Made To Measure Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

Bazhornet: Having taken a couple of different caches types as replacements, I couldn't find anywhere suitable to hide them considering that previous ones have disappeared. Sadly then, it's time for this one to go. Thanks to everyone who visited.

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Hidden : 2/10/2013
Difficulty:
4.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the published coordinates
N52° & W001° are a given.
 
As the original container was muggled, it has been replaced with a cliplock box, although the log itself is a little different . Please ensure it is well hidden.
 
Congratulations to geocachepete on FTF

Please note that this cache is on private property. If you are challenged by anyone, simply state that you are geocaching and that you have the owner's permission. My thanks go to Terry Matthews for allowing the cache to be sited here.

 

Below is a story which many of you will relate to in one form or another.

 



Billy wasn't much of an outdoor person. Instead, he preferred to sit at home playing video games, until one day he read an article about geocaching, an activity that involved looking for hidden "treasure". Not being the brightest star in the sky, he imagined hoards of gold coins and long-forgotten priceless artefacts.
 
He decided to give it a go, but didn't know where to start, so he went into his store and gathered up every variety of equipment he could fathom - rope (for abseiling into caves), a torch (the caves would be dark), a trowel (for digging up the loot), a bag (for carting away the swag) and his dad's fishing gear (in case it came in useful!).
 
Despite his grand plans, he wasn't feeling overly adventurous (he rarely travelled outside of the range of his Wi-Fi),  so decided to tackle a cache that was within walking distance of his home. Fortunately, he lived in a small township, so it didn't take him long to get out into the open countryside, where he picked up a path and followed it.
 
It had been a long, hot, dry summer (Billy doesn't live in the UK!) and the ground beneath him was parched and cracked. Enjoying this unusual journey in the open air he began to admire the beautiful scenery that he had not really noticed before. Unfortunately, he wasn't watching where he was walking and tripped in a large crack on the path, hurting his foot + hand as he fell to the floor. "Ouch! That hurt!", he said, as he picked himself back up from the dusty earth. "I didn't realise being outdoors could be so dangerous!" Continuing on, with his foot hurting like crazy, he cast his mind back to when he was much younger and had joined an under 10's football team and that he never liked falling over then. (He didn't stay long, as the coach told him that he wasn't the calibre of player required  and should take up knitting instead.)
 
A while later, poor Billy was feeling a bit hungry (he hadn't considered bringing anything to eat or drink). To one side, he saw a small pond and, remembering the times his dad had brought home fish that he had caught for dinner, unpacked the fishing gear and moved towards it. He stepped off the path, just a yard - rod held firmly, when he heard a shout. "Oi! Where do you think you're going?" Billy turned to see a farmer with a dog. "Errr... nowhere...", Billy muttered disconsolately, as he stepped back onto the path and carried on walking, not feeling very hungry all of a sudden, but chewing on a finger-nail as he went. He followed the path into a small wood, glad to be out of sight of the farmer, who he was sure was still watching him.
 
He reckoned he had walked about a mile - 2 at the most, and was beginning to wonder if this intrepid journey of his was really worth it. After all, he had no food or drink, had been shouted at by an angry farmer and had twisted his ankle. Furthermore, all the kit he was carrying was starting to feel very heavy. "I'm not giving up", he said to himself, "It will be worth it in the end."
 
When Billy reached the top of a small hill, he decided to have a rest and take the opportunity to survey his surroundings, knowing he was close to his quarry. He sat down on the grass and scanned the vista. Further down the hill on the opposite side, he saw some kind of small structure. "Could that be it?", he thought.
 
As he walked down the hill, he noticed  a fence, chain-link style, surrounding what appeared to be an old mine entrance. At the bottom of the gradient, as the ground levelled out, he pulled out his trowel and thought about where to start digging. As he looked around, he noticed what appeared to be a small rock that looked out of place. He picked it up and noticed that it felt lighter than he thought it should. When he turned it over he saw a secret compartment. "Wow! This is so cool!", he said. Billy read through the names on the log, amazed at the number of people who had been there before him. He added his name to the end of the list before carefully replacing the cache where he found it.
 
Flushed with pride, he retraced his steps all the way home (thankfully the farmer and his dog were nowhere to be seen). As soon as he got back, he put his games console up for sale on a well-known auction site. He had been bitten by the bug and needed to buy a decent GPSr!


You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Haqre ynetr fghzc

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)


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