Free parking and toilets are available at the Abbey visitors'
car park at N50°49.270 W002°17.172 (ST799024). If you don't intend
to visit the Abbey, park just off the road near the car park exit.
Click here for a map.
The best view of the steps is from the Abbey grounds looking up
towards the chapel. The cache is near the top of the steps but you
can't use them to reach it. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE GRASS STEPS.
From the car park entrance cross the road and take the path 7m
to the left of the road sign. (Don't be tempted to take the direct
route up the bank!) The path appears to go in the wrong direction
but it turns back quite soon. After about 60 paces up the hill from
here turn right in front of a tree with a holly bush at its base on
to a level path which leads you to the cache and, a bit further on,
to the iron gate at the top of the grass steps. Don't miss the view
from here!
If the ground's dry we suggest that you take the cache up to the
bench in front of the chapel where you can examine it in comfort
and enjoy the even better view. The path up is very steep and
slippery when muddy though so be careful!
Don't leave without visiting Milton Abbas, famous for its
identical thatched cottages and believed to be the first planned
town or village in Britain. It was built in the 18th century by
Joseph Damer, Lord Milton. The old town of Milton used to stretch
from the Abbey walls to the north end of the present lake and had
around 100 houses. Damer didn't like the noise and smell of the
town so close to his mansion (now Milton Abbey School) so he
demolished the old town, moving the inhabitants to a new village
out of sight in the next valley (Milton Abbas). Capability Brown
designed the remaining landscape including the lake.
The cache is a 2 litre tupperware box and was restocked on 20
October 2005. Don't feel obliged to take anything but please leave
something of similar value if you do (not a travel bug). All our
items are new and cost at least £1 each. PLEASE DON'T TAKE
SOMETHING JUST TO LEAVE IN ANOTHER CACHE. Feel free to take one of
our handcrafted geocaching badges (no swop required).
Note: Beware of Milton Abbey schoolboy muggles! If you visit
midweek during term time try to come during school hours.
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