Being circular, you can go either way around the route and extend it if you wish. We suggest this cache first while you're still fresh as it involves the most ascent. The route is about 6km/4m with 7 caches en route. There's an opportunity for refreshments along the way.
Park at either spot near Mill Side, shown on the map - there is almost no parking space on any of the small back roads. (Or it's a nice walk in from Raven's Lodge.) Follow the footpath to Low Fell End and into Buckhouse Wood. When the footpath meets the bridleway/big track, turn left, and then shortly turn right up the signed rising path (white arrow). The paths are remnants of, I assume, Victorian trails which allowed the ladies and gentlemen from the nearby Lodge to explore the hill and get the grand views. Look for the edging and small walls, sometimes obvious and sometimes hidden under more recent changes. Tracing them can be fun.
Your goal is a small cave right in the face of the vertical crag of Whitbarrow's nose. Care will be needed. Wainwright makes mention of it but the paths are not quite as he describes or as shown on the OS map. Follow the directions carefully, no torch needed, and with appropriate care on the pathlets it's a suitable mini-adventure for children. As with all caches, you assume all responsibility for yourself.
DIRECTIONS
From the track, up the rising path until you come to a 2nd white arrow. If you reach a stream you've missed it. Go left/west at the arrow on a smaller path going back across and up the hill. The first part is fine. Pass old yews and outcropping rock. Shortly the path deteriorates and you will need to watch your feet. It rises gently to the base of the vertical wall, forming Whitbarrow's impressive nose. Great limestone!
Continue as the path becomes easier again and you will reach the obvious cave. It's formed in a fault in the rock, which extends up through the crag and in the floor and back wall of the cave. Having got the needed info (see below) you now have a choice. Either back the way you came, or continue on a circular route onto the top of the nose.
Continuation: Come out of the cave and turn right! The path dips then rises gently around the corner. Spot the evidence of path building with edging stones poking through here and there.
The pathlet crosses the top of two 'scree' slopes, quite easy with care, great views. Reach the waypoint shown below, where a steep but simple 'rake' leads up onto the top. Good foot holds in the tussocks and stones - a steep walk rather than a climb.
At the top turn right along the wall and continue along to waypoint No.4 the brilliant viewpoint at the top of the cliff. Great views!
To return, follow the path N into the trees and then down the gentle main path in a NE direction, zig & zag back down to track, and then follow it round to Beck Head.
The cache!
Having reached the cave you now need to gather some info, do a calculation, and find the box further along your journey. Re-hide well.
Inside the cave, at the back right, and up on the wall is a 'column' (see pic). Stalactites hang down, stalacmites build up, and columns result when they meet. The cave has a lot of 'flow stone' on the walls, and at the back is a rough column. You will need a measuring device eg. string!
Measure the circumference of the column at it's narrowest point in inches. Then do the calculations below. Multiply the right answer (closest) by its factor to get the last three digits of the co-ords. Round up if needed.
MSM 2