In 1990 during the building of the Ancells Farm housing
development, a new 18 acre nature reserve was created, aimed at
enhancing habitats such as heath and marsh land where valuable
wildlife communities can develop over the longer term. Public
access through the reserve is via a clearly marked path providing a
short circular walk and taking visitors through all of the main
habitat types. The associated birds, animals and plants can be
identified with the aid of a helpful interpretation
board.
The waypoint
above refers to Stage 1 near to the Kissing Gate at the start of
the Nature Reserve. The recommended parking is nearby to a Pub,
small Supermarket, Fish & Chip shop and Chinese Takeaway,
approx 200 metres from the start of the walk. Do not worry if you
feel you are in the middle of a large housing estate – you are !!
The Reserve is behind all the houses and is not accessible directly
by car.
The terrain is
flat but not suitable for wheelchairs and larger pushchairs as
there are a number of Kissing Gates and the ground is muddy in
places. The clue places are very obvious and there is absolutely no
need to ever leave the defined paths. The fourth waypoint and the
final cache position are outside the confines of the
Reserve.
The location of
the cache can be found by substituting the letters in this code for
the numbers revealed by the answers to the clues:
N (T+U)B°CD.E(X+Y)G, W HJK°LM.NPQ
1. N51 17.626 W000
49.296
You
can call the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on 0TU8Q
DEXY00
2. N51 17.683 W000 49.191
The
Pond is only LK years old
3. N51 17.672 W000 49.241
Registered Charity NHBJP1
4. N51 17.732 W000 49.320
Ideal C9MG Homes.
Now you should have all the information you
need to make it to the cache, which is a 1.5L clear container.
Before setting off consider if walking in a straight line is
quicker than crossing the obstacle you know must be there later
!!! Once there you will find various goodies. To return head
back to the Car Park (N51 17.692 W000 49.425).