Yule Log 2021 ~ Caterham Valley – Tillingdown
After becoming a victim of Covid in 2020 the Yule Log is back! A Christmas themed cache situated near Caterham Valley, I hope that it is found on Christmas Day 2021!
The container is quite unique; those of you who have found previously may recognise it! There is not really any room for Travel Bugs or Geocoins, and you should bring a pen or pencil just in case. It is in woodland near Caterham Valley – close to wwm’s home.
As for the history of the Yule Log ... there was a custom that on Christmas Eve an enormous log of freshly cut wood called the Yule Log would be fetched and carried to the house with great ceremony. The master of the house would place it on the hearth, make libations by sprinkling the trunk with oil, salt and mulled wine and say suitable prayers. In some families, the young girls of the house lit the log with splinters from the preceding year which they had carefully tucked away. In other families, the mother had this privilege. It was said that the cinders of this log could protect the house from lightning and the malevolent powers of the devil. Choices about the variety of wood, the way in which it was lit and the length of time it took to burn constituted a genuine ritual which could vary from region to region. The custom, which dates back to the twelfth century, was also known in most European countries, notably in France and in Italy where the Yule log was called a ceppo. This tradition persisted in Quebec as it did in France up until the last quarter of the fourteenth century. Its disappearance coincides with that of great hearths that were gradually replaced by cast-iron stoves. The great log was thus replaced by a smaller one, often embellished with candles and greenery, placed in the centre of the table as a Christmas decoration.
Sometime in the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century, a facsimile of the Yule Log became a traditional French dessert. Usually, it was in the form of a large rectangular yellow cake spread with frosting and rolled up into a cylinder - one end is then lopped off and stood on end to indicate the rings of the "log." This "Bûche de Noël" became the more familiar traditional chocolate Christmas dessert and has recently spread to other regions, where it is often referred to as a Yule Log. The Yule Log that you will find is not edible!
Parking is available nearby in Tillingdown Hill (N51°17.371 W000°04.375), Mountpleasant Road, Farningham Road and Commonwealth Road – however please be aware that these are residential so do park with care. Alternatively, there are a number of car parks in Caterham Valley. Access is via footpaths at N51°17.000 W000°04.554 or N51°17.315 W000°04.319. Once away from the road the route may be muddy – please remember to keep to the footpaths and bridleways. A little tree climbing may be required to retrieve the container.
Would the FTF please remove the foliage disguise; and also take the elastic bands with them, thanks.
May I take this opportunity to wish all my fellow cachers a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.