Lindow Common Earth cache EarthCache
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GeoawareUK2
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Lindow Common Earth cache
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Lindow Common is very close to the Lindow Moss. The Lindow Moss originates back to the last ice age. It was created when the glaciers melted. The gravel, sand and clay were carried from the Pennines to the Cheshire plains. This resulted in wetlands where weeds, algae and moss grew which led to the peat that we have here.
THE DEVENSIAN ICE AGE
The Devensian ice age affected the Cheshire plains around the Lindow Common. The ice age started in 73000 BC and ended in 10000 BC. The Devensian glaciation was the most recent glacial period. The summers during the period averaged about 10oC and the winters were very severe. The glaciation caused large depressions in the ground and effected rocks and stone.
During the Devensian period, you would have seen many animals such as mammoths, deer and sabre toothed tigers.
Wilmslow and Lindow ground is made up of mostly sandstone and some glacial sand brought in by the movement of ice.. The Wilmslow sandstone contains the oldest rocks in the area. It contains Aeolian sandstone which is wind deposited and fluvial sandstone which is water deposited. The rock is a rusty red colour because the iron in it is oxidised. The Lindow moss consists of oligo fibrous peat. Oligo fibrous peat consists of rotting cells of plants and other animals.
Wilmslow is a very flat area, which is why we do not get floods or much snow. During the ice age, the climate didn't really effect Wilmslow that much because it was shielded by the Pennines, so led to little change on the land.
THE LINDOW MAN
The Lindow man, also known as Lindow II and Pete Marsh was a preserved bog body of the late iron age. It was discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss in Mobberley in 1st August 1984 by commercial peat cutters. The Lindow man was in his mid 20s when he died and might have been someone of high status as his body showed little evidence of heavy work. His death was found to be violent after he had had his last meal of charred bread. He was strangled and then deposited into Lindow Moss sometime during the 1st century AD. The body was preserved by freeze drying. Freeze drying is a dehydration process used to preserve a perishable material. When the body was frozen, there was enough heat to melt the body and then freeze it again and so on.
Lindow Common is located in the west edge of Wilmslow. It is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) designated a lowland heathland, a habitat rarer than tropical rain forest.
Centuries ago, villagers could graze their cattle on the heather, but over the last century, birch trees have grown in many areas and the council have now begun to selectively remove them to promote the re growth of heather. Lindow Common lies very close to the area of famous peatland where the Lindow Man was found in 1984 now on display in the British museum. The Common is surrounded by Racecourse Road so named because there once existed a racecourse around the outskirts of the Common.
THE CACHE: The cache is a multi staged earth cache created to show the wonderful area of the Common. The above co-ordinates are for the car park only. When you have parked, walk through the gate to the board on the right hand side of the path.
When you get there, answer the following questions to get to stage 2.
1: What is the number of letters in the full name of the toadstool shown-3=A
2: What is the last number of the year of the most recent arial photo taken of the common=B
3: What is the number of letters of the colour of the woodpecker shown=C
4: What is the number of letters in the named black water bird ×2=D
Stage 2= N 53 19.CBA W 002 14.(D+1)A(B×2)
When you get to stage 2, answer the following questions to get to the final stage.
1: What is the number of letters in the full name of the mammal shown-4=E
2: What is the number of letters in the colour of the lake+3=F
Please take a photo of the view at this stage being careful not to show the answers to the questions.
Final Stage= N 53 19.62E W 002 14.88F
TO LOG A FIND- When you get to the final stage, 1: Email the answer to the following question:
When was the common land given to the residents of Wilmslow?
2: (optional) Upload a photo taken at stage 2 and post in your log.
Please do not post any answers in your log.
During you walk please take time to look at the lake as it is a naturally filled lake and is a fantastic tourist attraction.
Enjoy the common and happy caching.
I would like to thank Paul Hughes of Cheshire East Council for giving permission for this cache to be set. Without his agreement, none of you could see and enjoy the wonderful land of Lindow Common.
FIRST TO FIND GOES TO REDFERRET!!
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