Venue: Cramond Inn, Cramond Village, Edinburgh
Time: 12.00 noon
Date: Saturday July 21st 2012
The Welcome
Bret, John, Audrey and Julia are visiting Edinburgh from California. Bret and John are teachers who use geocaching as a learning aid in the classroom. They are bringing Travel Bugs created by their pupils with specific missions to achieve en route back to California, and they would like local geocachers to help these TBs on their way. With an influx of visitors to Scotland and the UK in the year of the London Olympics, they anticipate that many of the TBs will have some adventures on the way. We would like to welcome them to Edinburgh and give them a chance to pass on the TBs. This is a link to the classroom website
The TBs that will be released during the Uk stay can be seen on theclassroom website
The Event
The welcome is in the 'Red Room' at Cramond Inn in Cramond Village at 12.00 noon on Saturday July 21st. Children are allowed in this part of the Inn, or in the garden. The pub does not allow dogs indoors but there is an outside area with benches. Food is available, though unfortunately any reviews I have seen online are not favourable, so it may be as well not to have high expectations! You may prefer to have an early picnic lunch on the island and come along for a drink later.
The Walk
The event provides an opportunity to explore a lesser known part of Edinburgh. Cramond has a rich history as well as a few caches. If any local cachers would like to place a few more for the event, please feel free to do so! The event is timed to allow a walk across to Cramond Island on the tidal causeway to find the two caches there. Low tide is at about 10.30am, and it is safe to cross the causeway 2 hours either side of low tide. Jack Aubrey and I will be accompanying our guests to the island, and you are welcome to join us. We will probably set off from the end of the causeway at around 9.30am, but I will post an announcement to confirm this nearer the time.
The 'causeway' or 'dragon's teeth' is a mile long line of concrete stumps and was used as a barrier to shipping in the second world war. There are frequent mishaps with people getting stranded on the island; it is your responsibility to ensure that you leave enough time for the return crossing. Good walking shoes/boots are essential since the causeway can be rough and slippery in places. Local tides can be checked here or here. More information about Cramond Village can be found here and about Cramond Island here.
CITO
I have been asked to mention that it would be a good idea for cachers visiting Cramond Island to take some equipment (eg gloves/bin bags) in order to do a bit of CITO. It is a popular site for BBQs/picnics and the rubbish, unfortunately, isn't always taken away.