The Drum Traditional Cache
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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The cache is a small tube with a log. The cache site can be soft and boggy so wear appropriate footwear. There is no need to leave the paths to reach the cache.
The area around Cargan and Newtowncrommelin has been mined for iron ore since 1866 and in the 1870’s and 1880’s was Ireland’s largest producer of this ore. In the 1870’s 700 miners were employed in the mines and the village of Cargan was developed as a mining community. Production ceased in the 1920’s largely for economic reasons. Bauxite, (a compound containing aluminium) was also mined from the 1880’s through to the 1930’s and again in the Second World War for use in aircraft production.
Beds containing red iron ore or grey bauxite, together with traces of former mines and spoil heaps are clearly visible in the hillside on the west side of the road north of Cargan. The prominent spoil heaps of the Cargan mines can be seen to the east of the village.
THE MINES LIE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND ARE DANGEROUS. ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD THEY BE ENTERED.
Initially, the iron ore was transported by horse-drawn tramway to the road and then by horse and cart to the pier at Red Bay, where it was shipped to Britain for processing. By the early 1870’s about 600 horses were employed and transport costs were thus very high.
In 1872, the Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway Company was formed to build a narrow-gauge line from Ballymena to Cargan and then down Glenballyemon to Cushendall and Red Bay Pier. Unfortunately the steep slopes of Glenballyemon prevented the laying of the last six miles of track. Therefore rather than go to its obvious shipping point at Red Bay the ore had to be dispatched to Ballymena for shipment from Larne and Belfast.
The line of the railway, in some places running along the embankment or through a cutting is clearly visible on the west side of the road north of Cargan. It had the distinction of being the highest railway in Ireland.
The Drum is on the southern slopes of Slievenanee Mountain in the north of Glenravel above Cargan village. These rush covered fields were grazed until mid 2001 when the Woodland Trust acquired them for planting and access under the Woods on your Doorstep project. The Drum name derives from the winding gear left over from the iron ore mines above here, although little remains of these apart from red scars on the hillside. A 4m high rust coloured iron sculpture on the site illustrates this connection and it has been called the 'Angel of the Drum' after its resemblance to the Geordie sculpture.
Following extensive consultation with Glenravel Community Development Association the area was planted with 15k trees of native stock with the main species being oak, ash, rowan, Scots pine, birch and alder. Open areas have been left at the top for plants like orchids and ragged robin which are profuse in spring, whilst also providing hunting territory for the many raptors around here, notably sparrow hawk, kestrel and buzzard. Small pools in the wetland allow frogs to spawn in spring and these are often black with tadpoles.
Free public access is provided across the whole site at all times. Access is off the Skerry East road (N55*00.194, W06*11.415) which is up from the Cushendall road before Cargan at the Newtowncrommelin turn off.
The main path from the car park off the Skerry East Road affords great views down to Glenravel and across to the Antrim hills and Glenariff Forest.
The cache is placed within The Drum. It is still quite a young wood but this just means you can appreciate the wonderful views while the trees are still small. If you walk the full length of the paths you will be able to see the remains of the old winding gear and old buildings said to be cottages, a distillery and the loading bay for the narrow-gauge railway to Ballymena.
We have been given permission by the Woodland Trust to place this cache. We are obligated to help maintain and preserve this beautiful area and if necessary you should contact either ourselves through Geocaching.com or the Woodland Trust direct if you feel there is anything that needs attention while you are walking round The Drum.
While you are in the area there is also the old ore smelter on the outskirts of Newtowncrommelin just a mile away and on the A43 (Glenravel Road) just outside Cargan there is a picnic area (where we have placed another cache GC1GGWB - Never Eat Shreaded Wheat) with an information board which shows maps of the old railway lines and mine workings in the area.
Please make sure you hide the cache well to keep it dry when you leave.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
svaq Arq, oruvaq
Treasures
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