Shady-Sheepy-Sleepy Spot
The cache, a black-taped 35mm film pot, is hidden below the western edge of a huge ancient larch tree in this cool shady spot, which seems from the abundant 'evidence' available to be a popular hang-out for the local ovine population.
To reach the cache location: park at park on Heber's Ghyll Drive @ N 53 55.297 W 1 50.937 and make your way diagonally up through the woods to the top gate @ N 53 55.107 W 1 51.117. Pass through this and continue a short distance to a second gate @ N 53 55.113 W 1 51.132 which gives access to the moor. From here head up to the Millenium Link trail and follow this east to the cache.
From the characteristics of the leaves and cones and the pendulous side branches, the tree where the cache is hidden and similar ones in the area are (very old) Common or European Larches (Larix decidua). Interestingly the examples in this area seem to be much more broad than tall.
This is a species of larch native to the mountains of central Europe, in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains as well as the Pyrenees. It can live up to almost 1,000 years but more often lives to around 200 years
It is a medium- large deciduous coniferous tree which can reach 25–45m tall, with a trunk up to 1m diameter (exceptionally, to 53.8 m tall and 3.5 m diameter). The crown is cone-shaped when young but becomes broad with age.
The leaves are needle-like, light green, 2–4 cm long which turn bright yellow before they fall in the autumn, leaving the pale yellow-buff shoots bare until the next spring.
The cones are erect, ovoid-conic, 2–6 cm long, with 10-90 erect or slightly incurved (not reflexed) seed 
scales; they are green variably flushed red when immature, turning brown and opening to release the seeds when mature, 4–6 months after pollination. The old cones tend to stay on the tree for many years, turning dull grey-black. The tree is pollinated by, and the seeds are dispersed by, the wind.
It is very cold tolerant, able to survive winter temperatures down to at least -50°C, and is among the tree line trees in the Alps, reaching 2,400 m altitude, though most abundant from 1,000–2,000 m. It only grows on well-drained soils, avoiding waterlogged ground and is not shade tolerant. It is thought to have been first cultivated in Britain in 1629 - as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks. Since then it has been widely planted for forestry purposes.
Uses:European larch was one of the first trees to be introduced for its timber which timber has a pale creamy-brown sapwood and a red-brown heartwood. It is tough & durable and resistant to rot, and is often used for rustic fencing, gates and garden furniture. It is also flexible in thin strips, and is particularly valued for yacht building; wood used for this must be free of knots, and can only be obtained from old trees that were pruned when young to remove side branches.
It is also a popular bonsai species and often used in bonsai forest groups. See here for some fine examples and here for a fascinating short video on shaping a bonsai larch.
Its seeds are eaten by red squirrels and are an important food for some birds, notably siskin, lesser redpoll and citril finch, while the buds and immature cones are eaten by black grouse and capercaillie.
Its needles are eaten by many caterpillars, including those of the case-bearer moth and larch pug, and its cone scales are used as food by the caterpillars of the tortrix moth.
In European folklore, larch was said to protect against enchantment. The wearing and burning of larch was thought to protect against evil spirits.
See here for a short video on identifying the two main larch species found in UK.
See here for a short video on the larch and an infamous swastika!