So after doing a few Caches by Funk to Funky I really wanted to place my own mystery series and with the opening of the Wye Valley Greenway Cycle Path I thought! Yes perfect walk!
Now my inspiration is to make this like a starter series for those who are maybe new to Mystery Caches or are not confident. So please forgive me if the puzzels are super simple!
But remember to those Geocaching masters, everyone has to start somewhere.
The Wye Valley Greenway Cycle Path is open to both cyclists and walkers and it is entirely flat. It begins in Sebury and goes all the way to the beautiful Tintern. The walk one way is just short of 5 miles and I've walked it with my little children (7&5) in just short of 2 hours. That was obviously not while I was caching, that would take longer.
Part of the attraction of this walk is the use of the Rail tunnel that is over 1000meters long. The volunteers that have worked extremely hard to open this up as a cycle path have had to negotiate how to look after the bat population that have made this tunnel their home.
So quick house rules while you are in the tunnel, it is dark and cold. There are lights in the tunnel but they are downward lights to protect any bats. You must not shine lights in the tunnel. No torches no camera flashes. Keep to the left as you walk. There will be on coming bikes and it is hard to see them coming.
During the winter months the tunnel will be closed and there is an alternative route you can take around the tunnel (which is not flat)
None of my mystery Caches will be placed in the tunnel.
There are already a few Caches along my planned route that are worth visiting if you have not before.
Thanks to GAGB Land for the information about Forestry Commision agreement to allow Geocache placement.
So! Mystery Caches! The cache is not at the co-ordinates shown, you have to solve a puzzel (which will be below) which will reveal the correct co-ordinates and then you can use the co-ordinate checker, which will confirm that you have the right place to head for!
If anyone is struggling! Please please please you can contact me, im happy to help.
I suggest you do all the puzzel solving before you go out for the walk.
Now a quick history of the Railway, ready carefully this will be what you use to work out your answers....
1866 The Wye Valley Railway Act authorised the railway to be built. Unfortunately there was a banking crash which lead to investors loosing confidence.
1870 Letter to the times complaining 'There are people sanguine enough to entertain visionary plans of a railway along the valley, but they may just as well amuse themselves with schemes of a balloon nagivation to the moon
1874 Extravagant claims in a prospectus to attract investors
1875 The Wye Valley Railway amendment Act, proposed building on the East Bank of the Wye rather than the west Bank, on land mostly owned by The 8th Duke of Beaufort
1876 Line opened to the Public
1876 - 1903 Successive years of poor fincial results leads to a reciever being appointed in 1889
1905 Amalgamation with Great Western Railway
1940s-50s First every diesel rail cars in Britian run along the Wye Valley Railway.
1958 Western Mail report that only 'one ticket sold during a day at Monmouth Railway Station recently'
1959 Passanger services withdrawn
1964 Last goods traffic north of Tintern
1981 Last train from Tintern Quarry
1992 Last train to use the line departs from Dayhouse Quarry, Tidenham
So your Co-ordinates are
N 51° 39.104 W 002 38.ABC
I will ask some questions, the answer will be a year, use the last digit of the year.
A= when was passanger service withdrawn?
B= Extravagant claims in what year?
C = When the last ever train ran along the line?