Aelfsige's Allure Traditional Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache has been placed in Alice Holt Forest on the Surrey Hampshire border. The Forest is split in two by the A325. The cache is located in the less commercialised west side.
From the A325, lookout for the large green “JCB Greenshield” signs on a small road going west. Drive past the entrance to the Research Centre and park at N 51º 11.018’ W 00º 51.220’. The rest is up to you and your GPSr.
Alice Holt Forest has a historical chronicle dating back to Roman times. It’s wealth of natural resources such as clay and timber made it an important centre of industry at that time.
During the Saxon era, Aelfsige Bishop of Winchester after whom this cache is named, owned the forest and the area became known as Aelfsige Holt.
Following the Norman Conquest, the forest became renowned as a popular hunting ground for the new ruling elite. As time progressed through the middle ages, an increasing number of its large oak trees were consumed to supply raw materials for England’s developing naval fleet.
This area continues to be a home to a wide variety of birdlife. Green Woodpeckers and small falcons are among those that are attracted by the abundance of pickings further down the food chain in the nearby ponds.
The large Purple Emperor butterfly is also a resident and has become the symbol for this woodland area. If you are searching for the cache around dusk, you may be lucky enough to catch site of Alice Holts shy Roe Deer.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n ynetr hcghearq gerr ebbg.
[If you need any more help, there's a spoiler photo on Jeff & Ethans home page.]