Dowse about a Gorge Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(small)
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1 of a series of 14 caches which can be found close to the old Water Board track between Strathblane and Killearn.
Dowsing is a type of “divination” or finding, employed in attempts to locate buried ground water or other materials, without the use of scientific apparatus, and is also known as divining.
This is the polar opposite to Geocaching, which is 100% reliant on the scientific apparatus which you will be carrying with you!
There is no accepted scientific rationale behind dowsing, and there is no scientific evidence that it is effective, although historically, it has been used by many communities to locate sources of water supply for drinking water wells.
A Y- or L-shaped twig or rod, called a dowsing rod or divining rod is generally used during dowsing.
Traditionally, the most common dowsing rod is a forked (Y-shaped) branch from a tree or bush. Hazel twigs are traditionally commonly chosen. The two ends on the forked side are held one in each hand with the third (the stem of the "Y") pointing straight ahead. The dowser then walks slowly over the places where he suspects the target may be, and the dowsing rod supposedly dips, inclines or twitches when a discovery is made. Many dowsers today use a pair of simple L-shaped metal rods made from coat hangers, which indicate a positive result when they cross.
If you bring your coat hanger dowsing rods or cut some Hazel branches you may find that you get some crazy reactions near to this track as you will be following closely the route of the Glasgow Corporation Water Works system, which brings water down to Glasgow from Loch Katrine via a series of pipes and magnificent aqueducts which you will encounter along the way.
There is buried water everywhere along this track, and it is criss-crossed with a myriad of burns, ditches and culverts all carrying water downhill.
The water supply scheme was admired internationally as an engineering marvel when it was opened in 1860, being one of the most ambitious civil engineering schemes to have been undertaken in Europe since antiquity.
The scheme represents the golden age of municipal activity in Scotland, and not only provided Glasgow with fresh drinking water, thereby paving the way for a significant increase in hygiene and living standards, but also a source of hydraulic power that was indispensable to the growth of Glasgow's industry as a cheap and clean means of lifting and moving heavy plant in docks, shipyards and warehouses.
Along this track you will enjoy superb views of Dumgoyne, Blane Valley, Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps, and will discover some interesting spots along the way.
The caches can be approached from Strathblane or Killearn on foot or by bike. The track is excellent.
The easiest route in is to park at Glengoyne Distillery at
N 56 00.847 W 004 21.849
Cross the grassed area to the right of the distillery, go over the stile and uphill on the obvious path until the track is reached.
Go left or right, as you choose, then double back to do the other half of the series.
You will encounter some mud, so proper footwear is required.
A dramatic steep sided gorge spanned by a magnificent aqueduct. The sheer ambition and superb engineering of the Glasgow Water Works project can be fully appreciated here.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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