New Forest Landmarks West Virtual Cache

YOU MUST READ THE CACHE PAGE, VISIT ALL THE WAYPOINTS, AND FOLLOW ALL THE DIRECTIONS BELOW TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS CACHE AND LOG A FIND.

We recommend that you read the required tasks carefully BEFORE you visit each waypoint. This is NOT a 'turn up and wing it' kind of cache. This cache requires special tools and teamwork to complete. There are several stages, with several miles in between. The stages do not need to be completed on the same day, and there is no 'correct order' for the stages, but cachers will need to send us all their answers at the end **and only at the end** of all their waypoint visits, in the format listed below, to log this cache as a find. We also require that you attach a specific photo to your 'Found It' log. Answers that do not comply with all the directives below will not be accepted. Logs that do not comply will be deleted. We do welcome 'Write Note' logs and extra photos of your adventures, but do not attach the required photo to that log type. Logs or photos with spoilers will be deleted. You would be wise to avoid the temptation to use any answers you may find online. Do you believe everything you read on the internet? Please do not share your answers with other cachers.

Some stages will require a walk. Some areas of the Forest are very muddy in the winter and after sustained rainfall. We recommend robust footwear for the stages that will require you to be in the open Forest. Some stages can be completed using a bicycle, and most will necessitate a car to get you within shouting distance. We will not give parking waypoints and will leave that up to your own map reading and navigation skills. Almost all official New Forest car parks are motorhome friendly.

We considered several locations (some of them quite distant from this locale) for our Virtual Reward. In the end, since we are locals, we chose the New Forest, as it 'seemed wrong' to place the cache and its waypoints anywhere else. You may find some other great caches near to the waypoints for this one. We hope you enjoy the spots where this cache will take you.

The New Forest is one of the most important ancient woodlands in all of Western Europe. Experts have recorded about 1,000 Ancient trees and many more Veteran trees there. These old trees form part of an important ecosystem structure for several species, including beetles, bats, lichen and fungi. This cache will show you a few of the lesser-known Named Ancient Oak trees, some Veteran Oaks, and a few other New Forest landmarks that many locals may know about, but that may be new to visitors.  Please respect these ancient trees and the surrounding Forest too.

SPECIAL TOOLS REQUIRED:

• A measuring tape
• A good compass that will show you a correct bearing
• A GPSr or other device that will calculate your elevation
• A camera, or a camera on your phone
• Optional: An OS Map of the New Forest (OL22) may be an advantage

TASKS TO COMPLETE:

1. N50 53.641 W001 38.797 - The headline coordinates will take you to a lesser-known named Ancient Oak. It is called the Withybed / Lucas Castle Oak. There is an obvious section of dead wood on the trunk. Describe its location on the tree, what direction it faces, and what it looks like. There is also an obvious, large forked dead wood branch on another side of the tree. Which direction does that branch face?
2. N50 53.700 W001 39.697 - This waypoint will take you to another lesser-known named Ancient Oak. It is called the Spreading Oak. (IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FROM THE A31, SO PLEASE DON'T TRY TO PARK THERE!) This beautiful oak is 'alive' in every sense of the word. There has been an active beehive in the tree (as of this writing) for at least three years. Upon arrival, you will see a black cavity in the tree. That's the hive (as of 2024 it is dormant/abandoned, please let us know if this changes). Estimate, from a safe distance, the height of the cavity/beehive. Tell us also, which direction it faces. We will accept metric dimensions only.
3. N50 53.773 W001 36.093 - This waypoint will take you to a famous person's gravestone, under a lovely, Veteran oak. Tell us the name on the gravestone. Further, you will see another gravestone nearby in the shape of a square column/monolith. Tell us the name on that gravestone, as well as the final word on the inscription before the date '1915-1998'. On another side of that same gravestone, there is an inscription in a foreign language. How many letters are in the inscription and how many lines of text are there?
4. N50 48.127 W001 38.369 - You need to visit this waypoint on a day with good visibility. Stand on Hag Hill at the waypoint and have a look at the pleasing view. You will see Sway Tower (See our Peterson's Folly cache - GC87H7Y) in the distance. You will also see a brick house in the distance (but closer to you than the Tower). Give us the compass bearings for these two landmarks, as well as the name of the house.
5. N50 52.475 W001 46.188 - Take Care around the roads here! This waypoint will bring you to an oak tree that is potentially even older than the Knightwood Oak (see our cache GC7KM5K), which is probably the most famous oak in the New Forest, and often cited as the oldest. This oak, thought to be around 600 years old, is called The King Oak or Moyles Court Oak, after the former 17th century Moyles Court manor house. Unlike the Knightwood Oak, which is surrounded by a fence, you can walk right up to this tree. Sadly, this Ancient Oak was declared dead in 2023. It has now been made safe, and will remain an unfelled landmark. There is a round, bulbous growth / burr on the back of the oak. Estimate the height and width of this growth. Tell us these dimensions, as well as how far the top of the growth is off the ground. We will accept metric dimensions only. TAKE A PHOTO (No spoilers please!) of your companion's hand (or include the entire person along with the hand if you like), as if it is cradling or holding up the Moyles Court / King Oak. See our example below.
6. N50 54.674 W001 37.022 - This is perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in the Forest. A cruel, despot of a king was said to have been 'accidentally' shot on this spot by a noble in his own hunting party.The Rufus Stone was erected here to mark this place for generations to come. Tell us the number of slots that are on top of the monument. Give us the measurements for the Rufus Stone's circumference, as well as its height, measured from its southeast side. We will accept metric dimensions only
7.  There are potentially two places where you can stand at the Highest Point in the New Forest: Telegraph Hill - N50 56.938 W001 40.543 (waypointed under a lovely Veteran Oak) and Pipers Wait - N50 56.873 W001 38.932 (you will see a young oak to the right of the path leading up toward the gate). Be careful of the roads around both waypoints! Visit each of these waypoints and give us your elevation reading for both. Additionally, at Telegraph Hill, about 12 Paces West from the oak, along the roadside, you will see on the ground, a small metal plate with a lock on it. What is the inscription on the metal plate? At Pipers Wait, you will see some large and small metal plates on the ground. Tell us the word that begins with a 'B' that is stamped into all these plates. Which waypoint has the highest elevation? Telegraph Hill ot Pipers Wait? We will accept metric elevations only
8. N50 50.041 W001 43.250 - There is NO easy parking near here. You will have to ride Shanks' Pony or your bike. At the waypoint, you are standing on the edge of Castle Hill, an Iron Age Hill Fort. In fact, Burley may be named after this Hill Fort, as the word 'burh' means 'fortified place' in Old English. Take in the lovely view. As you look around, you will see a communications tower/mast - one of the few in the New Forest. Tell us what the compass bearing is for the mast from where you are standing. If you take more time to explore the area, you will probably see ponies, and might even be lucky enough to see pannage pigs at the right time of year.
9. PHOTO REQUIREMENT: Attach the following photo to your 'Found It' log: Stand some distance from the Moyles Court / King Oak. Have your companion hold out a hand, as if it is supporting or cradling the tree. (PLEASE, NO SPOILERS.) Like so:

• We will accept all your measurements, calculations, and bearings as correct answers within a reasonable margin of error.

SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS TO US IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT AFTER YOU COMPLETE ALL THE STAGES AND TASKS: 

1. Withybed / Lucas Castle Oak dead wood descriptions and directions:
2. Spreading Oak hive height and direction:
3. Famous Person's Gravestone & nearby gravestone name, word, letters and rows: 
4. Hag Hill Compass Bearings for tower and house; house name:
5. Moyles Court / King Oak growth dimensions & height from ground (Don't forget your photo!):
6. Rufus Stone Dimensions & slots:
7. Highest point in the New Forest - Telegraph Hill & Pipers Wait elevations, plate lock info & metal plates 'B' word:
8. Castle Hill tower/mast bearing: 

IMPORTANT: You may submit your answers to us using the email link on our Profile Page, or by using the Geocaching Messaging system. Please send us your answers before logging your find, or within 24 hours of logging your find, so we can correctly match up messaged answers with the corresponding logs. If we do not receive your answers, you will get one courtesy message from us. If you do not reply, your log will be deleted.

No matter what messaging (email or PM) method you choose, please put the following phrase at the top of the email/message and/or in the Subject Field: Re: GC89064 New Forest Landmarks West Virtual

The New Forest is a wonderful place to visit, but requires sensible preparations to stay safe. Please do not approach, touch or feed the livestock or wildlife. As always, by doing this geocache, you take responsibility for your own actions. Neither we nor Groundspeak are responsible if you are injured. Stay safe and have fun!

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY CACHING!

“This cache is on Forestry England land and has been placed in accordance with the GAGB – Forestry England Agreement. As part of this Agreement, it is not permitted to seek the cache during the hours of darkness”.

Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.