam,
building the island, which stands on pillars only visible when
water levels are low, making a boat-house in the form of a cave in
one corner and putting in a slipway at the other corner. The Wills
family also constructed the cascades below the dam fed from the
overflow of the pool. An interesting feature of the cascade area,
and one worth investigating, is the use of Pulhamite. This is a
technique where natural looking rock was constructed using
concrete. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant has recently helped to
restore these features and improve access around the cascade.
Surrounding the pool is idyllic mature woodland containing some
massive oak and beech trees. An abundance of wildlife can be found
here including deer, bats and birds. Free Fishing (NRA Licence
needed) is also popular around the pool which contains a variety of
fish. A car park off
Manor Road
and the public rights of way network can be used for access. The
site covers about 10 hectares, with some steep paths, so sensible
shoes are required for exploring. The main pathway is accessible by
wheelchairs and buggies, although access to the cache isn’t,
due to the very steep terrain of where it’s
hidden."
For more details on the site and it’s recent restoration can be found here:
http://www.vision-news.tv/page_v1.php?page_id=422
!WARNING!
This cache is located near a lake with deep water, please watch any young children you might
have with you…..
The Abbots
Stash
Old people in the district tell a story of buried treasure. At the
Dissolution of the Monastic houses, the Abbot is said to have
brought some of the richest of the ceremonial vessels and thrown
them in the bottom of the pool rather than that they should be
desecrated by the King’s use………..So who
knows exactly what you might find while trying to find this cache?
Although, I want 50% of any Treasure Trove profits you may end up
receiving for bringing you here in the first place!!!!........On
the other-hand, if you fail to find the real Abbots Stash, why not
look for his cache instead. This cache is made up of a long slim
Tupperware type container contained within a camouflaged bag. When
first placed the cache contained the usual items aimed at children
and a logbook and pencil.
I’ve included two waypoints where you can park your car if
necessary, the first is the main car-park of
Manor Road,
which best used on the weekend when the site is busy with other
users of this open space. The second car-parking space really has
only enough room for one car and would probably be only available
when it’s quiet, however this space is slightly closer to
both this cache and a Micro Cache I’ve placed nearby called
the Stony Cache. Any feedback on either cache’s would gratefully be received, hope you
have fun…..Ade & Sue
TOP HONOURS TO ‘PLANETOS’ ON BEING THE
FTF!