Cordell's Cache Traditional Cache
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This is one of 3 caches I have placed along the towpath of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal between Llanfoist and Llanellen. As the path is flat it is ideal for buggies and wheelchairs (although wheelchair users may need assistance to retrieve the cache).
You are looking for a piece of "iron ore" that has fallen from a barge as it made its way down to Newport many years ago! Please bring a pen and just write your name and date as the log book is quite small.
This cache was inspired by the book "The Rape of the Fair Country" by Alexander Cordell which is a favourite book of mine. (Best described as gritty period drama meets Gavin and Stacey!) It tells the story of the Mortymer family and the ironmaking communities during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. The canal features in the book not just as the main transportation for the iron and coal but also for the "annual outing" which was the highlight of the year for most of the families who worked at the Garndyrus iron furnaces. The story tells of them using the trams to travel down the incline to Llanfoist Wharf where they boarded barges which took them down to Newport for the day. However even this one day of merriment was spoilt as their journey was interrupted by a fracas with the Irish workers who threw missiles at the barges from the bridges!
Alexander Cordell, though not native to Wales fell in love with the country whilst convalescing here after being injured in the Second World War, he lived in Llanellen for many years and it was whilst here that he became fascinated with the local history and began writing in his spare time.
Other caches in the area which take you to locations from the book include The Queen Victoria Inn and Inclined to Cache.
The best place to park is at Llanfoist Crossing, the canal can be accessed by walking up the road past Llanfoist Church and then up some steps, this is also the start of the steeper route up the Blorenge.
For the less mobile there is limited parking at N51 48.248 W003 02.246 where a gate leads onto the towpath.
This cache was placed with the kind permission of British Waterways.
~~~~~~~Congratulations to Sniffadogz for being FTF~~~~~~~~~~
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Onfr bs qhny gehaxrq gerr, pybfr gb n gerr juvpu unf n uhtr oraq va vgf gehax.