The Haystackl
Park at N55 46.965 W5 05.702 , and follow the clear path down to Scalpsie Bay.
The cache is an army surplus fuse canister, hidden at the base of the unique and problematic landform known locally as “The Haystack”.
At the end of the last Ice Age, around 10,000 years ago, as the glaciers melted all of Scotland was freed from the weight of millions of tons of glacial ice. Although the sea level rose as a result of the release of vast amounts of meltwater, the effect of the removal of all these millions of tons of ice was that the ground itself rose even higher. Throughout Scotland, “raised beaches” bear witness to this amazing geological phenomenon.
The Haystack sits on a raised beach, and prior to the last ice age, was probably a sea-stack, sitting isolated from the cliffs behind. The composition of the Haystack is different from the cliffs, so the explanation of its origin is still subject to some conjecture.
As you log your find, watch out for buzzards and listen for the raucous “prrruck-prrruck-prrruck” of Ravens overhead.
