The R.E.C.L.A.I.M. series is a collection of Revamped Everyday Containers Lurking Amidst Industrial Memories, as the caches are in an area littered with signs of old railway links, mining and industrial areas, although this has now been flattened as part of the reclamation and you can see huge new buildings such as warehouses and distribution centres being created.
Some of the wastelands have been reclaimed for paths, meadows and lakes, already encouraging wildlife back to the area. There are families of deer, various species of owls, water voles, kingfishers, woodpeckers, hares and a variety of other birds and land animals. The reed beds are home to thousands of starlings every night over winter as they flock in large groups to the area around dusk and then display their famous murmurations of shapes in the air as they turn and loop back and forth whilst others gather before finally all dropping to the ground together and finding a space to roost for the night.
Each of the caches are unique in design and all have been created out of reclaimed objects originally designed for something else, to keep in line with the theme. Sizes vary and many of them have a small nano tube containing only the log sheet so please take a pen or pencil with you for this series. Tweezers may also be useful although I have tried to include a piece of garden wire inside nano tubes to tip out and help drag out the paper rolls (these may fall out and get lost, we'll see). Log sheets are often small so please write names tiny or even just initials will do; you can elaborate your find on the webpage in more detail! There are 9 standard caches in total which are all at the posted coordinates, then a final bonus cache whose location needs solving. The cache names have also been reclaimed from song titles, so you can have a tune or two in your head as you walk around, if you know them. The containers are then themed accordingly to each song. To find the bonus cache you will need to look for clue codes inside the first 9 which will give you the coordinates for the tenth; these will be in the style of A=1 or B=2 and then the bonus cache is located at N 53° AB.CDE W 1° FG.HIJ which is close to the walking loop. In case you cannot find one or two of the caches or they are muggled, I have given you a second chance to get the code in each cache, in the style of a multiple choice music question on each webpage. This will be relevant to the song/cache name and give you the same answer that would be contained on the clue code inside the cache. The tenth (bonus) cache also has a music question on the webpage you'll need to solve for the final digit, as there is obviously no code on the cache for this one because you will have already had to solve the bonus to find it!
The suggested anti-clockwise route goes alongside the old railway line, through some trees and bushes, around the newly created lakes and paths, then back through grassland onto older paths which come back round to the start. The whole loop (including to and from the nearest car park) can be done in approx 90 mins-2 hours, allowing 5 mins at each cache and varied walking times. As the aerial photos or maps are outdated for the area I have included descriptions to help you stay on the right track around this changing area, looking out for certain landmarks along the way. The drawn map (which has been created from a sports tracking app and amended) also gives you an idea of the layout. The secondary paths, lakes and buildings are approximate although the red route line is accurate and to scale. The terrain is generally flat but there are loose stones, rubble, bushes and trip hazards in some places so the paths are not suitable for wheelchairs in most areas and you should take extra care with accompanying children. There are a few public footpaths from the main road down to the old railway track but the road is not the safest to park on and there is not a pavement down all of the road, so it is advisable to park in the smaller car park at Poolsbrook Country Park by the mining wheel monument. Parking is free but look out for closing times on the sign as it changes around the year, usually around the time it goes dark. From the car park entrance/exit you will need to cross the road (Erin Road), walking straight on down the path infront of you and follow this to the right when it splits to go around the 'square hill' (see map). After about 200 metres there is a path off downhill to the right which goes down to the old railway line.
Follow this down to the bottom where there is a slight turn to the left then right again (over a ridge/gulley), and straight on past the fence railings, turning immediately right along the tarmac path on the south side of the old line. It is approximately a 500 metres walk from the car park to the start of the loop near the first cache.
Cache Details
The first cache of the series is located close to the start of this loop, but over on the other side of the old railway line, in a place where Daleks would fear to go, but the pop group Steps would love to sing about. This replacement container is sadly not themed to the name anymore, but rather it is a small camouflaged rectangular box, with log sheet and pencil. No room or weight allowance for trackables or anything else please. The best way to see it and retrieve it may be to go down the first two steps and look back, it's underneath on the left. Alternatively have a feel for it from the side, but it will need to go back precisely in the same place to stay put, you'll see why. After finding the cache you will need to head back across the stones to the original side of the old railway line and turn left along the path to continue the trail. The tracks were taken up 2 years ago but there is work in progress as part of the development in the area to link up the new buildings to the railway infrastructure for freight transport so this route may get used again in the next few years. Don't forget to note the bonus clue code from the cache first (or answer the music question below if you cannot find the cache).
Bonus Cache Music Question:
Steps did a lot of reclamation themselves, covering songs made famous by artists such as Kylie Minogue, Diana Ross and Elaine Paige, but also covered the song Tragedy which was made famous by which brotherly trio?
- Pet Shop Boys (A=2)
- Bee Gees (A=1)
- Bananarama (A=4)
- Boyzone (A=3)
First To Find honours:
Well done to DrunkNinjaHippo for stepping up to the challenge and being first to find this one.