A simple cache that can be found on a circular walk of Morpeth
Common, or as a 'there-and-back' cache. Its also possible to park
very nearby and 'drive-by' cache, though you will miss the joy of
the walking the old railway line.
George Stephenson developed his steam engines in this area, and
South-East Northumberland was surprisingly important during the
golden railway age. The whole area is covered with the tracks left
from those years, including the wagonway at Plessey from the 16th
century, to the remains of the Blyth and Tyne railway which at one
time was set to be an alternative route to the North, and which is
still used for freight.
While Morpeth had 2 major stations, this line is on a third
railway - the North British, and approached Morpeth from Scots Gap,
before going on to the ports at Blyth and Tyne. Westwards and
north, it provided an alternative, independent direct route to
Edinburgh via Hawick which stayed open until the mid-1960s.
Amazing.
The cache itself is at a bridge over the line, which can be
walked from the Golf Club (NZ197850), St. Mary's Church (NZ197852),
Craik Park (NZ186846), or from the Kirkhill estate Common access at
NZ191852. Other walks are possible. In winter time the line has
excellent holly and rowan, magnificent brambles in Autumn, and
wildflowers in Spring. Choo choo.
This map shows the former complexity of the rail network
hereabouts (the cache is on the dashed line at the left
edge):
Notes:
- Warning about the replacement cache - it is not where it was
previously hidden, look harder!
- Please hide it well after discovery and make sure it cannot be
seen!
- 1-litre tupperware
Replacement cache contents are (as at 30/Dec/2008):
- New logbook, pen and pencil (no sharpener!)
- GeoVulture TB (sorry to its owners)
- Squishy Space Shuttle
- Night-glo Space Shuttle Stencil
- Space Shuttle pin
- Small hard-carved Zebra
- 2 luggage padlocks
- Velcro cable strap
- Astrium pin
- Nike Swoosh pin
- 10 eurocents, today the same as 10p
Enjoy!
Original cache contents are:
- Enamel broach thing
- LEGO™ Astronaut girl
- Flashing frog toy
- Pencil, pen, logbook, sharpener
- Wooden beaded bracelet
- Puncture repair kit for biking cachers