Skip to content

Hampstead Heath: Ponds View Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

NinjaCacher!: Time to let go and make room for new caches - I won't be able to maintain these soon enough. [:(]

Thanks for all who visited this nice spot and found the cache over the years! [^]

More
Hidden : 10/14/2007
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Regular size cache with a good view over the nearby ponds.

I encourage caching by public transport. Take the Northern Line to Camden Town or Kentish Town and continue on Bus 214 to Merton Rd / Highgate West Hill to get within about 300m of the cache. A bike will get you very close to the cache.

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is North London's largest and probably most important green space. The wildest of London's parks has fields to run in, long grass to roll in, woods to hide in and, most famously, ponds to swim in. In north London this is THE place to get back to nature. Strewn with picnickers, cyclists, families and the rest, the heath is large enough and has enough copses, hills and mounds that a quiet spot is never far away.

Ponds View

From the cache site, you get a good view over the nearby Highgate ponds. The ponds were originally dug out as water reservoirs for London's water supply in the 17th and 18th centuries. There are over 30 ponds on the Heath, but there are six major ones, in two different valleys. You're here in the valley of the River Fleet, here a very small stream.
Below you is the "Model boating pond", where you can sometimes see young or old muggles playing with their model boats and toy yachts. Almost a bit like in St. Tropez in southern France, just smaller. To the right, the next pond that you probably can't see but maybe can hear, is the Bird Sanctuary pond. Below (ie. to the left), hidden in some trees, is the men's bathing pond (sorry no ladies, you'd have to go a bit further up).

The Cache

You're looking for an 1 liter, camouflaged plastic box that will hold most smaller swaps and TBs. You will see a lot of ivy at the cache location - look for a way to go 'inside'. Muggles may be nearby, so some stealth required. Please take care to replace the cache exactly as found and make sure it sits safely in its spot so that it doesn't fall down. It's best placed ON ITS SIDE.

Take note of the letter and number under the lid for the bonus cache.

Original Cache contents: Logbook+pen, a colour pencil set and a playcard set.

Hall of Fame

1. Gold went to... renatopivano! on 15 October 2007
2. Silver for rodz on 16 October 2007
3. Bronze for goldpot on 16 October 2007, closely followed by The Bongtwashes on the same day.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx hc 'vafvqr'. Nobhg 6-7 srrg bss tebhaq, ba n ubevmbagny cneg bs gur gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)