Great Southern and Western Railway cache Traditional Cache
Bootle: well, my rather pathetic record of maintaining this cache shows how unlikely I am to get around to replacing it again. Besides there's a pretty good chance it will quickly go missing. With no obvious other spot to hide a cache I think this one will be confined to the archives.
Great Southern and Western Railway cache
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Over the last century, Ireland's once vast railway network has been drastically reduced, with more than 3200km of railway track closed, dismantled and abandoned. Much of the land on which the railways once ran has been acquired and re-developed by landowners and farmers whose properties border the tracks, making it often difficult to locate the former route of the railway line. In other places, however, there are still many visible indications of the railways, such as bridges, raised embankments and cuttings which serve as a reminder of the once vital means of transport and communication between rural areas. The location of this cache was chosen to draw attention to the many hugely impressive engineering feats which were undertaken during the building of the Irish railway system.*
To get to the cache, go to the charming village of Borris in County Carlow. The village itself is worth stopping in for a while. Heading south (on foot) out of the village, the location of the cache should quickly become obvious! To gain entrance to the cache site, walk under the bridge and go through the gate/stile on your left. The cache is in a grey plastic coffee jar with a grey lid. Original contents - 35mm film, Calculator, Toy Boat.
NOTE - I would not advise attemping the cache if you have small children with you, or if there is particularly bad weather / high winds. Also please note that the route to the cache site becomes very overgrown in the summer, so bring tough clothing. The vegetation retains rainwater very effectively, so if it has been raining recently wear waterproofs or you may get soaked trudging through the undergrowth.
* for more information on Ireland's abandoned railways and the challenging "sport" of walking their paths, read Kevin Cronin's "Off the Beaten Track" (Appletree Press)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Nsgre pebffvat gur ivnqhpg, nobhg 250sg ba lbhe yrsg gurer vf n fgbar znexre. Frnepu nebhaq gur gerr ng gur onpx.
Treasures
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