This cache is one of a
series placed along the River Pang, which is a small clear chalk
river in the west of the county of Berkshire, and a tributary of
the River Thames.
"The Pang curves in a deep loop
from its source in the Berkshire Downs at Compton, through the
villages of Hampstead Norreys, Frilsham, Bucklebury, Stanford
Dingley, Bradfield and Tidmarsh, to join the Thames at
Pangbourne. Even in its upper reaches, which run dry for much
of the year, it boasts the title "River", but in truth it starts as
an intermittent chalkland "winterbourne". In its middle and
lower reaches, reinforced by fresh springs, it becomes a clear
gravel trout stream flowing through a lush and bosky valley.
The remains of seven mills and of a water powered foundry testify
to the river's vanished utilitarian past.
Recently there has been growing
concern over the lack of water in the upper reaches and pollution
lower downstream. Despite these problems and changes in
farming methods and crops, the valley retains its delight for
walkers. Unnaturally weed-free wheat fields and large scale
piggeries are still complemented by rushy water meadows and
pollarded willows, browsing cattle and grazing horses. Ducks
and moorhens and swans still swim in the Pang, and an occasional
kingfisher or heron is sighted. Primroses, bluebells and
buttercups, as well as docks, nettles, reeds and brambles still
flourish. Kingcups and yellow flag irises continue to defy
agricultural drainage, trout still rise and wild watercress can
still be gathered." (an extract from Walking Down the Pang by
John Sims and Dorcas Ward)
~ o O o
~
The river flows south from
Hampstead Norreys to Frilsham and on to Bucklebury. The river
once powered a mill at Frilsham and it was recorded in the Domesday
Book in 1086, but the present mill dates from the 19th century when
steam was installed to provide a more reliable source of power than
the unpredictable water flow. From Frilsham, the main channel
of the Pang runs beside the road and the valley opens out as it
curves round to the east with a view ahead of the woods rising up
from the valley floor to the ridge of Bucklebury Common.
There is a ford where the road divides, and this is where the cache
is hidden.
You are looking for a small,
magnetised lidded pot, bigger than a film
canister.
Once you have completed ALL of my active caches in this series,
you have earned the right to display this medal on your caching
profile. Copy and paste the following :
<a
href="http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC161CG"><img
src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6959/rpang.png"></a>