Remote Wales: Mallaen Bonus Mystery Cache
Remote Wales: Mallaen Bonus
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache forms part of the “Remote Wales” series. It is a series that is designed to take the cacher off the beaten track. On many of the walks involved, you will be the only person along that track that day or even week or month. Many of the walks are long and physically demanding. I am not expecting a lot of visitors!
Each string of caches is grouped around a bonus cache, the coordinates of which you get from finding the traditional cache in the string . The Bonus Caches in turn carry a code for a final bonus cache, designed to draw the whole series together. The idea for this series draws heavily on other series of hill-walking caches. Thanks are due to: Morgs4mountains, SidAndBob, martlakes, Ezitis and muddypuddles. Elements of their series have been incorporated into this one.
Although the caches are all small, all are placed for an easy find. The point of these caches is to take you on a voyage of discovery with an uncomplicated find at the end of the walk. Boulder fields are avoided if possible. I firmly believe that the effort and time you will have put in to reach ground zero should, as near as possible, guarantee a find. As these caches are all in remote hill areas, please take all the necessary, precautions, equipment and care. And then enjoy the caches.
Mynydd Mallaen is an extensive plateau with, in places, steep sides. It is easy to get lost up here- please take care. It is all a SSSI and this cache is placed with the kind permission of CCW. Please respect the environment around you. Evidence of pre-historic activity is concentrated on the northern edge and these caches are placed nearby. Crugiau Merched are a pair of prehistoric burial mounds, no longer in the best of condition. One was cut through to provide a sight line between two Trig Points ( oh dear!) and the other was extensively disturbed by firstly an unproductive archaeological dig and then a shepherd building a sheep pen (oh dear, oh dear!!). In rather better condition are two standing stones adjacent to the path that you will need to walk along to get these caches. One looks like a gravestone (Maen bach)and the other (Maen Hir) is small, delicate and appears rather fragile. Both continue to be of use as reference points on an otherwise featureless plateau. I could not take photos when putting out these caches as it was raining torrentially. You can see photos at: (visit link)
This part of the Mallaen is rather wet with large areas of Mollinia caerulea (Purple Moorgrass). I advise you to stay on paths as much as you can and avoid as much bog-bashing as possible. For your own good as well as to avoid damaging the vegetation.
To find this cache, which is not at the listed co-ordinates, you will need to visit Remote Wales:Cwm Gwenlais and Remote Wales: Crugiau Merched. In these two caches you will get the information to fill in the co-ordinates for this cache:
N 52 05.abc
W 003 48.def
Then,when you find this cache, take the codes in this cache for the final bonus in the series.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Rnfg fvqr bs bhgpebc