Many Thanks to WVTim, GR8Caches and The Wandering Panhandlers for their guidance, support, cache page design and cache placement for the Villages of Berkeley County Trail. We hope you enjoy yourself!
Hedgesville - Hedges Chapel and The Woods
This church “shall forever afterwards be known and styled by and with the name of ‘Hedges Stony Lick Church’”…I guess forever isn’t forever as this church is now known as Hedges Chapel.
Built in 1850, on land deeded for one dollar to church trustees, the church was originially built as a log cabin and later covered with “german” siding in 1885. The roof has been replaced, but most of the woodwork and pews date from around 1900. It remains much as it was when built, set among the trees and countryside.
The CACHE:
The main cache page coordinates take you to Stage 1 - the Hedges Chapel. They should take you very close to standing in front of the entrance to the chapel, facing the entrance door. You need to answer 2 questions here. A is equal to the number of outside lights directly over the entrance door of the chapel. Directly to your right you should see a small headstone in the VERY CORNER of the cemetery jutting out into the parking lot. The last name on it has 8 letters. B is the final digit of the year of the date of death. Once you get done admiring the chapel, it’s time to drive to Stage 2.
Stage 2 is located at N 39 33.693 W 078 06.608. Here you will find a plaque describing what you are seeing directly in front of you. C is the first 2 digits of the archaeological site number, and D is the last 3 digits of the archaeological site number.
Given that you now have A, B, C & D, you are ready to calculate and drive to the final cache. It is located N39 34.XXX W078 05.YYY where XXX = (B * D) + (4 * B * A) and YYY = (B * D) + (2 * C) - (2 * B). Hint: Make it easy on yourself. Go straight back out to Mountain Lake Road BEFORE you follow your GPS. There is parking near the final cache. Please do not stop along the road. You have permission to use the closest parking area.