NWT: Close House Riverside Traditional Cache
duncanhoyle: When the cache was placed the series along the bridleway didn't exist and I wanted people to walk through the nature reserve to enjoy it. It seems that several people just walk along the bridleway and then make their way over/through the fence.
Since I'm the person who has to maintain the fence and woods I'd rather that didn't happen so archiving the cache
NWT: Close House Riverside
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Please note that this cache does not contain a pen/pencil and I forgot one on my last visit. Before you go looking for it please make sure that you take a writing implement and sign the log when you find it. From now on I will be deleting logs where the is no signature on the log and where the finder mentions not signing in their online log. If you find the cache and your pen doesn't work then take a photo of the logbook. I work here regularly and will be checking...
Welcome to Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Close House Riverside reserve.
The site is termed a calaminarian grassland because it has high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil. This is as a result of mining in the Tyne and Allen river systems; the heavy metals (mainly zinc and lead) are washed from old mine spoil heaps into the rivers. The heavy metal silt is deposited on the river bank when the river floods and it is thought that the bank may have been built up when parts of the river were dredged.
The heavy contamination creates unusual conditions and allows plant species to grow in a location where they would not be expected. These include alpine pennycress and re-introduced spring sandwort. The riverside woodland is home to helleborine, a rare orchid which is another heavy metal specialist. This plant has recently been recognised as a sub species of dune helleborine and it will soon be renamed as the Tyne Helleborine. This reserve and a few similar ones in the area are home to over 90% of the world's population of this plant.
Unfortunately the river bank has a problem with Himalayan Balsam and small areas of snow berry. Occasionally there are giant hogweed plants along the bank and if you see any please do not approach them as their sap can result in painful chemical burns.
Please be aware that the river at this point is tidal and fast flowing and that the bank is fairly steep. The cache is placed away from the river.
Management of the site is minimal, usually just one day per year on site cutting the grass in the open areas and removing the cuttings down the hill. This is to ensure that the dead plant material does not decompose in place and put nutrients back into the ground. Over time this would change the ground condtions and the flora which grows here.
I would suggest refraining from picking blackberries/nuts etc because of the nature of the soil - on a smiliar site tests were carried out on birch sap and it was found to be unfit for human consumption due to heavy metal contamination.
It should go without saying, but please don't pick any plants when on the reserve
Dogs are welcome on site but as it's a nature reserve please keep them on a lead.
The cache is one of a series that will be on sites owned or managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust. Some of these caches will have a letter and number in the lid or log book and eventually there will be a bonus cache to look for.
And double check around you before searching - there's a path in front and one behind and both get regular use
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va ubyr ng gur onfr bs n gerr.
Treasures
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