This is quite a challenging walk, and parts of the route can be muddy in the winter, but we hope you'll agree that the spectacular scenery is worth the effort. There's plenty to explore en route including a tiny 12th century chapel, the remains of a World War II radar research station, and disused stone quarries and ledges at Winspit and Seacombe.
Parking is available at the Worth car park which costs £2 via a donations box. The cache has been designed to give a 6 mile circular walk from here.
Refreshments are available before or after the walk at the Square & Compass or the Worth Matravers Tea Room.
To find the coordinates of the cache you need to visit the following locations (in order) and collect some numbers at each. Stage 3 is before Stage 4 by design to save you a steep climb!
Stage 1: Stone Seat
N 50° 35.801 W 002° 02.303
What year is engraved on the stone seat? Answer = 200a
Stage 2: Finger Post
N 50° 35.871 W 002° 03.065
Follow the finger post to St Aldhelm's. How many miles is it? Answer = 11/b
Stage 3: St Aldhelm's Chapel
N 50° 34.784 W 002° 03.412
How many stained glass windows (windows, not panes!) does the chapel have? Answer = c
More about the chapel here.
Stage 4: Stone Bench
N 50° 34.880 W 002° 03.543
We couldn't resist adding this diversion off the circular route to show you the spectacular view!
In what year was Dennis born? Answer = 19d2
Stage 5: Steps
N 50° 34.726 W 002° 03.299
These steps lead to the remains of the radar research station.
Go down the steps. How many are there? Answer = e9 (Note that it's the first digit that's required, not the second!)
More about the radar development at Worth here.
Stage 6: Memorial Stone
N 50° 35.044 W 002° 02.047
In what year was Alastair born? Answer = 191f
April 2023: Winspit Quarry is currently closed due to the danger of cave collapse but the memorial stone is still accessible.
Stage 7: Stone Waymarker
N 50° 35.496 W 002° 01.460
How many letters are in the first word on the stone waymarker? Answer = g
Stage 8: Allan Williams Turret
N 50° 35.401 W 002° 01.322
This unusual World War II pillbox has small spy holes (2" slots) just above ground level. How many are there? (Check carefully!)
Answer = h
More about the Allan Williams Turret here.
Using the numbers collected the cache is at N 50° 35. (e-d ) (a+f) (b+c) W 002° 01. (f-g) (b+f) (e+h).
The checksum of all the digits in the final coordinates is 50.
The cache is a 4½ litre lock & lock box and was last restocked on 15 November 2023. All our trade items are new and cost at least £1 each. To reward you for the extra effort required to do this cache we'd like you to take something from the cache with our compliments (no swop required). We'd appreciate it if you could mention what you take in your online log.
It might be best not to leave trackable items in this cache as it doesn't get many visitors!
After replacing the cache retrace your steps to Stage 7 and follow the footpath signs back to Worth via Seacombe Bottom. When you reach the stone stile at the top of the hill the official path crosses the valley but you can take the much easier permissive path along the wall leading to a kissing gate at the corner of the field near the Square & Compass.
This cache has been placed with the kind permission of the National Trust.
