Spofforth Stroll Traditional Geocache
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(regular)
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A walk starting from Spofforth Castle in North Yorkshire.
Spofforth is a typical Millstone Grit village located where the Vale of York begins to rise towards the Pennine hills. The village is probably named after a crossing point of the streams that criss cross the area ( as in ‘Spoford’) and has been in existence since at least 956AD.
Spofforth Castle is the starting point for this stroll (approx 2 km round trip), and is well worth a visit before or after your walk. The now ruined castle (or more accurately, fortified Manor House) was once the home of the Percy family before they moved to Northumberland. It is rumoured that Harry Percy (or Harry Hotspur as he was better known) was born in Spofforth Castle.
Spofforth has 2 pubs, a shop and a post office where refreshments can be obtained. If the weather is good, you could always picnic in the front of the castle.
More information about the village of Spofforth can be found at www.spofforth.org.uk
To start your stroll, park in front of the castle. Walk through the castle/grounds to the gate behind the castle on the right hand side. Go through the gate and turn left along the base of the old railway embankment. Turn right under the old railway bridge, and then right again through the right hand gate onto the public footpath (even though there is no sign). Follow this path to the cache, which is a 1.5L tupperware container.
Update: For those using the hint, you will find that the tree mentioned has sadly not survived the winter storms of early 2012, but the location should still be obvious.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Svaq gur ynetr Bnx gerr juvpu hfrq gb bireunat gur oevqyrjnl, ohg vf abj oebxra. Gur pnpur vf haqrearngu na birtebja fgbar ‘orapu/yrqtr’ orybj guvf gerr, gur ragenapr gb juvpu vf uvqqra oruvaq fbzr gjvtf naq fgbarf.