Dartmoor Tales - Coffin Wood Traditional Geocache
Dartmoor Tales - Coffin Wood
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache has been put out for Halloween.
Updated 10/6/10 the cache now has room to take TB's
The Lych path, or the way of the dead is a track dating from medieval times where the folk from the central moor would carry their dead for burial at Lydford church.
Up until Coffin Wood the majority of the journey to Lydford would have involved crossing exposed, open moorland and therefore it would have been difficult to carry a corpse in a wooden coffin. So, it is thought that the body would be carried wrapped in a shroud and when the funeral party reached Coffin Wood they would transfer the deceased into a coffin, hence the name. No doubt the shelter of the trees also made an ideal spot for people to have a rest and possibly some refreshments after their long arduous moorland trek. The remainder of the route led across ground that was a lot easier to traverse with a heavy load such as a body in a coffin.
Perhaps the dead didn’t like the journey as some nights a flickering ball of light can be seen in the trees………
Parking at Baggator Gate. The path is marked from there. It's not a long walk but you will need walking shoes or wellingtons. After you walk down a steep hill on a concrete road there's a sign marked river path off to the left, take this and when you've crossed a field or two and can see trees lining the wall in front of you, veer off to the right. This is the pathway you need to follow down towards the river. The wood begins after the stone wall. Face the wood with the water behind you and you will see the beautiful big tree as in the photo, then go up and to the right, look for a large granite stone next to a tree and you should find it easily.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng gur onfr bs n ynetr gerr