Canal Pole Vaulting Traditional Cache

Poles were used as a practical means of passing over natural obstacles in marshy places such as provinces of Friesland in the Netherlands, along the North Sea, and the great level of the Fens across Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

Artificial draining of marshes created a network of open drains or canals intersecting each other. To cross these without getting wet, while avoiding tedious roundabout journeys over bridges, a stack of jumping poles was kept at every house and used for vaulting over the canals. Venetian gondoliers have traditionally used punting poles for moving to the shore from their boat. Distance pole vaulting competitions continue to be held annually in the lowlands around the North Sea. These far-jumping competitions are not based on height. One of the earliest pole vaulting competitions where height was measured took place at the Ulverston Football and Cricket Club, Lancashire, north of the Sands in 1843. Modern competition began around 1850 in Germany.

This cache may require a little looking around.