This is a lovely area to explore with its network of paths through woodlands and open fields. The village of Essendon also has a lovely church and a playground (which is located down the footpath adjacent to the school on School Lane), some weekends you might even get to watch a bit of cricket at the big playing field. From Essendon you can walk to Little Berkhampstead and I hope to place more in this series along this route
You are looking for a clip-lid plastic tub covered in camouflage tape. Big enough for even the largest trackables etc and plenty of swag. You do not need to cross any fences to find it. You may need to be a bit sneaky if anyone comes along whilst you are at GZ as it is very close to the junction of the Hertfordshire Way and muggles can come from 4 directions! Tree cover means that the GPS was only good to 10m, but I am sure this hide will be easy enough to find especially with the hint. If you get better coords for the hide in the winter with more expensive kit please send me them and I can update.
Parking in the village of Essendon is on street either in School Lane or by the church. There is also parking in a layby opposite the PH at West End.
About the cache's name sake....
Eresus cinnaberinus is commonly called the “Ladybird Spider”. You are, however, sadly not likely to see it in Hertfordshire. Although it is widely distributed in Central and Southern Europe it is extremely rare in the UK. It was thought extinct from the 1920’s until 1979 when it was rediscovered at a single heathland site near Wareham in Dorset. It is apparently the subject of a reintroduction program at a reserve in Dorset.
The males grow up to 1cm long, the larger females can reach up to 2cm. Only the males have the strikingly red opisthosoma with four black dots from which the species gets its name as it resembles a ladybird. Females are black with some white hairs.
Ladybird spiders prefer sunny, dry locations they catch mainly catches millipedes and beetles. Males walk around during September, searching for females. If they find one they move into the female’s underground web-lined tube, and they feed together from the same web.
