This Cache has had to be re-sited prior to publication, this was due to its original proximity to the SSSI, I have now moved it a short distance from the original site I planned to place it to create a safety buffer as it were. Attempts to communicate with CLC about this have been ignored and for simplicities sake I have moved the cache. The new site is technically in Kings Wood but is to all practical purposes still part of the common. This new location has been approved by the on site Park Ranger ( thanks ).
A very short walk ( less than a minute South ) will place you on Riddlesdown Common itself.
The description below was originally written with a view to the planned cache site but I have kept it as it on here as it is hopefully still of interest to visiting cachers :
This Cache is the first of a series that I hope to hide locally to me.
The Cache gets its name from the Middle English words from which we now get Riddlesdown.
For those who don't know Riddlesdown is an area of common ground running along the valley top above Purley. It is an area of mixed woodland and open field and connects to a much larger open space. The area is very popular with Dog Walkers and Ramblers and offers some very good views on clear days, also a good spot for anyone wanting to get a peak at the gliders running the ridges and thermals from nearby Kenley Aerodrome.
The main track which runs from the car park ( open days light hours only !! ), called the Riddlesdown Road Track, forms part of a Roman Road which ran all the way from London to Brighton. This track is easily navigable on foot or with a pram and has only gradual inclines along its length.
The Cache itself is fairly easily accessible, however if you do bring a pram you may struggle to reach GZ as although there are several paths which could be taken to reach it, in wet weather they can get fairly/very gloopy.
One note for Cachers over 18 … The immediate Riddlesdown area has no Inn's to slake your thirst !
The reason for this is that some time ago, both the Atwood family (the Lords of the Manor) and the Rector of the church were against drinking and added a restrictive covenant on all land in the area. At the British Library there is a letter from the rector writing to both the parishes of Sanderstead and Warlingham (which lies to the south of the village) calling the latter "sinners" as they visited the pubs.
So if applicable bring your own hip flask !
A note for those with Geo Dogs : There are a number of gated fields in and around Riddlesdown which often hold various livestock, please be aware of this and keep your dog under tight control in these areas.
The cache its self is technically a micro, however it is itself contained inside something else and this is rather larger, as such it is not too hard to spot ( once you know what your are looking for ) The basic terrain is not challenging, Its rated 1.5 just cover the fact that prams may struggle to get all the way to the cache .
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN PENCIL/PEN, also the log is a tad tricky to extricate so a “pokey tool “ may help, that said careful fingers should be fine.
I hope you have fun !
QBDM
( Aka Quentin , Brandon, Denise and Morgan )
