Thrunton Woods #3 ( Castle Hill ) Traditional Cache
Thrunton Woods #3 ( Castle Hill )
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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As with my other caches at Thrunton woods, you can approach this cache from several different directions, depending on how far you want to walk. You can park at:- The main Car Park and Picnic Site:- N 55 º 22.890 W001º 52.010 just off the A697 past the Alnwick – Rothbury cross roads, or go through Whittingham and park along the Callaly road:- N 55 23 063 W 001 54 566
Take the trail through the Pinewoods of Callaly, dating back to the middle of the 19th Century. These resemble the natural pinewoods, which would have covered many of the Northumbrian heaths a thousand years ago.
Castle Hill summit is topped with massive ancient beach trees
( bouncy trees as my daughters called them when they were little, you’ll see why )
and surrounded by two concentric earth works, which date from the early British Period.
Walk carefully around the edge of the hill and to the north and west you will see the Cheviots and the top of Callaly Castle ( not open to the public )
To the south is Hob’s Nick and Hard Nab Crags and to the east Thrunton woods. The cache is very well hidden and due to the large tree cover, especially in summer, GPS’s will probably be all over the place.
( I spent around an hour getting the above co-ords, but if you can get them nearer, let me know and I'll update them )
Edit 29/02/16. Thanks to Robopog who has provided me with this interesting bit of history about the location.
On Castle Hill are the remains of two monuments of different periods both commanding a prominent position. The earliest is an Iron Age hillfort lies across the hilltop and measures 225m by 115m overall. The hillfort is enclosed by a rock-cut ditch, between 12m and 17m wide, around three sides and two banks. There are two entrances into the hillfort, on the east and west sides. Inside the hillfort are the remnants of two rectangular buildings which are believed to be the remains of Old Callaly Castle. Documentary evidence shows that this castle existed by 1415 and it appears to have been superseded by the later tower which is incorporated into Callaly Castle. The Old Castle was probably used as a place of defence or a lookout and some of the earthworks on Castle Hill may also be medieval in date. In addition, some Bronze Age burials are reported to have been found in the 19th century on the north side of the hill.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fdhrrmrq oruvaq snyyra gerr naq ebpx snpr. Va pnzb ont
Treasures
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