Waterless Road Traditional Cache
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Size: 
(regular)
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A gentle stroll along an ancient road
Parking for this cache can be found at N56° 17.501 W002° 58.274. This is a free car park and available for 364 days of the year. The only day you will not be able to park here is the last Saturday in June which is when the village hold their Highland Games. These games have been celebrated since 1314 (with the exemption of the war years) when Robert the Bruce gave a charter to the people in recognition of their support at the Battle of Bannockburn. These games are the oldest free games in Scotland and well worth a visit if you are in the area! Indeed the week prior to the games is a packed week of activities for old and young alike. i.e. car treasure hunt; pool competition; raft race in Ceres Burn; 5 aside football etc. This is also the starting point for Allieballie’s “Sightseeing in Ceres” GCM07V.
Across from the car park is an area known as the Bow Butts. In days of yore the village green and the car park were collectively known as this with locals competing with each other to see who could fire a bow and arrow the furthest. Indeed, this was were the men of the village practiced before heading off to battle nearly 700 years ago.
Running alongside the Bow Butts and the car park is the Ceres Burn, and spanning it close to the museum is the attractive 17th century bridge known as the "Bishop's Bridge". This is the only example of a pack horse bridge still to be found in Fife and shows how horses carrying their master’s packs were able to cross the burn. The sides of the bridge are the height of cart wheels. This meant that a cart ladened with, say, hay could pass over the bridge with no obstruction. Nowadays it means that we worry about the safety of our adventurous children as it is a perfect height to topple over!!
The “Bishop” referred to in the name of the bridge is Archbishop Sharpe and, as this was the main road from Edinburgh to St Andrews, it was the route travelled by Archbishop Sharpe, the hated anti-Covenanter, on his fateful journey that led to his death. Locals advise that on misty nights the coach and horses can still be heard thundering down the road that he would have travelled and where the cache is to be found! (see Allieballie’s “Murder at Magus Muir”GCKXZX).
On the other side of the road is a row of Weaver Cottages fronted by a grassy bank with a water pump handy for all. Behind those cottages up till 30 years ago were strips of land that were used by the occupants to grow vegetables. A path can still be seen behind them that at one time allowed the horse drawn cart that collected the rubbish (“scaffie cart”) to travel along. Those strips suffered from the popularity of the village and houses were built on them.
This cache can be found up Waterless Road (now known as Woodburn Road) and as in many ancient roads the route did not follow the line of the valley as would seem more likely but ran along the side of the adjacent hill. This meant that, as the name suggests, this road was seldom flooded. (It would be nice to say it was a dry route nowadays but it can be very muddy and boots are advised).
This road heads towards Struthers Castle which is unfortunately not available for public access due to its state of disrepair. It is probably the oldest historical building outside Ceres village. Part of the existing ruin has been assigned to the end of the 14th century and there are traces of alterations made to the building during the 17th century. The castle was abandoned by its owners at the beginning of the last century. Neglect and lack of repairs, aided by the weather, soon reduced the building to a ruinous condition and today, some parts of the walls are all that remain.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre gur fgbarf
Treasures
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