Located in
Harold Parker State Park with best approach through Skug River
Reservation. About 0.6 mile in on clear but unmarked trails, and
you'll navigate a few trail junctions. You will be deep in the
woods on this one.
Cache is an
ammo box, located in the SW section of Harold Parker State Park,
the part of the park between Salem Street, Route 125 and Harold
Parker Road. You can approach this cache from a variety of
directions, but the best approach (and my favorite) is through the
Skug River Reservation which adjoins Harold Parker State Park.
Parking is at the Skug River Reservation trailhead on Salem Street
at N42/37.466' W71/6.016'.
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Poem #2
(7/4/05)
Dear Geocacher,
it was suggested
My first poem here perhaps bequested
Too much help, I should be meaner –
Make it tougher! Keep you leaner!
So here I set forth Poem Two
You see, I care enough for you
To warn you straight out loud and clearly:
A bad first choice and you’ll pay dearly!
So choose to head toward river’s banks
Where you can cross o'er bridge of planks.
Or finding out a poor choice made
You’d soon realize you'd have to wade
The Mighty Skug to reach your quarry –
But that is only half the story
For having waded, more miseries still:
You'd need bushwhack to Harold’s Hill!
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Poem #3
(Update 4/28/06)
Beavers
don’t do geocaching
They prefer to see trees crashing
O’er running rivers, block the flow
Create a pond where trails would go
The River Skug once gently flowing
Is now large lake and still it’s growing!
Wooden planks near underwater,
So wear your Gortex boots, you auter!
But don’t back out! Say, what’s your mettle?
A little water, that make you tremble?
Say not! I ‘plore you, please give a try
And if your feet they must stay dry
Then simply take the other turn
At first junction, then you’ll learn
There are two bridges, one close one far
So no excuse to go to car!
Forge on ahead and you’ll find glory
You’ll tell your grandkids quite the story
Of how you beat the beavers’ doings
To find Harold’s Hill despite their chewings!
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Poem #4
(Update 8/11/06)
Like
Noah’s Ark beyond the flood, the waters of the River
Skug
Have dropped a foot since springtime high, so no need fret: your
feet stay dry!
Plus, ever-present mountain bikers put up some boards to help us
hikers
Step o’er the muck at bridge’s ends, so no excuses: all
depends
On your own chutzpah, inner strengths, how far you’ll go, to
what great lengths?
To find Harold’s Hill in deep dark yonder, you’ll never
rest until you conquer!
Last
Poem: #5 (Update 11/17/07)
AVIS* volunteers be praised, for new
footbridge they have raised,
O’er once mighty River Skug which beavers slowed to speed of
slug,
Where crystal waters once brightly flowing, now stagnant scum with
green slime growing;
Old bridge a while ago was sunken causing cachers’ feet a
dunkin’,
Feeling guilty, this cache owner felt the need for full
disclosure,
Failing prose he turned to metre, wrote some poems so that your
feet were
Dry, or failing that at least, not soaked to thigh and bit by
leech,
But now a permanent solution: nice fine bridge prevents
ablution!
So this poem here should be my last official update, lest new
task
Is undertaken by the beavers, chewing planks and beams and
timbers!
If ever bridge is wrecked beyond repair I’ll certainly
respond
With one last poem if I have will to help you get to Harold’s
Hill...
(*Andover Village Improvement Society)
[See July 4,
2005 log entry by Rexrider98 for encrypted version of
original Poem #1]