About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breathtaking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More Information can be found on the SideTracked Series website at www.sidetrackedseries.info
When I realised Skipton was without a SideTracked cache, I knew I had to fix it, but finding a good location for the cache site near the station proved a little tricky. Until now!
At the listed coordinates there is no cache to be found. In front of you, you will see a black post with 3 signs directing you to various destinations in the beautiful market town of Skipton. You'll need information from the sign to work out where the cache location is.
Look up at the three directional signs. You want to focus on the sign pointing the way down the snicket/ginnel (In case you're puzzled, it's the sign with the most letters and symbols on you need). You will only be taking information off this one directional sign.
A = the number of letters in the 2nd word on the 2nd line
B = the number of letters in the 3rd word on the 3rd line minus the number of letters in the 1st word on the 1st line
C = the number of letters in the last word on the 3rd line
D = the number of letters in the 1st word on the 3rd line
E = the number of letters in the 1st word on the 2nd line plus the 3rd word on the 3rd line
F = number of people depicted on one side of the sign we are focusing on x2
The cache can be found a short walk away at N53 57.ABC W2 1.DEF
Please activate super stealth mode as this cache has been placed in a very high muggle area. Difficulty rating set to reflect this. When putting the cache back, please ensure it can't be seen by passers by.
Skipton Train Station is a Grade II listed building.
Skipton became a railway town in 1847 when the Leeds – Bradford – Keighley Railway was extended, soon joined by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway from Manchester.
A year later, the line was extended to Colne and initially, passengers would leave the train at Skipton for onward travel to the villages in Wharfedale by horse-drawn coach. Hostelries are still clustered around the station, including the historic Herriots Hotel. Within two years of opening the station, the ‘Little North Western’ Railway opened a line from Skipton to Ingleton on 30 July 1849 (later extended to Lancaster and Morecambe).
In 1876 the Settle-Carlisle line was opened providing a main line between London St, Pancras and Glasgow Scotland, and a new station was built. By the end of the century the ancient high-level roads for pedestrians and animals had almost gone out of use, as low-level routes -canal, rail and road-competed for transport business.
The same high-level routes are now an important landscape feature as recreational footpaths. It took another decade before further expansion came with additional platforms 5 and 6 built to serve the Skipton to Ilkley Line. These platforms were also later used by the Yorkshire Dales Railway, a short branch to Grassington from 1902 to 1930. Passenger services to Ilkley ceased on 22 March 1965, after which platforms 5 and 6 were closed to passengers and their access subway was bricked off.
The line to Colne closed on 2 February 1970 and its tracks have since been lifted. An organisation called Skipton and East Lancs Rail Action Partnership( SELRAP) is campaigning for the re-instatement of the link and runs occasional charter trains between the two stations, using a long diversionary route to point out the eleven mile ‘missing link’.Today, Skipton Train Station serves as a popular commuter line into Leeds with several trains running every hour.
