9th October 2010 - Badger Round

Number of Caches - 14 in route (found 12 today, having already had one and missing one)
Starting Cache - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=948c2cfb-4cf4-44c2-ad5f-027132f8ab2d
Distance - Around 6 miles...

Hunter's Bridge

Duck Pond at Start of Walk

There are two cache trails layed by the same people (thank you Lost and Found) that actually meet up - so you could have one full day or two half days.  I have already completed the Beckford round, so came back into the area to run through these at Badger. 

The caches are easy to find, thanks to great clues and spoiler photos.  But don't be misguided - the paths are very hard to find on both routes, many of which arent on the O/S Map.

The first cache of the badger round is at the church.... I then moved onto number 2 (already found last time out) and number 3 by going along "the chase" path.  In October 2010, parts of this path are closed - with a big sign announcing "badger activity"  - oh the irony.



Footpath closed

 I manage to go around by sticking to the field edge.

This series of caches in not circular and you will have problems trying to get around all of the them without repetition.  I managed an awful lot of repetition on this one.  Started with Number 4, where I dropped of a TB and then a bit of road walking before a bridle path to number 5.  Not confident that the beasts in the field have udders.

Mouthy udderless teenage beasts

 

After surviving what could have turned out to me the Shropshire version of Pamplona, I get an tricky find at number 11 and then an interesting backwards and forwards attempt to clean up 3 on map unmarked paths.

If you are reading this before doing the round, pay attention - it may help!  Take the path number 12 - this is by sandstone paths and down towards the water - although this is so steep that I wouldnt recommend it after rain if you want to get back up.  Of course, it had been raining when I did it, but I need the numbers.  Continue along the path, but keep your eyes open for what looks like a cave in the sandstone - go investigate, its actually a path through which you need to take if you want to get number 13.  Most unexpected, and you also get the first of two temples on route.

a cave that has holes at both ends is a tunnel

Temple 1

You should then return on the high path, if you want to pick up number 14 - there is a discarded half vodka bottle that will identify the tree that the cache is behind.

I then had a circuit of the pooled Wharfe River to pick up three more caches and, going past the second temple which someone has converted into a type of summer house (who lives in the woods like this?).  Return to Hunter's Bridge for my final one, but on logging this, I can see that I missed number 7!

Very enjoyable trail  - Thanks for the owners who have put it together!