27/11/10 - The Lenches in the Snow

Distance - 11.5 Miles
Number of Caches - 26 (24 found)
Starting cache - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=8596ba45-5497-4ae8-860c-29058af41868

I have been looking at this round for a long time and the spattering of snow didnt put me off.  Park up at the churhc in Rous Lench.... pay careful attention to whether or not its a bus stop or not.  Head up for the first and then down a green lane.

Snowy Lane out of Rous Lench

From a walking perspective, Yeald Woods are the highlight of this walk.  I can here a loud snapping noise and when I cross the field to the woods, I can see it it a man snapping a plastic sheet to make the pheasants fly up.  As I get closer, he asks if I could put the dog on the lead - presumably in case they scare the birds.  Country folk with their country ways!  To be fair, as I enter the woods, there is a sign to get the dog on the lead and I always follow the instructions.

Good walk through the woods with four caches before Church Lench - which is the next hamlet we reach on the walk.

Easy to know why its called Church Lench

Continue down the Wychavon way for a couple of DNFs - the first, I have no idea.  The clues have been spot on on this trail and many of the caches are quite open - but I just couldnt find what the clue was referring to.  The next for http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=ccb74638-b845-4bc8-bbc5-c3c162472dd1 I think may have gone, looking at the gallery pictures.

Zig Zag down through fields until arriving at Craycombe Cottage - lovely lodge houses here and great views of Brendon Hill on the other side of the River Avon.

Work my way back up to Bishampton - the trail takes you around the back of the only pub on the trail!  I really should have taken a detour here, as I have been out for around 4 hours - but I am probably too dirty anyway.  Find one of the caches outside its nifty holder - put it back and hope it doesnt ping out again.

Then its a case of heading back in a North Easterly direction to the car.  Pick up the remaining five caches in fields and common land.  Total route took me exactly 5 hours.  Dog doesnt move for 24 hours after we get back.

A well thought out trail - at all major route decision points there is a cache to help you make up your mind.  The caches are all pretty easy, which on a route of this length is exactly what you want.  All caches are in good condition and I have added TBs to Lenches2, Lenches10 and Lenches15.  Thanks to Tarmacjohn for the setup and maintenance.

Somewhere around Cache Number 21. If only I could get the dog to look in the correct location!