Denton - Middleton Circuit #1: Intro & Start
(previously called Follow the Feeder #2)
This is the 1st cache of a 20-cache circuit, consisting of 16 new + 4 existing caches adopted from Santos L Helper, which takes you anticlockwise from near Denton village across to near Middleton hamlet and back.
The circuit is around 6km and at an easy pace allowing for caches | photo | bird-watching | refreshment stops, should be doable in around 3-4 hours.
It passes through a varied selection of lovely North Yorkshire countryside including grassy sheepy fields, ancient shady pheasanty woodland, burbling becks, stiles and country lanes. There are fine panoramic views along the route especially to the south across the Wharfe valley to moorland beyond.
See below and Gallery for a Series Map with caches, trails and parking spots.
Parking Options for the Series:
1) P1 - For Series Start: park @ N 53 56.033 W 1 47.090 in a small lay-by on Denton Rd adjacent to this cache.
Update 19/7/20: the farmer has now written 'No Parking' on the gate adjacent to the trailhead stile. It is assumed that this refers to not blocking the gate access to the farm track. With careful considerate parking there is still space to park up to 2 vehicles without causing any blockage. Otherwise, there are 2 other relatively spacious parking spaces down the road.
2) P2 - Alternative Series Start: if P1 is occupied, park further up Denton Rd after turning left near the village @ N 53 56.251 W 1 47.090 opposite DMC#3. This is on the roadside so pull in as much as possible to allow plenty of space for passing (farm) traffic.
3) P3 - For Mid-Series Caches: park @ N 53 56.345 W 1 48.729 in an off-road space adjacent to farm buildings and DMC#12.
Update 18/7/20: please note that this parking spot is no longer viable as it is now occupied by building materials. The only other possible space anywhere near here is a little further up the road - if you pull well into the side of the road opposite a wide entrance to the farm. Not ideal - but should not cause any issues as there is plenty of space for wide farm vehicles | trucks to pass.
The next nearest that I know of is about 550m away back down Carter's Lane just off the bend near DMC#14. This is an old & now unused access to the derelict Middleton Hospital.
4) P4 - For Late Series Caches: park @ N 53 55.938 W 1 47.949 in the large space at the side of the Beck Foot Farm access road off Carter's Lane across from DMC#17.
In its previous life the cache was part of Santos L Helper's mini-series of 5 caches called Follow The Feeder (FTF) consisting of 4 feeder caches with clues leading to a final, which I adopted in May 2020.
The creation and sequence of the new series with the incorporation of the old FTF caches means that 2 of these have been dropped and the remaining 3 renamed but retained as a reduced mini-series within the main series. So you will need to note down the number clue written inside this cache (and in DMC#3) in order to find DMC#8: FTF Final - the renamed original FTF Final.