The Coleshill and Coxwell Circuit (The CCC)
This series of sixteen traditional caches (plus bonus) takes you
on a lovely walk around the area between Coleshill and Great
Coxwell. The circular walk is about 5.8 miles long (9.5 km) so
allow at least 3 hours depending on your pace and how accurate my
co-ordinates are! It follows public footpaths for the vast majority
of the way. The only roads you need to walk on are through the
villages and a very small stretch just as you return to the car
park at Badbury Hill. The walk can be hilly in places but nothing
too strenuous. The paths are generally good but there are some
bumpy and muddy patches. The route is unsuitable for wheelchair
users and buggies. Please note that there may be a bull in the field on the Coleshill Estate
between #8 and #9 so take extra caution but I think he's only there
during the 'season' (Autumn?).
Cache placed with the kind permission of the National Trust.
Interesting places you will visit:
Badbury Hill is the site of an Iron Age hill-fort. The fort was
built and occupied from around 600 B.C. and was in continuous use
until the first century A.D. See the spectacular beech trees and
bluebell displays in the spring and early summer.
The Coleshill
Estate is in the care of the National Trust and once included
Coleshill House. The house has been demolished but the parkland
around retains wonderful views of the downs and a public footpath
crosses it. The house and grounds were used during WW2 to train
spies and approx 5,000 of the general public (Auxiliary Units) in
sabotage and guerrilla warfare techniques.
The Great
Coxwell Barn is of c.1300 built of Cotswold rubble-stone
walling with a massive Cotswold slate roof and interesting timber
structure. It was built as part on a monastic grange under the
control of Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire and would have stored the
crop of the grange. It was bequeathed to the National Trust in
1956.
There are also 4 other caches on or near the route:
Clumping Around (Traditional),
The best ale? (Mystery),
Agricultural Catherdral (Oxfordshire) (Virtual) and
A420 - The Wood (Traditional).
Where to start
The car park at Badbury Hill is by far the best place to start.
There is space for lots of cars and is free. This is a popular area
for visitors so beware of Muggles!
Remember to look at the page for the
Bonus before you start as you will need to note some things on your
way around the circuit to find the bonus
I hope you enjoy the series.
Congratulations to Walk Tall for being the FTF for the
series