All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
The Poem
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a major poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It was written in 1797-98, although the text used in these caches is from the revised version of 1834, as it is much more readable.
The poem tells the tale of a sailor who has returned from a long voyage. With the mariner narrating his story to a man who is on his way to a wedding.
The Series
Parking is available near the starting point - it is shown as a waypoint on 'TRotAM Part I: #1 An ancient Mariner'.
If 13 miles in one walk is too much for you, the series can be easily split into two, with Parts I - IV forming a loop of approx. 6 miles, and Parts V - VII making up a second loop of about 7 miles.
Tweezers may be required for a few of the caches, so don't forget them! You'll also need to bring your own pen, as there aren't any in the caches, and you do need to sign the logs to claim the finds.
None of the caches are hidden in dry stone walls, so please do not look in any.
The Cache
This cache is a bit different from the norm. Watch out for barbed wire when searching.