Warlocks, witches... and angels (1) Traditional Cache
Warlocks, witches... and angels (1)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This first of two related caches takes in some easy walking around a spooky, historical part of Deeside, starting at the popular Bridge of Potarch, just off the A93 between Banchory and Aboyne.
This cache takes you to a notorious haunt of witches and warlocks. When witch hunting mania swept the north-east in the late 16th Century, Deeside was one of the areas noted for 'the detestabil practize of witchcraft'. The walk starts close by the Bridge of Potarch - once an important halting place for drovers heading south for the cattle trysts. There is still a hotel here with a lovely picnic area in front for a summers day! Park either at the picnic area across the Bridge off the B993, or in the parking laybys on either side of the A93 road itself at around N57 03.968 W002 38.903. The walk starts on the north-east side of the road, so as it is a busy, fast road you may be best to park on that side. In this layby you will see the start of the well defined trail heading through the trees. There is a blue cordon across the track to prevent cars driving up. Follow this main trail all the way. Ignore a grassy side trail to the right, but take the right hand fork when the main trail splits very obviously not far beyond this. (At time of writing there was a fallen tree to skirt around just before this fork).
After approx. 30 - 45 mins walking, gaining only around 100m in all, you will arrive at the Warlocks Stone on the left-hand side of the trail. Or rather this should be stones, as the one big rock has been chopped in two. The stone was the meeting place of a Deeside coven of witches. Their names appear in the records of witch trials held in Aberdeen in 1596 - 97, when 23 women and one man - Colin Massie - were convicted of witchcraft and condemned to death. How the stone came to be split is a mystery. It was allegedly done to discourage any return to witchcraft in the area, but it must have taken some effort!
Find the cache in the vicinity, then head back the same way. The walk should take around 1 - 1.5 hours, good walking all the way. There are bins, dog poo bins, toilets, refreshments and even recycling bin facilities across the road at the Potarch Hotel.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fznyy erq ebpx bss gb gur evtug