** Cache placed with the kind permission of the Woodland Trust **
The cache containing a few goodies is placed just off the wide main pathway on a tree covered hill, which has magnificent views of the surrounding area from at least a couple of viewpoints. There are a few entrances to the Coed-y-Gopa (Gopa Woods) with the easiest walking route to the cache being from a parking area (Parking 2), up Tan-y-Gopa Road in Abergele (keeping right towards Rhyd-y-Foel, and on the left at Nant-y-Bella Lodge). This is the main entrance to the woodland. There is also a parking on Tan-y-Gopa Road, Abergele (Parking 1), where you can access the woods via a series of steps (behind the bench).
Coed-y-Gopa or Gopa Woods are in Abergele, Conwy, North Wales and have many woodland walks, interesting geology, wildlife and a great viewpoint, which looks out over the Vale of Clwyd and the Clwydian Hill Range. There is also another viewpoint from the top of a small hill near the cache, which has a different aspect than the other viewpoint, including a great view of Gwrych Castle.
*****Take care if climbing the small hill to this second viewpoint as there is a steep drop on the seaward side.*****
On a longer walk around the woods look out for the earthen ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort at the summit of the wooded area, built around 750 BC, which was later occupied by the Romans. The site is known as Castell Cawr, or 'Giant's Castle'. Ground surveys have also found signs of roundhouses. The site was a hive of activity during the Middle Ages, when lead and copper were mined on the hillside.
The woodland is maintained by the Woodland Trust and more information can be found here - https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/wood-information/coed-y-gopa/
There is a leaflet and map for the woods if you manage to get one before you visit. It can be viewed here - https://goo.gl/images/ehLSA1
We hope you will visit the woodland, leaving nothing but footsteps, and taking nothing but photographs and your memories. Also, if you take something from the cache tub please replace it with something decent in its place.