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Humphrey's Scramble Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Eckington: Hi Guy,

Eckington from UK admin here.

I have just been alerted to the fact that your new cache may be as described below.
From some maps it seems that it maybe on land I believe is owned or managed by a council or other organisation such as a Nature Reserve or SSSI.

I am archiving the cache for the time being, but will be delighted to reinstate it when you have provided me with details of the person who gave permission for the cache to be placed.

Look forward to hearing from you by email at the following address:

eckingtons31@tesco.net

Be sure to include the waypoint reference (GCXXXXX) in your reply!

Keep in touch with all the news and gossip at:

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=35

Cheers and Cache Well,

Eckington

More
Hidden : 3/10/2006
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Fun and frolics on Humphrey Head - a long, limestone ‘whale-back’ that swims right out into Morecambe Bay.

Humphrey Head is a place of contrasts and extremes. There’s usually a wind, so one side is often sheltered and the other raw. On the west side, steep craggy cliffs plunge into the flat expanse of sand; on the east, meadows and woods slope gently down to the shore. To the north, the hills often gather dark clouds around themselves, while the Bay basks in sun.

Essentially, it’s a small hill-walk in the middle of the sea, complete with a trig point on the top! The spine of the whale slides under the sands at the southern Point. It offers great views all round. There’s a lot of sky, a lot of sand, and usually a lot of wind!

Parking: keep going until you arrive at the beach. It's also possible to walk along the shore from Kents Bank station.

The cache is in the cliff on the west side, just short of the Point. The cache is best accessed from the beach. It is 3-4m above the sand, in a grike in the cliff. Some easy scrambling is needed to reach it.

Please ensure it is well hidden when you leave as the spot gets more visitors than you may think. Youth groups often use the cliffs for scrambling and traverses and will pass very close by the cache site. There is an outdoor education centre at the north end of the Head and other groups also visit here.

Apart from the dangers mentioned below, it is a great place to explore and kids enjoy the rocks. On the east side of the Point is a small white pebble beach. Wellingtons can be useful for exploring the beach. Both dogs and kids may return to the car covered in mud! (It’s not a sandcastle type beach.)

If you can cope with a steep scramble, there is a small path that leads from the car park, directly up to the top of the cliff – gazelle-like children should be able to manage. NB: hands as well as feet will be needed! You can then walk past the trig point and down to the end of the point, then onto the beach and return. It’s easier going up than coming down. If you really want to do it the other way, the top of the path is at N54° 09.481 W002° 56.056.

On fine days you can laze on the short cropped grass on the top, watching the sky-divers above Cark airfield. Most days are good for spotting birds. Join Humphrey for a scramble and enjoy this unique place. Twisted trees and rocks await.

DANGER: The Bay is infamous for it’s treacherous tides and quicksands. The base of the cliff is usually covered at high tide. The edges of channels are chief areas for quicksand.
If you are at or south of the cache and you notice the tide coming in, it would be possible to get onto the top of the cliff. Check the tide times before visiting. See BBC Tides for Heysham times, which are fairly close. The tide is reputed to come in ‘faster than a galloping horse’ and every year people fatally underestimate the dangers.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fgbarf naq n ener cvrpr bs jbbq pbire vg

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)