Four Forts Part 1 - Ballands Castle Traditional Cache
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Lindinis (Ernie) - Groundspeak Volunteer Reviewer for South West England.
Four Forts Part 1 - Ballands Castle
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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Four Forts is a series of caches situated on Pen Ridge, a North - South ridge, running from Alfreds Tower to Penselwood. Each cache is hidden close to the site of a castle or fort. The name of the series is heavily influenced by the amount of horse riding that takes place in the area - if you don't see a horse, you will see evidence of its passing (hoof prints - what else!)
The caches in this series are independant of each other and can be completed in any order. There is information contained in each cache which, when collected, will enable you to complete the bonus cache of Center Bugs. These caches utilise the permissive paths through the Stavordale and Stourhead Estates. An OS Landranger 183 is recommended.
The cache is approximately 90 metres to the West of Ballands Castle. The castle is an earthwork on the western side of the parish of Penselwood. It takes its name from the field named Ballands in which it stands and has been assumed to be a medieval motte and bailey castle. It is possible that instead of a castle, it may have been the site of the lodge occupied by the lieutenant of Selwood forest.
The earthwork remains are of a motte and an enclosure which may have been a bailey. The motte has been constructed from the northern end of a slight north-south ridge and the enclosure occupies the full width of the ridge at the highest point. The motte has steep sides and is surrounded by a slight ditch The bailey is surrounded by a ditch scraped out of the hillside on the West. On the North side, it has both an inner bank and an outer bank.
This is one of three closely grouped motte and bailey castles in the area; the others being Church Orchard and Cockroad Wood. Their proximity may be related to the nearby Pen Pits, sited between the Stourton and Penselwood parishes. These pits show early prehistoric and both late and post medieval activity and were dug to quarry greensand querns for the hand grinding of corn.
Parking for this cache is at: 51°04.900N 002°21.001W
There are two routes to choose from:
The first takes the lane heading south out of the village towards the A303. Opposite a house called Kibitka, take the footpath and head West across the field and towards the cache Co-ordinates. This route is not recommended for small children as the lane is quite narrow and can be busy at times.
The second (and slightly longer but more picturesque) route is to head West from the parking and out of the village along Steel's Lane. When you reach the woods of the Stavordale Estate, turn South and walk for approximately half a kilometer . When you reach an information board, head East, walk past a lake and up the slope to the cache.
Recommended Footwear: Wellington Boots.
You are searching for an ammo box (it may not be the size you are expecting). Don't forget to record the info. found at the bottom of the box - you will need it for Centre Bugs.
Although the caches in this series are independant of each other, they could be completed in one long walk. If you do decide to tackle the Four Forts and the bonus cache of Center Bugs in one trip, leave the car at Penselwood and allow approximately four hours (two out, two back) to complete (longer for smaller legs). The ridge offers some great views out to the West and the chance to see deer and other wildlife. Just look out for the horses!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre fgbarf, ng gur onfr bs n gerr.