20/09/15 - Shaken not Stirred

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches Found - 17
Geocaches Not So Found - 8
Pint - Otter at the Fox and Hounds, Lulsley

With a free day on the weekend and the sun shining, I decide to entertain Mrs Mappiman by taking her on a new, local geocaching trail. 26 James Bond Themed caches in a 5 mile amble around countryside that I know reasonably well.

What could possibly go wrong?

Park up at the village hall and head down to the Church.  They is a chance to get a church micro but it is fiercely guarded by an aging labrador with a gruff bark.  We decide to leave him alone and collect the clues for #1 - a multi.  I wonder if the church Gardener can understand why there is a such an interest in his bench?

Alfrick Church - Dutch Windows and a Sun Dial

#2 is the first find and confirms that we are not the only cachers out today.

By #3, Mrs Mappiman is complaining that I am not letting her have a fair go, so get her to Gz, provide the clue and she makes mincemeat of a sneaky hide.  She's been picking up caching skills over the years, even if I am not completely convinced she is enjoying herself.

#4 - we give up on.  We are looking at the thing that everyone says that it isn't hidden on.  First DNF broken and knowing that I am not getting a clean sweep.  Pressure off, we limit the hunts and concentrate on the walking.  Which is damn fine.

Fields of Gold

#5 becomes a can't search, as there is a man with dogs.  I don't know if he has previously shot the birds but he whistles, they run into the coppice and come back with a bird in their mouths.  Maybe they are just ultra efficient hunters.  As the route loops around, I do get chance to come back to this.

Nice walking around the pond, after a hopeless search for a MTT in a copse full of MTTs.

Ravenshill Pond

2nd Part of the multi found on the lane and a couple of finds before finding a classic container.  I do like it when a multi comes together.

Two more DNFs and then Mrs Mappiman decides to give me some Geocaching advice.  "Walk slowly towards me and stop when the arrow says you are at GZ", she advises.  I thank her kindly for showing so much interest but #11 remains elusive - although we do have the co-ords for #10 multi.

#12 has a clue - Base of Tree.  I proclaim that if we cannot find this, I will retire from the game.  10 minutes later, I am sweating that I may well have to until the Mrs Mappiman approach is adopted and we make a find.

Enjoy the dingle walking along Red Cliff and Hayley Dingle - despite the mud.  We do OK to #19 (only one more DNF) and I am most grateful for the detailed walking instructions where it would have been very easy to get lost forever in the land that time forgot.

Mappiman Loving the Dingles

We meet a family with a dog, who is enjoying the swimming.  They may have been cachers, as the caches are now signed with a new name.  They must have a time machine, as they are dated tomorrow.

In trouble at #21 where I cannot find the correct Base of Post and muggled at #22.  #23 found and then on the Map, I spy the "Big Blue Cup of Joy".

Its time for a pint.

Except it isn't.  The building looks like a pub, but the small sign says "The Old Swan Inn".  It's been converted into private residence.  Sometimes, it's just not your day.

After a lot of DNFs and no immediate sign of beer, we abort the mission.

I am off to phone Q and ask him to develop a better geocaching device.

Back to a car and a couple of miles to Lulsley, where we drown our sorrows at the Fox and Hounds.

Fox and Hounds Otter.

Mrs Mappiman announces that she would come Geocaching next week, but the bathroom needs regrouting.

Thanks to Thejenks7 for a great walk and a much harder than usual trail.