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Craw Stane - Glasgow's Network of Aligned Sites Traditional Cache

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Hidden : 1/10/2013
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Mega Scotland 2014
A cache 'n' dash within a short distance of several others on Bonnyton Moor. The hide may not be the most difficult but, all importantly, brings you to an interesting spot with great views on a clear day. A small camo'd tupperware with room for small swaps. Please bring a pen.

Craw Stane

The Craw Stane


Okay, so we learned a little about Glasgow's Secret Geometry when we set our cache at the Devil's Plantation. We'd found reference to the Craw Stane on a photo storing site but had no idea where the stone was (except that it was on Bonnyton Moor, which is quite a large place). Then we stumbled upon it - how could we miss it?! We have found a statement that the Craw Stane is believed to occupy a Bronze Age burial site. This may, or may not, be accurate. Also the hypoetheses in Harry Bell's book were met with some scepticism by the scientific community. It does seem a fact that some of the aligned sites don't quite sit perfectly on the lines (for instance, this site and Mearns Castle). However, the ideas are certainly interesting and we like nothing more than to hear ideas about the occult. We have included a brief and relevant quote from the book below but the whole book is openly available online along with other information at this page. You can also download a KMZ file with the lines and sites mapped out on it here. Simply download the file and open it with Google Earth and you'll see what it all looks like. An excellent cache series weethinks.........


Some of GNAS

Some of GNAS

From Glasgow's Secret Geometry - "In many ways, the Woodend/ De’il’s Plantin line was one of the most puzzling I had yet encountered. The main problem was that the De’il’s Plantin at c160m above sea level seemed too low to be an initial sighting point. I wondered - was there another sighting point higher up? If there was, it might be marked with a stone or something.


There was no record of any such stone on my maps, but to satisfy my curiosity, I wheeled out my Iron-Age bicycle out of the garage one warm summer day and took to the road. At the first turning after the De’il’s Plantin, I left the Humbie Road and pedalled painfully up the hill along the narrow, winding road that led to the higher ground of Bonnyton Moor.


I had marked a cross on my map where I expected the stone to be, and as I drew near the spot, I found myself standing up on the pedals, craning my neck to see into the next field. I was getting light-headed from all the exertion, and when I first saw the bump silhouetted against the skyline, it looked to me like a tree stump. But then - it began to look like a stone that looked like a tree stump.


It was about 50m nearer the roadside than I had expected, but in a much better viewpoint than the spot I had marked on the map.


Although I had predicted it would be there, I was still surprised to see it. I approached it warily, half-expecting an electric shock when I touched it. This time, however, I made no attempt to analyse the situation or relate the stone to its surroundings. I didn’t even stand on it. I just walked round it slowly, took a photograph, and then went back to my bicycle…. Like Tam o’Shanter on his auld grey mare (lest bogles catch me unaware) I sped downhill - puffin’ and pantin’ - turned to the right at the auld De’il’s Plantin, ower the burns and past the farms, and away for a pint to the Eglinton Arms."


First to find - Scotsbob and scottieboy26

Last owner check on the cache - 10.1.13

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Nhffvr Unmneq

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)