Seaton Park is a popular park in the Old Aberdeen area.
It is formed on the central part of what was once Seaton estate. The house burnt down in 1963 and today a fountain marks its approximate location. The Park was bought by Aberdeen Town Council in 1947 from Common Good Fund money. In the 1950s, the format of the park was changed with the formal gardens being laid out. The walk along the riverside is part of Seaton Park and is home to a great deal of wildlife. The play area was established in 1974 and won the first “Playground of the Year” award. The name “Seaton” has nothing to do with the sea and does not refer to a town but is a translation from Gaelic and means “peaceful retreat”
Text from an Aberdeen City Council trail guide.
I invite you to a walk around this beautiful park. This multicache has 7 stages showing some nice bits. At each stage you need to gather some information, which will then allow you to calculate the coordinates of the final container. You can visit the stages in any order.
Stage 1 (Cathedral Walk) - starting coordinates
Have a walk in a corridor of horticultural delight. Especially during the summer months, the area is filled with flowers, making it particularly picturesque.
There coordinates lead you to a square in the middle of the walk. On both sides of it, the walk expands with flowerbeds between the pavements. How many flowerbeds are there on each side? The answer is A. (Only count the flowerbeds on one side, north or south of the central square.)
Stage 2 (Street Art) - N 57° 10.342′ W 2° 06.210′
This stage takes you to a little bit of street art next to the river. How many red flowers are there next to the train? The answer is B.
Stage 3 (Fountain) - N 57° 10.387′ W 2° 06.133′
The fountain marks the site of the old Seaton House. Look at the information board next to the fountain. Based on the information you find there -Which day of the month was the last laird of Seaton born? The answer is C.
Stage 4 (Secret Gardens) - N 57° 10.456′ W 2° 05.971′
Also called "The Walled Gardens". They take you off the beaten path. Enter the gardens and find a round bench, spanning around a number of trees. How many trees? The answer is D.
Stage 5 (Playground) - N 57° 10.344′ W 2° 05.965′
Here, you will find a lot of equipment for children of all ages to play. In particular, you will notice a locomotive with carriages. It is called Mr Therm. There is a stave with notes on one of the carriages. Above it, there are words. How many words? That's your E.
Stage 6 (Wetland) - N 57° 10.325′ W 2° 05.783′
This stage leads you to what was once a naturally occurring loch and has been tamed to become a managed wetland. It is now home to swans, ducks and many species of wildlife. At the coordinates you will find some information boards. You are interested in two pieces of information, which you can find on them.
- What is the last digit of the year in which the wetland was created? That's your F.
- What century does the legend about St. Columba and St. Machar originate from? That's your G.
Final
Congratuations, you have now gathered all the required data! To obtain the final coordinates, substitute the letters with the numbers you got in the following formula:
N 57 [F+B].[C*E+F*10] W 002 [A-1].[G*B+D*2]
