A trail has been laid out on the approach to, and within, the confines of a small woodland. Provided that you follow the instructions within this write up, and the markers laid out you should be able to avoid getting yourselves into too much of an 808 state ! Plus, a quick look at the cache attributes will tell you that a UV TORCH will further assist you in your quest.
Having parked on Ram Hill, you should be able to pick out the first trail marker near to the published coordinates, keep this to your left and join the cycleway, along which we have placed the occasional trail marker. (This is actually part of the old Iron Ore track that ran between Coalpit Heath and Iron Acton and is characterised by an avenue of trees).
It is worth mentioning at this point that you may not be alone for this part of your journey. A local miner, named George Alsop met an untimely end at a nearby colliery when he fell 142 fathoms to his death back in 1805. It could just have been us, but there was a tangiable feeling of oppression as we walked under the trees on our way to test the functionality of this cache.
Anyway, we digress ! Head straight on until you come to 'half a kissing gate' on your left (A marker is positioned just past it to help you), you must turn left here and find the trail again. Continue straight on until the avenue eventually breaks open, at which point you need to head diagonally right where you should be able to pick out some markers in the hedge line in front of you. (If you get to a large gate across the path then you have gone too far !) Keeping the hedge line on your left, you will approach the small woodland, keep walking (This is quite some distance), until you find a footpath sign pointing into the wood where you will be able pick up the next trail marker. You may want to mark a waypoint here to help you 'OUT' later.
Follow the trail picked out by your torch until you reach a tree that has two markers (Off of the path), you now need to find something that will provide the Northings for the Final Cache location. Rejoin the main path and follow the markers in order to locate a second tree that is double marked, this time a hidden item will provide you with the Westings for the Final Cache location. Now you need to use your GPS. Please take care when looking for this cache as there are many trip hazards out there (Even in the daytime), plus at one point, there is, for want of a better description, a 'Limbo Pole' attempting to block your way. Have fun out there !
A Little Of Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Raves.... What Is A Rave ? A rave is an all night event, where people go to dance, socialise and generally be able to have uninhibited fun with other like minded people. Some say it's about the creation of a community and re-connecting with something perceived as lost. Others just say it's about communal ingestion with your mates in a field. Where Were They Held ? Usually in a derelict warehouse, a club, a beach, a field, an aircraft hangar or a sports arena - anywhere you could fit a massive sound system and a lot of people. In the rave heydays of the late '80s, the larger events attracted tens of thousands of people. The venue would often remain secret up until hours before the party was to begin as a way of keeping the police away. Organisers would even sometimes have backup sites in mind in case the cops sniffed them out - which they did more and more often.
What Were The Origins ? The term rave first came into use in Britain in the late 50's referring to the wild bohemian parties of the time. It was then briefly revived by the mods, but didn't come back into fashion until the illegal London warehouse party scene in the mid eighties. However it is likely that the term 'rave' came from Jamaican usage rather than a revival of any previous usage in Britain. Who Went ? Rave crowds were and still are mostly, (but not exclusively) young from all sections of society. What Is Rave Music ? Rave music is what most people now call 'dance' music, or as a government official put it, music with a distinctive 'series of repetitive beats'.
Early ravers discovered that ingestion combined with music consisting of fast, repetitive beats was a marriage made in 'disco heaven'. Instead of money and power, rave called for empathy, intimacy, spirituality and the joy of losing yourself in the crowd.
Why Did Rave Culture Take Such A Hold ? There are many theories as to why the UK went nuts for raving in the late 80s and beyond… It happened during a period of major consumerism and individualism. Margaret Thatcher was telling everybody to look after number one (Famously saying there was "no such thing as society"). There was bound to be a reaction to this and it helped that a bunch of English DJs had just got back from Ibiza where they had experienced rave culture first hand. They brought it to the young people of Britain and within a year rave culture had flourished. Instead of money and power, rave called for empathy, intimacy, spirituality and the joy of losing yourself in the crowd.
What Happened Next ? By the early '90s, the Tory government, the police, the tabloid press and middle England had all had enough of rave culture. The government acted, passing the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1994). Sections 63, 64 & 65 Addressed The Issue Of Raves… A 'rave' was now defined as a gathering of 100 plus people, at which amplified music is played which is likely to cause serious distress to the local community, in the open air and at night. These sections give the police the power to order people to leave the land if they're believed to be: · Preparing to hold a rave (two or more people) · Waiting for a rave to start (10 or more) · Actually attending a rave (10 or more) Ignoring this direction, or returning to the land within the next week, are both offences, liable to 3 months' imprisonment and/or a £2,500 fine. Section 65 lets any uniformed constable who believes a person is on their way to a rave within a 5-mile radius to stop them and direct them away from the area - failure to comply can lead to a maximum fine of £1000.