A Chalmer of a Track (Dunedin, Otago) Traditional Cache
Hidden : 11/20/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Do come and walk up Mihiwaka from the Mt Chalmers side. It's a charmer of a track!

This cache is placed to entice you the easy way up Mihiwaka. It is only a 2 km walk from the Cedar Forest carpark, about half an hour's walk. Once at the cache it's just 500 metres further to a fantastic view from the Mihiwaka trig. The hill is quite a gentle climb this way, and suitable for all ages. If you can arrange a fine calm day it would be a nice family outing.

Please note that access through the Cedar Farm Forest is only permitted on weekends, public holidays and weekday evenings after 6pm; i.e. not during working hours. However, if you're keen, access from the more difficult eastern Mihiwaka Crag end of the track is available at all times.

Park at the start of Cedar Farm Rd and walk up the forestry road. This is the steepest part of the climb! At the junction, turn right and continue up the road until you see a skid site with beehives on your left [4]. This is the start of the eastern Mt Kettle track. Ninety metres further on you will see fabric ties on the right-hand (north) side of the road marking the start of the Mihiwaka track [5].

Follow the track up through the young pines. The cache is a hundred metres past the forest boundary [6] in DCC Water Reserve land. You're looking for a 1.6 litre black screwtop, in the obvious place in a slightly sedgy grass clearing.

We encourage you to walk another ten minutes along the track to the Mihiwaka trig point [7] for a marvellous view. The track is well-defined and climbs gently through beautiful manuka and dracophyllum scrub.

It is very boggy just uphill of the cache, although sphagnum is part of the track's charm. You could walk it in Teva sandals, but if you don't like wet feet boots are recommended.

Going up to the trig, the prominent rocky knob to your right is Mt Chalmers. Like the port, it was named after the celebrated Reverend Dr Thomas Chalmers. He led the "Disruption" which formed the the Free Church of Scotland in 1843; it was a Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland which organised the settlement of Dunedin in 1848. Apparently Dr Chalmers had many conversations with Captain Cargill about the project, and it was his brother Robert who recommended Thomas Burns as the religious leader of the settlers.

Thomas Chalmers was a remarkable man, by all accounts. Mathematics were his first interest, and when he was minister of Kilmany he was reprimanded on neglecting his parish duties to tutor at St Andrews. It seems his mathematics lectures were so popular that the jealous Professor fired him. Thomas then started independent classes in mathematics and chemistry which created a sensation. Chalmers became an Evangelical Christian after recovering from a long bout of tuberculosis, and soon became known for his eloquent preaching. A book of his sermons on Astronomy and Christian faith published in 1817 went into nine editions and sold 20,000 copies within a year.

When Thomas preached in London Wilberforce (the anti-slavery campaigner) noted in his diary “All the world wild about Chalmers”. Another person reported “I never witnessed the place so full in my life, pews, passages, pulpit stairs, windows, etc, etc, all crowded to excess; and some noblemen, members of Parliament, and even some most beautiful young ladies of distinction hauled through the vestry window.. .”

Chalmers’ innovations in parochial welfare "Help the poor to help themselves" are regarded as the first experiments in social welfare casework. When Chalmers died in his sleep in 1847, almost half the population of Edinburgh witnessed his funeral.

And also, he was the man who first said there is nothing more uncommon than common sense...

Be aware that the weather can change very rapidly. It's safer to walk with a friend. Always tell someone where you are going and when you are due back. Carry warm and waterproof clothing, snacks and drink, a map, cellphone and extra batteries for your GPS.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

N punez oenpryrg unatvat haqre gur ybt. Fgnl ba tenff, cneg sreaf.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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