Fishpond Wood Hideaway Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This cache is located in Fishpond Wood, a beautiful well-kept secret in Raynes Park, London. I'd lived in the area for six years before I found it!
A nice walk, generally quite flat and straightforward, although watch out for typical woodland hazards. Can be muddy. May be a bit tricky for wheelchair cachers - I'd appreciate any feedback you may have.
This lovely patch of unspoilt woodland has successfully resisted development, and is now a nature reserve. Beverley Brook runs alongside, and there's a lovely pond, which has thankfully recovered from a spill of heating oil in 1989. The pond was originally thought to be kept by monks. This area is generally pretty quiet, with just a few joggers and dog-walkers to disrupt your search.
Watch out for a fantastic array of flora and fauna, including a lot of different types of fungus. Tiny blue flowers of forget-me-not colour the bank of the stream at the start of the fascinating nature trail that leads through the 5 hectare site. Passing a fine line of oaks, the woodland gives way to a small remnant of acid grassland with mouse-ear hawkweed and wood-rush interspersed among the grasses. Continue through the herb-rich areas to the coppiced hazel woodland that has a profusion of bluebells in springtime. There are also seasonal ponds with plenty of amphibians and dragonflies. The final section of the trail follows a footpath on to Wimbledon Common for those who are looking for a longer walk.
Look out for sporting activities at Wimbledon Rugby Club nearby, especially on Sunday mornings.
The cache is in an area of level ground, and the terrain isn't difficult, but it can be muddy so take care. You're looking for a small plastic clip box, which included a few little swaps when placed. There's an interesting item for computer historians in there!
I hope you enjoy my first non-suburban cache!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx bhg sbe fbzrguvat qvntbany naq onexl.