Hermits View Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A circular walk of approximately 1.5miles around the spectacular Falls of Acharn via the mysterious hermits cave.
Park at the above co-ordinates - just off the main road opposite the shop.
Please be aware of the safety notices as you make your way up the track. These advise you of the steep gorge sides which in many places are not fenced off. Children should be supervised at all times and dogs kept on short leads. The route may also be slippery in wet weather. As a precautionary tale, the day we set this cache, a fire engine passed us halfway up the hill (you will realise what an unlikely sight this made when you see for yourself the terrain it had to ascend). When we reached the hermits cave we discovered that a dog had fallen over the edge of the gorge. The scene was quite distressing and the owner was absolutely distraught. I don’t know if the dog was recovered or not - we kept out of the way rather than intrude on the task that the firemen were trying to carry out. Please do not let this happen to your child or your dog!
From the parking co-ordinates, follow the steep farm track up the hill until you see a sign on the left for the 'Hermit's Cave'. You will have to enter this dark and twisting structure to help you find this cache!
The Hermits cave was built by the Earl of Breadalbane in the latter half of the 18th century, and apparently had someone living in it right up to 70 years ago. It was visited in 1803 by William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy, who wrote in her journal “ We entered a dungeon-like passage, and, after walking some yards in total darkness, found ourselves in a quaint apartment stuck over with moss, hung about with stuffed foxes and other wild animals, and ornamented with a library of wooden books covered with old leatherbacks, the mock furniture of a hermit's cell. At the end of the room, through a large bow window, we saw the waterfall, and, at the same time, looking down to the left, the village of Kenmore and a part of the lake - a very beautiful prospect.”
Make your way to the viewing platform where you will see the main waterfall in all of its glory!
A = How many vertical bars is the fence at the edge of the platform made up of? (include the ends): 2?
B = Stand under the archway facing the waterfall. How many pieces of wood SPAN the inside of this archway?: 1?
Now explore the rest of the cave.
C = How many long, narrow light/air? shafts can be found on the side of the cave facing the track?
D = How many external doorways does the entire cave structure have?
Continue walking up the path until another sign to the left points to the 'Viewing Platform'. This leads to a timber walkway over some smaller falls before heading back down the hill to the road.
There is a plaque just at the start of this walkway.
E = What is the date on the plaque? June 19?9
If you wish, you can return to the main track and cross the burn at the upper bridge a short distance further up. Or you can cross the walkway you are standing at to answer the final question.
F = How many steps are there at the eastern end of the walkway? (include the top one)
Follow the path downhill to head back into Acharn and, of course to find the cache.
Final cache can be found at:
N56 33.E(B + C + D)(A - C)
W004 01.DEF
Cache contents at time of placing:
Corkscrew
Purse
Vaseline
Paint Set
Carabiner
Kaleidoscope
Soap Dish
Magnetic Top
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre cvrpr bs snyyra gerr arkg gb n gerr fghzc