BBC Points West cache (Stanton Park, Wiltshire) Traditional Geocache

Stanton Park provides a sense of wilderness, tranquillity and exploration in a park near to Swindon. The park provides an exceptionally wide range of habitats such as remnants of ancient woodland, hedgerows, wildflower meadows, wetlands, a lake, streams and a series of recently restored ponds. This cache was placed during the filming of a BBC Points West article on geocaching for the programme. It is suitable for children and dogs.

This cache was placed during filming for the BBC Points West programme. The programme visited two caches near Bath, Tog Hill (South Glocs) and Bristol Panorama, and then came back to Stanton Park to place this cache. The cache started with numerous BBC goodies for exchange by visitors including autographed photographs of presenters.

Further information about BBC Points West is available on this web site.

In 2003 a large area within Stanton Country Park, mainly the woodlands and lake, was designated as a Local Nature Reserve. The LNR encompasses a wide range of habitats including the woodland, a lake, recently restored ponds and a number of hedgerows.

There are remnants of ancient woodland within its boundaries and the site even boosts a giant redwood, which is a reminder of when the park was planted up by its original private landowners. Most of the woodland consists of mature oak, with hazel and ash being very common. Much of the woodland area is damp and supports an exceptional range of fungi (almost 500 species in total).

Roe deer are often seen, together with many woodland bird species, including the lesser-spotted woodpecker. The main lake, restored ponds, ditches and streams all provide habitats for a vast range of animals and plants, including amphibians, beetles and dragonflies. Reed beds around the lake edge are home to summer visitors such as warblers and bunting. The lake is also home to a myriad of waterfowl such as swans, ducks, grebes and kingfisher.

When on the final approach to the cache, please beware of the old Well, fenced off near the field gate. The cache is not in it or near it. Although it is fenced off, please be careful with children and dogs.

More information about Stanton Park and the associated Nature reserve are available on this web site. Thanks to the Swindon Ranger Service for permission to place this cache. Please note that the Park has limited opening hours (on the Winter day when this cache was placed, the car park was closed at 4.30pm).

Please check out the Geocaching Association of Great Britain for further information about Geocaching in the UK.