The Letterbox Cache
The actual cache container is a medium sized clip-top box wrapped in a camouflaged bag hidden around linacre reservoir, although not near the water itself. I have carved my own stamp for this one so hope you like it. There is an ink pad in the container too although it is smaller than the stamp due to size constraints so ensure you dab the whole stamp on the ink pad a couple of times (lightly) before stamping. Remember to put the top back on the ink afterwards and the stamper back in its box and bag so it doesn't make a mess. There are some blank slips of paper left in there too for those who don't have a stamping book, and some souvenir stickers. If these stocks appear to be getting low please log it on the website for my attention. As with my last letterbox cache I had included a special souvenir for the first to find which is the laminated first imprint made with this stamp. The container is also just about large enough for the odd trackables or swappables.
The published coordinates:
N 53° 14.910 W 1° 30.655
These mark the location of a picnic bench overlooking the upper reservoir overflow, not the cache itself. The upper reservoir was the 2nd of the 3 to be built, which was in 1885. There is a bit of a walk from the main car parks to the cache, but plenty of scenery to take in along the way, such as the dense woodland, the Alder trees 'keeping their feet wet' at the waterside, the bluebells and other wild flowers up the bankings in Spring and lots of wildlife if you're quiet. All this alongside the impressive sight of 3 reservoirs containing around 247 million gallons of water. Walking down from the steps from the car park brings you out to the path where you can go left to the lower dam, the first one built in 1855. Alternatively the path downhill to the right heads to the overflow over the middle dam, which was built in 1904,
Please be aware there is a parking charge at Linacre Reservoir if you are driving there, currently £3.00 for the day or £1.50 for up to 2 hours.
[update January 2017] There used to be a solar powered information post by the middle dam overflow, giving answers to the questions below to obtain the final coordiantes. This has been removed now so there are a few bits of information within the webpage text here, and a web link below where you can still get the rest of the information about the reservoirs (I would advise you to research the answers before travelling to the reservoir):
The final cache is located at:
N 53° 14.ABC W 1° 30.DEF
Answer A
Approximately how many million gallons of water are there in total in the 3 reservoirs when full?
- 110 to 120 (A = 6)
- 175 to 180 (A = 7)
- 240 to 250 (A = 8)
- 295 to 299 (A = 9)
Answer B
In what year did Linacre Reservoir become non-operational as a provider of drinking water to Chesterfield? (NB water had also been sourced from elsewhere for the last 4 years that Linacre was still operational)
- 1982 (B = 4)
- 1985 (B = 1)
- 1990 (B = 9)
- 1995 (B = 7)
Answer C
There are numerous species of trees around the reservoirs, including conifers, oak, beech, larch and pine. Which other tree well suited here do they describe as "Likes to keep its feet wet?"
- Silver Maple (C = 9)
- Alder (C = 5)
- Atlas Cedar (C = 7)
- Hawthorn (C = 1)
Answer D
The sloping woods above the reservoirs are renowned for which coloured 'bells' in springtime?
- Silver (D = 6)
- Yellow (D = 5)
- Orange (D = 8)
- Blue (D = 7)
Answer E
On the upper Linacre Reservoir there is a bridge with 2 arches between the dam wall and the valve tower. How many larger stones make up each arch support on either side (not the standard horizontal bricks)? NB these can be counted from the dam wall; access onto the bridge is not allowed.
- 12 (E = 2)
- 14 (E = 9)
- 19 (E = 1)
- 27 (E = 3)
Answer F
In which order were the dams built, the first being in 1855, the second in 1885 and the third in 1904?
- FIRST --- lower, upper, middle --- LAST (F = 4)
- FIRST --- lower, middle, upper --- LAST (F = 3)
- FIRST --- middle, upper, lower --- LAST (F = 1)
- FIRST --- middle, lower, upper --- LAST (F = 7)
- FIRST --- upper, middle, lower --- LAST (F = 8)
- FIRST --- upper, lower, middle --- LAST (F = 9)
Now you have all the answers it should only be a few minutes walk to get to the final cache location. Unfortunately it is not accessible by wheelchair or with buggies, owing to the slopes and uneven terrain in places- watch out for roots and brambles along the way, although it is just off a lesser path so there is no need to go trampling through the dense undergrowth in the woods. There are some twigs and fir branches covering it (easy enough for a geocacher to spot) and also a few prickles around the cache giving it good cover from muggles so be careful whilst retrieving it, and please re-hide well once it's been logged. For a great view over the reservoirs (which you may not have seen before from the shoreline) why not head out on the footpath West from the cache location.
If you want to check your answers first, click below:
if you would like to check out the other letterbox caches in my Web Post series then click on the link below:
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