13/08/15 - The Gift

Distance - 4.2 Miles
Geocaches - 19
First Geocache
Pub - The Butcher's Arms, Mickleton - Doom Bar

Mrs Mappiman banned me from joining the Worcestershire 20s-30s Ramblers. She had a fear I would run off with a goretex clad temptress with similar interests.

You can imagine how the news was met when I said that a man I had met on the Internet had left me a secret gift, behind a tree. 35 miles from my home.

I ought to explain.  At least to Mrs Mappiman.

2015 has been the geocaching year of the HKMHill rounds.  There have been two simply superb geocaching trails near Winchcombe that have left me purring with gratitude.  Its not just the quality of the caches - which are always well thought out and occasionally quite challenging but also the footpaths that they take you on - providing the best walking the Cotswolds have to offer.

I knew from Twitter that another round was planned in Mickleton and was rather looking forward to it.  Intrigue only increased when the CO dropped me a message to say that "something" was awaiting for me on completion.

5 days later, the trail was published at around 9am.  30 minutes later, the FTF logs were coming in.  I didn't mind waiting patiently at work, knowing I had my own FTF waiting.  So when the weather forecast was downgraded from torrential to cloudy, I headed out on the toot of the clock off whistle, cursing the tractors and roadworks that blighted an otherwise pleasant drive to the Cotswolds.

Park up outside the Butcher's Arms (the CO thinks of everything) and head off into the village.

So what do I know of Mickleton?  I've walked here twice before, the last time three years ago on an adventurous pub walk.  Its the home of the Pudding Club, which every time I read about, I vow to bring Mrs Mappiman to.  A parade and feast of 7 puddings can go a long way to forgiveness.

Today's short walk through the village provides the chance to grab a couple of outlying caches and admire the honey stoned architecture.  The Kings Arms could be competing for my post walk pound.

GZ of Cache 2 - Mickleton Church behind a Monkey Puzzle Tree

Cache 1 of the trail is on a footpath that I recognise.  On my next walk in Mickleton, I am going to descend from Kiftsgate Court and save my weary legs.  The caches, particularly the longest hunt at number 4, give me chance to get my breath back.

3rd Time Uphill to Kiftsgate.  Next time, Downhill please.

Number 5 is a classic multi and I collect the clues, and another outlier, as I head through the charming village of Hidcote.  Never entered the gardens, but the views from the lanes are pretty enough.

Pretty Hidcote

With all the clues gathered, I plot my co-ords into the GPS.  Usually, I get a nice fuzzy feeling when the GZ is on a marked path on the OS Map.  Today, its not quite.  Recheck everything and decide that I will have to go and see what awaits at GZ.

The Prize is that way

A lovely walk through the wheat and I get to GZ.  Looks promising and true enough, a classic caching container is there waiting for me.  All I am going to say about this is a) glad I had trousers on and b) this will get much easier for future cachers, as a trail emerges.

Through Hidcote Boyce and pick up the Heart of England Way.  This is a future planned Long Distance Path for me and I only hope that the rest of it is as good as this elevated ridge walk.

Of course I won't have the caches to find, having already grabbed them - but I will have another look at cache number 11 and marvel at how on earth it was placed there.  I simply signed the log "Wow! and How?".

Terrific Walking on the HoE Way

Reach Bakers Hill, where I struggle with another outlier but make an eventual find.  First fellow walkers of the day approach from the opposite direction.  They have laminated maps on clipboards and I wonder if they are cachers.  They're not, I think I am the last out today, with dusk making the hunt slightly harder.

Downhill all the way for the last two.

Downhill to Mickleton

They're duly found - leaving me just with my bonus.  Like another smiley - I have a clue and the co-ords and make a find.  It's all lovingly wrapped up and I feel like its my birthday.

I'm not going to reveal the exact nature of the gift but it was perfect!  I'm obviously revealing a lot about my passions on this blog and I made my way back to the car with a huge smile on my face.

Celebrate in the only way I know how, by paying a visit to the Butcher's Arms.  Lovely traditional country pub with a perfect pint of Doom Bar on offer.

Butcher's Arms - Mickleton

Cheers Mike - Here's to the Next Round!