Conker Avenue Traditional Cache
magwai: Putting this one to bed today - thank you to all visitors
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Merrions Wood Local Nature Reserve is a wonderful oak and beech woodland 5km (3 miles) south east of Walsall town centre. Around 7 (17 acres) hectares in size, Merrions Wood Local Nature Reserve not only contains trees, but also a pond, adding to the variety of wildlife you can find here.
If you visit Merrions Wood Local Nature Reserve in early May, you'll see a carpet of flowering bluebells covering the woodland floor. These are a sign of ancient woodland, possible dating back as far as the 12th century.
In the 14th century the site was a deer park.(What remains of the HaHa can be seen near the entrance on Chapel Lane) It was around this time that the Scott family settled into the area. They were to have a major influence on the development of Merrions Wood Local Nature Reserve and the Great Barr Hall Estate. After the deer park was abandoned, much of the area became farmland.
By counting the growth rings of dead oak trunks in Merrions Wood, it has been estimated that they were planted around 1770. The beech trees were added around 1795 when it is believed Humphrey Repton (a pupil of Capability Brown) was commissioned to landscape some of the estate of the then owner Joseph Scott.
The horse chestnut avenue is also typical of Repton's designs. Their ring counts suggest that they were planted around 1810. It was about this time that the Scott family diverted Skip Lane, bringing the wood to its present size.
The woodland was designated the ninth Local Nature Reserve in Walsall in November 2004 due to its nature conservation and value to local people for recreation and environmental education. It contains ancient woodland and areas of ancient ridge and furrow lines, which provides evidence of medieval farming
The footpaths within the woods are clearly marked and well used though can get muddy in extreme weather - when my own children were young I pushed a buggy through here - I will leave that to your own judgement
NOTE: Due to tree cover, GPS readings will vary (greatly)
The main entrances into Merrions Wood are off Chapel Lane, Great Barr, and also off Birmingham Road (A34), Walsall, where there is some parking space. By Public Transport: 51, from Walsall to Birmingham.
No FTF Prize other than your name to be added forever on the cache page and a drink at the next local Event if you can attend WHEN TNG gets his act together 
FTF g6lpb
STF one true buzzard
TTF One last look
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
nobhg 3 srrg hc - jngpu gubfr unjgubeaf