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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Most of this cache is accessible by pushchairs and wheelchairs, it
is fairly level and paths can be seen in the grass. The final few
yards are quite steep but the cache site can be viewed from the
path above while partner searches. Please tell me if this is being
a bit optimistic. There is a vertical drop which is protected by a
fence, care should be taken with little ones at the cache site and
its approach. If raining the grass is wet but not muddy.
The TOOTS, also known as the Tuts or the tump, is a long barrow
situated on Selsley common near Stroud and is so placed that some
fantastic views can be seen stretching from the Severn bridges,
Brecon Beacons and on up to the Malverns.
Selsley common is a favourite spot for kite flyers, walkers and
dogs so I have placed the cache in a quieter spot to help guard
against muggles. Please replace very carefully so it is not
discovered.
The following description of the barrow is based on an article
written by Chris Witcombe:
The Toots on Selsley Common is one of the largest long barrows in
Gloucestershire measuring 210 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 11 feet
high. About 2 miles from Stroud, the Toots is located high up on
Selsley Common on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the Vale
of Gloucester and the Severn Estuary. It should be observed,
though, that despite expectations, the Toots, and other barrows
similarly located, is not set upon the highest part of the Common.
In fact, when approaching from the east, the barrow cannot be seen
until one crests the top of the hill. On this point, William
Stukeley noticed with regard to the barrows upon Hakpen Hill near
Avebury that it "and others are set with great art not upon the
very highest part of the hills but upon so much of the declivity or
edge as they make an appearance as above to those in the valley"
(from Stukeley's miscellaneous Avebury notes). This placing of
barrows upon 'false crests' is common in many parts of Britain, but
has only been noticed again in recent years. The archaeologist
Cyril Fox writing in the 1940s argued that "barrows sited on false
crest lines were intended to be seen from some point below them"
and adds that "the position of a barrow thus gives an indication of
the direction in which the homes of its builders should be sought."
The Toots is clearly visible from the valley as a "bump" on the
skyline. Other barrows, such as the nearby Nympsfield Barrow and
Hetty Pegler's Tump, are placed similarly within the landscape.
Although the view from both the latter barrows, and the view of
them from the valley, is today obscured by trees, the original
effect must have been the same as The Toots. Besides indicating, as
Fox suggests, where the homes of their builders might be located,
it is probable that these barrows were most likely also in
line-of-sight with other sites in and across the valley, and with
each other. Very probably (trees now prevent a demonstration of
this), the Nympsfield Barrow and Hetty Pegler's Tump were visible
from the Toots. The Toots is in line-of-sight with Whitefield's
Tump on Minchinhampton Common, which in turn would link with the
long stone nearer towards Avening.
The published coords are for the best parking place and during
warmer weather there is often an ice cream van parked up for your
delight.
TO FIND THE CACHE go to N 51' 43.594 W 002' 15.058 and find the
Topograph next to the Toots. There's a place to park your bum while
you work it all out and enjoy the view at N 51' 43.579 W 002'
15.128
Time to do some work :-)
MILES TO MINCHINHAMPTON, ADD BOTH DIGITS = A
MILES TO WAUN FACH? FIRST DIGIT = BOTH B AND C
MILES TO RANDWICK, THE WHOLE NUMBER OR THE FRACTION = D
MILES TO NYMPSFIELD WIND POWER GENERATOR, 2ND - 1ST = E
MILES TO EBLEY, = F
MILES TO MAYHILL, 1ST + 2ND = G
MILES TO STROUD, = H
HEIGHT OF CLEE HILL, 2ND – 3RD – 1ST – 4TH =
I
HEIGHT OF TOPOGRAPH IN M, ADD ALL DIGITS TOGETHER = J
CACHE AT N 51' ABCDE W 002' FGHIJ
Signal the frog plush toy is there as a ftf prize.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Tb qbja rvgure fvqr bs gur oneorq jver ohg abg bire!!
Tcf jvyy or n ovg whzcl qhr gb funcr naq urvtug bs gur jnyyf.
Vg vf nobir lbh.
Qrnq fznyy gerr gehax va sebag, pnpur thneqrq ol ebpx, cyrnfr ercynpr ebpx gb xrrc pnpur uvqqra.