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Watership Down - Part 2 - Caesar's Belt Traditional Cache

Hidden : 4/23/2003
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


Caesars Belt is a narrow stretch of ancient woodland that runs along side the route of the 'Portway' roman road, which once ran between Calleva (Silchester) and Old Sarum (Salisbury). It is approx 3 miles due north of Laverstoke (between Overton and Whitchurch).

This cache is the second of a three part cache, themed around the book 'Watership Down' by Richard Adams.

Richard Adams grew up in this area and knew it well, so it became the real life setting for his best-selling book and the fluffy, furry fictional characters that made their epic journey across this beautiful part of north Hampshire. If you haven't read the book, shame on you... It's a masterpiece and a must read for all ages!

The rabbits on their journey to Efrafa entered Caesar's Belt about here and Dandelion told the story of 'El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit' on the edge of the spinney jutting out from east of the cache location.

From chapter 30,'A New Journey':

'Where the roman road crosses the downs, the line is marked by Caesar's Belt, a strip of woodland as straight as the road, narrow indeed but more than three miles long. In this hot noon-day the trees of the Belt were looped and netted with darkest shadow. The sun lay outside, the shadows inside the trees. All was still, save for the grasshoppers and the falling finch song of the yellow-hammer on the thorn.'

The cache can be found via public footpaths to the south or north west, or along the 'Portway' footpath which runs SW/NE.... Take your pick!... Parking is available opposite the north west footpath. The cache is located within a small public meadow that almost dissects Caesar's Belt.

Within the cache (ammo box), as well as the usual assortment you will also find the 'West' coordinates to the third and final cache in this trio, 'GCG014 - Watership Down - Part 3 - On the Down'. In order to find 'On the Down' you will also first need to find 'GCG00Z - Watership Down - Part 1 - Nuthanger', which contains the 'North' coordinates.

Of course, there's a very good chance you'll see a few rabbits and hares along the way!

The wood on the west side of the meadow is the 'spookiest' i've ever seen... Take a look and see what you think...

Please take the time to re-hide this cache properly when you have finished, as it's very close to the footpath... Thanks!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Abegu rqtr bs gur zrnqbj, n yvggyr evtug bs prager, va gur onfr bs n gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)