South Park Stroll (Darlington) I spy Percy's house Traditional Cache
The Lambs @ 9: Time for another geocacher to place in the park?
South Park Stroll (Darlington) I spy Percy's house
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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This is the 3rd in a series of caches located in South Park Darlington - more to follow! Possibly the hardest of the three so far and it is a bit of an unusual one. The GPS coordinates can be a bit erratic so I have added a give away clue. It will all make sense when you find the cache!
The cache can be found very close to the public path. The Park can get very busy on sunny days so please be very muggle and doggle aware when looking and replacing the caches.
South Park has been an important green space in Darlington since the 17th century, when it was left to the people of the town by James Bellasses.
In 1851 under the influence of the first park committee; which included members of the powerful Backhouse family and George Stephenson’s brother Joseph, the park became known as South Park.
South Park has a long and varied history with many of the Victorian monuments still in the park for a new generation to enjoy.
If you have done the other two caches in South Park and you are on the way to this one you will pass the Aviary which has long been a prominent feature in South Park it has held many species of bird including Ducks, Parrot and Finches. Please note the signs if you visit the aviary with small children as birds like small fingers!
You will also pass an original rail set from the Stockton and Darlington Railway and a bronze cannon captured in the Crimean War dated 1824. It took over four years to be mounted here after objections by the towns Quaker fratenity. This cannon bears a double headed czarist eagle, and was nearly sent for scrap in WWII and finally the new Owl carving by Thomas Craggs. Can you spot the join on the carving or maybe there isn't one?
The cache is located near the South Lodge which marks the south-east corner of the site before it was enlarged by the incorporation of a strip of fields along the eastern boundary of the original park.
Darlington Borough Council have published the following Summer Opening times at South Park. They are:
Monday 00:01 23:59
Tuesday 00:01 23:59
Wednesday 00:01 23:59
Thursday 00:01 23:59
Friday 00:01 23:59
Saturday 00:01 23:59
Sunday 00:01 23:59
It would appear the Park is open virtually 24 hours (but I think Darlington Council might have made a mistake with the times?) The Park is best enjoyed on sunny afternoons. There are toilets and refreshments (including ice cream) available next to the Clock Tower at the newly restored Pavilion.
Please note the trees at this end of the park can cause your GPS to be a bit erratic. Just let your GPS settle down for a few minutes. The cache is not hidden on the road or on kerbside.
Hope you find the cache - enjoy the walk.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Crepl gur Cnex Xrrcre zvtug yrnir guebhtu urer ba uvf, ohg V guvax fur unf bar sbe gjb!