The tide along the Solway coast goes out for miles when low but can come in very fast across the mud flats and catch out the unwary. So this cache must be visited several hours either side of low tide when a walk from Sandyhills round to Portling across the sands is possible. The cliffs are the home to gannet, gulls, the occasional buzzard and possibly two pairs of peregrine falcons who have nested there in 2013 and 2014. It is possible to make a great circular walk to Portling over the sands and come back via the well sign posted and safe cliff path above. The views from the clifftop are terrific and on a really clear day you can see not only the Lake District Hills but also the Isle of Man 40 miles to the South West.
Walking along the beach after passing the salmon stake nets (one of very few that are held on a freehold title and dating back to the 1690's) leads to a huge rock arch known locally as the 'Needles Eye' as well the Piper's Cave next to it. The cave goes back some 60m deep into the rocks of cliff and at the very end there is a 1m diameter circular water filled shaft going down at least 3 or 4 metres, maybe more. Local legend has it that one can come up in Dalbeattie, if you can traverse the full length of the cave!. The cache is hidden in the cave, so please do check the tides first and bring a torch. Your GPS device will only bring you to the mouth of the cave, after that you are on your own, as satellite contact is soon lost.
Please make sure you replace the clip box as high up as possible and jam it firmly in position as very high spring tides in early 2014 washed away the cache! The salmon stake nets, which have four pockets or traps, are erected between Easter and September each year and the pockets must be left open over the weekend. Fish caught in the nets are mostly salmon, sea trout, grey mullet, flounders and sea bass, but the occasional turbot has turned up as well as a porpoise which was swiftly released. During the season, they are usually emptied about 90 to 100 minutes after the high tide and the ideal conditions for catching fish is a strong south westerly wind. Tide heights and rainfall apparently have little effect on catches.