26/2/11 - Ascent to Clent Geotrail

Distance - 6 Miles
Number of caches - 23
First Cache -

Clent Ascent Geocaching at EveryTrail


Someone said that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. I am not sure that this person ever had their brasher boot sucked off their foot in a mud pit!

A new trail came up around 20 minutes drive away. Some hardy cachers have been out mid week with the times of FTF recorded at 1:50am. You can only wonder. I knew this would be popular today, so got to the recommended parking at 8:30am and i was already the second car parked up. On my return, the whole layby was full.

The weather was not good. Last night, I was in BRM to see Sarah Millican at the town hall and on our exit at 10pm, it was chucking it down. This continued through the night and was still going this morning.... but once you have planned something, you are committed to it.. even if fields of mud were the order of the day.



Dressed fot it - Clent in the background

 The cache trail is 23 in total, although for the bonus, I should have read the clues before leaving as research, rather than collecting co-ords is required.  The caches come thick and fast as you make your way across farmland, gently rising to the back of Walton Hill.

I have walked Clent many times, but never from this direction.  Caching has introduced me to some new paths and a different approach.

The caches are all reasonable.... there is one that has a clue of a nano in an ICT in a lane full of ICTs.... didn't fancy my chances with this and there is one that has not been found by anyone (maybe today - as there are loads out!).  The only other DNF was a do not look, as a lady was exercising her dog and just refused to move on!

There is a warning between 19 and 20, where you have to cross a stream.  You can image what it was like today..... the photo doesn't really do it justice.

Get through that then!

I tentatively attempted to cross but the water was right over the top of my boot.... an alternative was found by ducking through the fence and seeing a very ropey man made bridge of thin logs.... precarious, but better than the direct route!

The water is literaly bubbling out of the ground here - so be warned!

The paths criss cross here - even with maps and sat nav, I stuggled to find my way after the crossing - probably the driving rain was making it hard to keep on top of exactly where I was.

Soon back on trail and back to the layby.  This is now full of cars and a lady with an Etrex and a clipboard can only mean one thing.  I told her about the crossing.... I'll check the logs to see others experiences!

A great trail - thanks to basketcase crew for setting it up - its going to be popular.