Back to Nature Multi-cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A visit to part of the Cotswolds' Lake District.
Few people are aware of the existence of Lower Moor Farm Nature Reserve. This is a lovely free attraction and deserves to be much better known. Most of the time there are hardly any people there, although school trips to the Reserve sometimes take place. The reserve has three lakes that in the 1970s were gravel extractions. But nature has totally eradicated all signs of industrial activity and now the reserve is a beautiful place to visit. There are water birds galore, ponds, board walks - and woodland too. It is ideal for children as well and there is an activity leaflet that will keep them busy - see
(visit link) . Download it anyway as it has a useful map. Bear in mind that there is very deep water everywhere so you should make sure that children are properly supervised and are kept away from the edges of the lakes.
What is the best way to get there? If you travel on the A419 there is a junction midway between Cirencester and Cricklade where you should turn off onto the B 4696. A couple of hundred yards along this road is the Cotswold Water Park's 'Gateway Centre'. You could drop in here to find out more about the area, or have a snack. Afterwards, carry on along the B 4696 for about two-and-a-half miles to a crossroads. Go straight over, and after another couple of miles you will see white arrows ahead indicating an upcoming sharp right hand bend. The entrance to the Nature Reserve is a short way BEFORE the bend and is marked by a cream coloured board reading 'Lower Moor Farm'. Go through the gateway and on to the car park a little way down on your right. If you pass a big open barn you have gone too far.
The co-ordinates above are for the first Waypoint (Waypoint A: "The Bays") close by the Visitor Centre car park. The Visitor Centre office is not always open, but even when it is closed leaflets are normally available outside. In any case there is a large map in the car park and several other more detailed maps on the way around. Copies of the leaflet referred to in the first paragraph can usually be found inside one of the bird hides (if you are interested in birds, take your binoculars).
Because this is a nature reserve the cache has been placed on a public path just outside. It is suggested that when you have completed the cache co-ordinates you go back to the car park and hunt for the cache from there - it's not very far away. You will see from the maps that there is a path that circuits Swallow Pool and Cottage Lake, so you could go back to the car that way.
(As a matter of interest there are other reserves immediately adjacent to Lower Moor Farm Nature Reserve - Clattinger Farm, Oaksey Moor, Farm Meadow, Sandpool and Swillbrook Lakes.)
The final cache location is:
N51 3(E).(D)(A)9
W001 59.3(C)(B)
To find it you need to work out the value of A,B,C & D, which can be found at the following locations. It is suggested that you find these locations in the sequence shown below.
A: 'The Bays'
The number of roof bays on the farm building seen from
N51 38.570 W001 59.389
B: 'The Addition'
The number of raised flower beds at
N51 38.591 W001 59.410
PLUS the digit in the answer to D
C: 'The Mall'
Subtract the first digit of the date from the last digit at
N51 38.537 W001 59.218
D: 'The Seat'
The last digit on the plaque at
N51 38.564 W001 59.188
E: 'The Hide'
The number of windows in the building at
N51 38.654 W001 59.119
P.S. The owner of this cache is getting on in years and is unfortunately unable to maintain the cache these days. It will therefore be much appreciated if future finders of this cache could provide a new log book if the original is wet or missing - also dry out the box is is is damp inside. Very many thanks. Bonaccord.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orybj gur neebj