Bluebells & Silviculture Traditional Cache
Half Man Half Eejit: The cache has been destroyed
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache offers a short walk through glorious managed woodland on the western edge of Urchfont village. You will be looking for a regular ammo box containing the usual swaps. Please make sure you re-hide the box as securely as possible.
Oakfrith Wood Local Nature Reserve (LNR) can be accessed via the Byway leading from the B3098 (WP1), or from the grounds of Urchfont Manor via a permissive path across farmland. It forms part of the Urchfont Manor Estate, the former home of the Pollock family and extends to 14.1 hectares. Wiltshire County Council purchased it, along with the rest of the estate in 1945 to establish a residential adult education college.
The wood, which is shown on the 1784 tithe map and was then called Oakfrith Coppice, is one of the larger blocks of woodland remaining in the Pewsey Vale, an area denuded of trees by Dutch Elm Disease in the early 1970s.
Oakfrith, as its old name suggests, is of ancient woodland origin and although most of the wood has been replanted over the years a small area of the ancient woodland remains, with ancient woodland ground flora remaining in many parts of the woodland. Following a major felling in 1917 for the war effort the wood appears to have been neglected until 1928, when Rivers and Eveline Pollock took it in hand. Most of the woodland was than replanted during the early 1930s (85% broadleaf/conifer mix and 15% pure conifer). Much of the conifer planting has been removed through thinning over the years and the final area of pure conifer was felled in 1996. An additional area of trees, adjoining the wood, was planted in 2000 to celebrate the Millennium.
The wood is managed by ‘The Friends of Oakfrith Wood’, a group representing the County Council, Urchfont Manor College and the local community. The aim of the group is to promote long term, multi purpose, sensitive management of Oakfrith and to restore its ancient woodland character, whilst encouraging sound woodland management. The wood was designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in May 2004 and continues to provide a home to wealth of biodiversity.
This cache has been placed with the permission of Wiltshire County Council. For the sake of the wood and the people who work within it, please try and keep to the main paths, respect the wildlife and most of all, enjoy your visit. Dogs are permitted in the wood provided that they are kept on a lead.
Limited parking is available at the wood (WP2) so please be courteous. Alternatively, visitors may park at Urchfont Manor with permission. As is always the case in rural environs, cars are left at owner’s risk.
For further information about the wood, or the work undertaken by local volunteers, then please feel free to contact:
Steve Russell
Countryside Manager
Leo Wirtz
Senior Countryside Ranger
By Email
countryside@wiltshire.gov.uk
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pbzr ba! Ynetr gerr jvgu znff bs tebjgu ng vg'f onfr.