Waverley Abbey is one of my favourite places in England and I thought it would be a very suitable place for a virtual cache and for a Samhain, or Halloween cache. It's a very beautiful and atmospheric site, full of nature and interesting curiosities. It has featured in various films and books.
To log this cache you just need to take a pic of yourself with the wonderful yew tree which you will find at the posted coordinates. This doesn't have to show your face, it could be your foot or hand for example, or a scrap of paper with your geocaching name on...
And as noted by matthewgibbs below, just 4 days after this cache was published, the tree was named 'britain's favourite tree of 2022'!! Let's hope this doesn't mean more tatty rubbish being hung in it by newage litterers. Please leave only footprints and take only memories, and photos.
Some history - Waverley Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in England, founded in 1128 by William Giffard, the Bishop of Winchester.
Located about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Farnham, Surrey, it is situated on a flood-plain; surrounded by current and previous channels of the River Wey. It was damaged on more than one occasion by severe flooding, resulting in rebuilding in the 13th century. Despite being the first Cistercian abbey in England, and being motherhouse to several other abbeys, Waverley was "slenderly endowed" and its monks are recorded as having endured poverty and famine.
The abbey was suppressed in 1536 as part of King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. Subsequently, largely demolished, its stone was reused in local buildings, likely including "Waverley Abbey House", which was built in 1723 in the northern portion of the former abbey precinct.
The ruins of the abbey are currently managed by English Heritage and freely open to the public. Dogs must be kept on leads
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.