Caldale Camp Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Caldale Camp is at the site of a World War One Airship Station and a World War Two Vehicle and Barrage Balloon Depot.
Caldale Airship Station
Caldale Airship Station was established during World War I in 1915-16, as an element of the strategic network protecting the British coastline. The site is situated at the northern end of the Bloomfield Road, St Ola between the Old Finstown Road and the main Kirkwall to Orphir Road.
This airship station was equipped with three or four 'Sea Scout' non-rigid craft as well as a number of kite balloons, which were intended to be towed behind ships. The two sheds intended to house these smaller craft at Caldale measured 220ft (67.06m) in length by 109ft (33.22m) in width and 50 ft (15.24m) high, and 160ft (48.77m) in length by 70ft (21.34m) in width and 46ft (14.02m) high respectively. They were of timber skeleton construction with a cladding of painted corrugated iron. During World War II, the site was used as a radar maintenance depot, for barrage balloon storage and as a repair depot.
Of the World War I airship sheds nothing remains to be seen. However, a series of concrete blocks, which once supported the large temporary 'baffle' walls providing a wind break for the airships, survive on the north side of the main area. The equivalent series on the south side must have been removed relatively recently, as they appear on post-war RAF vertical air photographs. The blocks can also be seen on a series of photographs taken around 1916 (T Kent Collection, Kirkwall Library).
All that can be seen of the airship station today is an expanse of concrete parkways, large concrete shed bases and the remains of concrete vehicle service bays. The area is now used by the Caldale Auto Club for its summer meets.
The cache is a round plastic container located in the cache owners garden so feel free to look around. Please keep to the paths. If you fancy a wander around the garden, please feel free to do so!
Some of the information in this entry has been extracted from a description of the Caldale Airship Station provided by The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
1. Ynetr juvgr tnentr qbbe!
2. Cbjre naq jngre!