Salter's Nick Traditional Cache
Jesmond Lynam: Time for this one to go
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A traditional cache in beautiful countryside.
The walk around Shaftoe crags is a very pleasant family outing with several items of interest in the area, lots of big boulders to climb and a couple of other caches too.
Parking is available at N 55° 08.109 W 001° 54.182
From the car parking spot follow the track to the farm track to East Shaftoe Hall and continue along the track to the south side of the farm.
Quite often the byres have cute calves in them!
Passing between the Hall and the walled garden keep a look out in the wall on the right for the unusual hexagonal basalt rock.
Continue through the gate along the public footpath. On your left is the remains of a hill fort and “the devil’s punchbowl”. This impressive rock can climbed but take care as there is a rather impressive drop on the other side.
In the cliff face under the rock is a rock shelter but once again take care climbing down!
There is a trig point visible from the Devil's punchbowl and the views from there are phenomenal!
The path continues down to Shaftoe Grange after which there are a large number of boulders on your right – many hours of fun can be had trying to climb these and the area is frequently used by climbers.
The path continues to the corner of the field.
Right leads to Salter’s Nick. There are several different versions of how the area got it’s name. One is that it was named after the salt smugglers who used it when there was a tax on salt. Another is that the word Salter’s derives from Sawters (soldier) and the area featured in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. The old road from Scotland passed through Elsdon and then came through Salters Nick.
At the top of the Nick there are a number of earthworks Clearly visible when the bracken is not growing. These are the remains of an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement. THE CACHE IS NOT UP HERE!
Continue east along the side of the wall back to the car.
The whole walk is in the region of 5km.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n FGBAR
Treasures
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