McQuiston's Lockkeeper's House Multi-Cache
McQuiston's Lockkeeper's House
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The Lagan towpath is one of our favourite bike rides (but not at the weekend when it is too busy). I often wondered what lay over the bridge, so here is a chance for you too to find out a little more 'off the beaten track'.
The cache is a small tablock container cammo'd with black tape, some way along the Towpath. You will need to examine some aspects of the ruins, but be careful in its vicinity.
THE CANAL
The Lagan Canal ran from Mollys Ward in Belfast, through Lisburn to Ellis’ Gut on the south-east shores of Lough Neagh. Construction started in 1756 and the Belfast – Lisburn stretch was opened 1763 but closed on 1 July 1958. There were 27 locks on the canal, managed by 18 lock-keepers.
This cache is placed at one such lock, McQuiston’s lock, also known as Agnew’s Level Lock, adjacent to the lock-keeper’s house. This house was built by the canal engineer Thomas Omer, who had arrived from England to act as the engineer of the canal on behalf of the Commissioners of Inland Navigation. The house was originally known as the Thomas Omer Lock House and it had distinctive arched gable walls. It is now in ruins and cachers should proceed with caution in the immediate vicinity of the ruins.
(Sources of information: Once Upon the Lagan – the story of the Lagan Canal, by May Blair; and Wikipedia.)
THE CACHE
When you reach the ruins you will need to make some observations to determine the final co-ordinates. The cache contains log, pen, keyring and a few trade items.
How many bricks form the arch visible on the external wall of the house to the south west? note as AB (a prime number)
How many large horizontal blocks are at mid-level on the exterior of the southwest wall of the ruins? CD (another prime number)
On the internal surface of the southwest wall how many beam holes are visible? EF (another prime number)!
NOTE: CD = EF
On the internal surface of the northeast wall how many beam holes are visible (include the three with timber remnants? G (Another prime number !!)
At the adjacent yew tree, to the north of the house, how many main trunks emanate from the base of the tree? H (oops its the product of two prime numbers)
Check sum AB + CD + EF + G + H = 72
FINAL CO-ORDINATES
The cache is located at N 54 32.TVW W 5 59.XYZ, where
T = A
V = G
W = B + E
X = H
Y = CD - E - F
Z = H - A
Check sum∑ T : Z = 36
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Urnq urvtug. Pna trg irel qnex pybfrol, rira qhevat gur qnl.