Brixbod View Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The cache is next to a nest of small and large boulders where you can perch and enjoy the views to the North West across the valley to Great Barrow above Boot, or behind you looking up towards Gate Crag - you might even see a couple of the resident buzzards! Once at the cache location you'll get a bird's eye view of the Brixbod
The cache is a 4" x 6" x 2" tupperware box.
If using the stepping stones crossing the River Esk opposite St Catherine's Church - never cross the stones when the river is in flood 
and please consider all safety aspects carefully before deciding on whether to use this crossing point. If need be, use the bridge 350m up river at N 54° 23.400 W 003° 15.976 which may or may not be marked on your map.
The cache is camouflaged - PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL not to disturb the flora/fauna/lichen when looking for this cache site. It is NOT located in or under the boulders but a keen eye might be needed to spot it. 
THE ESKDALE WALK - 12.2 Kms
Here is a suggested 'circular walk' on which this cache is included and if followed, would 'bag' eight caches or nine if you go 'off route' slightly for the Fell End - Eskdale (GCWB2B) cache. The 'walk' is in two parts: a 'hilly part' which is North of the main road and a 'flat part' being South of the main road. There are no hard and fast rules as to how you complete this walk: hilly or flat first, clockwise or anticlockwise, starting somewhere else, or even just doing part of it - the choice is yours. The following details are based on starting at Fisherground Campsite and walking clockwise.
HILLY PART
The 'hilly part' could be started at either the Fisherground Campsite (walking clockwise) or Boot Mill (anticlockwise). The upside of starting at the Fisherground Campsite is that you could use the 'water holes' at Boot (half way round) to 're-hydrate.'
On this part of the Route you should be able to visit the following caches: Fell End - Eskdale (GCWB2B), (if you take the detour as mentioned above), Fell End View (GCWB2B), Blea Tarn (GC1144V), Eskdale Fell View (GC1CR6R) and Boot Mill (GC159VZ), before stopping at Boot Inn or Brook House Inn at Boot (a journey of just over 5kms as long as you don't go astray between this cache and the Blea Tarn (GC1144V) cache - you have been warned!).
FLAT PART
After 're-hydrating'  the journey can then be continued down to St Catherine's Cache (GC10YJ4) cache. If you're in the mood to cover the full route, continue North East on the North side of the River Esk to the Doctor Bridge View (GC1PR71) cache. Cross over the bridge and head West along the South side of the River Esk, this part of the route is particularly nice with the background sound of the river. From Doctor Bridge it is about a 4.5km walk back to the Fisherground Camp Site in which you should be able to visit the Underbank View (GC1PR6J) and Milkingstead View (GC1PR6W) caches.
If your not in the mood to do the full route and want to shorten your overall journey by 3.5kms (by missing out Doctor Bridge) there is a bridge (N 54° 23.400 W 003° 15.976) across the River Esk approximately 150m South West of St Catherine's Cache (GC10YJ4) or IF the River Esk is low, there are stepping stones crossing the River Esk opposite St Catherine's Church - never cross the stones when the river is in flood Please consider all safety aspects carefully before deciding on whether to use this crossing point. You will still be able to visit the Underbank View (GC1PR6J) and Milkingstead View (GC1PR6W) caches on the way back to Fisherground Campsite.
If visiting this cache/route on a Sunday in June, you may come across 30 to 40 young people from St Bees School Combined Cadet Force using this route as part of their Bronze DofE Practice Expedition.
Hopefully they won't be lost!
Many thanks to Clive Stretton, NT Warden - Duddon & Eskdale, for sorting out the permissions to place this cache.
Route for Adobe users: The Eskdale Walk - pdf (756KB)
FTF - P of The PITZ (29 Mar 2014)
STF - Mo and Mike (8 April 2014)
TTF - Doyboyz (10 April 2014) |
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vg'f nyy va gur gvgyr!