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Balfron Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Ramnageo: The area around the tree on which the cache was placed has been recently landscaped so cachers' tracks would spoil a village amenity. Furthermore, the cache itself was damaged and partially removed, so I decided to archive it and replace it with another nearby with the same name.

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Hidden : 6/7/2019
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


If you follow the coordinates correctly you'll end up near the old Clachan Oak, which stands at the top of the village; around this spot the old Balfron village originally grew. The oak (now the symbol of the Community Council) was recorded in 1867 as being in a “flourishing condition”, but its short trunk is now completely hollow, and held together by 3 iron hoops.  These were not an early form of tree surgery – they had a more sinister purpose, for until the end of the 18th century petty criminals were chained to the tree with an iron neck collar, where they were subjected to public ridicule.

The tree has undergone extensive work to improve its condition and ensure that it remains the living emblem of Balfron for many years to come. In 2014 the tree came third in Scotland’s Tree of the Year competition. There's a long-standing debate as to whether it was William Wallace or Rob Roy who sheltered under the tree, but both had local connections.

The cache for which you are searching is nearby.

For more on the lovely and very community-active village of Balfron, visit their Community Council page via this link - https://balfroncc.org.uk/locality/ from which much of the historical information above was taken.

This is an area where there are likely to be people driving or walking (especially being near the church)

Congratulations to Macxeno as the FTF and to kathrynandsandra as the STF.

 

(I am wondering if there is any local cacher willing to ADOPT this from me. Please do get in touch.)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

N zntargvp jrypbzr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)