Skip to content

The white cliffs of Høyås Traditional Cache

Hidden : 8/19/2005
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

OK, the popular natural area Høyåsmarka near Halden doesn't actually have white cliffs, but it has an area where the glistening white feldspar and quartz rock that breaks the surface was once quarried for porcelain-making. The cache is near a small pool that fills an old quarrying site.

The rock type in ths area has inclusions of quartz, feldspar and mica [glimmer]. It developed 1200-1600 million years ago. The white minerals were until quite recently extracted as an important ingredient for the porcelain industry. Here, these rocks come to the surface and are rounded into the shapes more familiar from the granite eroded by glacial action. On a sunny day it can almost look like snow.

In the immediate area there are several pools and strange-shaped ponds, evidence of old workings now filled with water. This particular pool is fenced off. We ignored this and sat by the pool in the evening sun, watching andlistening to the many dragonflies whirring around like small Chinook helicopters.

This location would make a pleasant point to pause after "Porcelain: the hole story" (GCQ72R) or "As Høyås it gets" (GCPHPF). The sample-holder cache has some nice new small swag items.

In winter, the many tracks here and around can be skied - they connect into the lit tracks around the TV transmitter tower that one can see a few hundred meters away. But then, you wouldn't see the shining white minerals.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Rznvy be cbfg

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)