This area is wonderfully scenic and has a fair bit of history too.
I have found 5 locations on an clockwise circumnavigation of the
Reservoir and Viaduct which whilst giving you the chance of
appreciating the beauty and history of this area, will also provide
the co-ordinates for a cache box near the end.
At around 3½ miles in distance it should take the average
person about 2 hours to stroll around this very pleasant part of
North Dartmoor.
The walk is mostly level apart from a flight of steps up by the
dam and a steep path/steps down by the viaduct. It is not suitable
for wheelchairs. Enjoy your visit.
The starting co-ordinates are the reservoir car park, which has
toilets and in Summer an ice cream van.
At each location is a question, The answers will give you the
final co-ordinates for the cache box, which is a 1ltr tupperware
cliplock container containing the usual swaps and log book. Please
do not put the answers in your logs.
The final cache co-ordinates are:- NAB CD.EFG W00H IJ.KLM
Leave the car park and follow the road you drove in on until you
reach the bridge you passed underneath. Go up on to the Cycleway
path on top of the bridge and follow your GPS to location 1
Location 1 N50 42.721 W004 02.234 Question 1. At this overbridge
is a number painted on the stonework giving the number of mile and
chains,(VWX.YZ) by rail to London from when trains used to run
along here to Padstow and Bude. V+Y=M, Y+2=E, X-1=K.
Location 2 N50 42.814 W004 02.000 Question 2. At this location
is a signpost for the cycleway. How far is Okehampton in decimals.
Answer is J.A
To the right hand side of the viaduct next to the railway
coaches is a set of steps leading to the road below. Ensure that
you follow the path that weaves between the viaduct supports and
take care it is steep in places. At the bottom cross the road, Go
through a five bar gate and follow the left hand side of the river
upstream past the old lime quarry workings until you reach the base
of the dam.
Location 3 N50 42.349 W004 02.131. Question 3:- Count the steps
up the left hand side of the Dam from the bottom to the top. How
many steps are there? I made it a three figure number with a 0 at
the end. Answer DFI. I=B as well
Location 4 N50 42.013 W004 02.180 Question 4:- How many boards
make up the walkway here? Answer is GL, G+L=C and H
You should now have the final co-ordinates.
When you reach them look for two manhole covers. Sit down by the
tree next to them facing West, The object you are looking at should
remind you of a famous song by Simon and Garfunkel. The cache is
within four feet of this object and no more than thirty feet from
where you are sat. You will be virtually facing it.
After finding the cache please re-hide it well then climb the
nearby steps and follow the path around the rest of the reservior
back to the carpark.
This area does get busy in good weather so take care when
searching for the cache. We hope you enjoy your ramble around
Meldon as much as we did setting this cache.