Pondside Perambulation: New 1 (North Pond) Traditional Cache
HeapsFamily: I am archiving some of the caches in this series as they go missing / wear out. Plan is to archive whole series in next few months and maybe replace with something new??
Pondside Perambulation: New 1 (North Pond)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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PLEASE NOTE: This cache is a replacement for the previous No.1 in this series which has now been archived. Following redevelopment of the area to provide a viewing area for the pond, the cache has been moved yet again to a less conspicuous spot less than 30m from it's initial location. Use hint if you want a quick find between muggles. Suitable for a cache and dash.
Start of the trail. Parking is available in the lay-by (but it can be very busy on weekdays). Alternative parking can be found alongside the South Pond on the other side of the roundabout. After finding the first cache (small clicklock box), head north towards the footbridge, and then turn left up Langton Road. Turn right into the track marked “Pondside Lane” and keep the new housing estate to your left, following the track until you have passed the new houses, then take a sharp left along the fence between the houses and the rough field towards cache #2.
The path from the track to cache 2, then 3 and finally the road before #4 is NOT a public path marked on OS maps, but is a well established path much used by locals. If doing the trail in the correct order, keep the hedge line on your left and the field on your right and you won't get lost.
This series of caches starts from Bishops Waltham Pond, formerly a medieval fish pond associated with the famous Bishops Palace, the ruins of which can still be visited nearby (open in the summer). The pond was split into two when the village bypass was built in the 1960s, and the walk starts from what is now known as the “North Pond”. This has recently undergone extensive restoration by local volunteers, who are constructing a viewing area where this trail starts. The walk itself is just over 3 miles long and is mainly on footpaths and tracks, although there are short stretches on minor roads. The final stretch (if walking clockwise) is along busier roads, but there is always a pavement available. The route may be quite muddy – especially near the beginning (see individual cache descriptions for more details of the route). Walking boots, or even a good pair of wellies, are recommended. There are also a lot of stiles, so unfortunately the walk is not suitable for buggies etc. ALL of the caches can be reached from public paths or access routes, there is no need to venture on to private land or interfere with crops, fences etc. This is horse country, and the suggested route has been chosen to avoid paths which cross those fields regularly used by horses and other livestock. However, if you do encounter livestock and would rather go around, quite a few detours are possible (good map recommended). The early part of the walk alongside “Pondside Fields” uses a well established path, much used by locals for dog walking. However this path is NOT a public right of way. Please respect the farmer’s crops by keeping to the path – however muddy it may be!
The caches are a mixture of 35mm containers and clicklock boxes, the latter having room for small swaps and TBs. Some will require your own pencil or pen. As well as the 9 caches in this series the route takes in 2 well established caches – one of our own (GC2P39Q), and one by our neighbours (GC2T0G4) – don’t forget to visit them as you pass by!
We hope you enjoy the walk, and the caches
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Onfr bs gerr, va vil naq ebbgf. Sne yrsg bs pyrnerq nern.
Treasures
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