Go to stage 1 at co-ords shown in listing (You will probably start from the car park (co-ords provided in listing). Find the answer to the question, then move on to the next and so on. Eventually you will rewarded with a gigantic cache (biggest I’ve seen anyway). It was awarded as the main prize at the November 2011 EMCACHE event.
At start the cache was filled with all sorts of quite useful goodies, take just one item to give others a chance (put something in at least, but not necessarily valuable or even useful!). Once the initial load is depleted, I am open to suggestions for a theme of what to put in the big box.
(MOBILITY NOTE: up to stage 8 there are no stiles to cross. If the two stiles and two foot bridges at stage 8 to the end present a problem go straight to N52 52.131 W1 21.273 after stage 7, this will bring you to the top end of a stile free route to the cache. There is however often long vegetation on either path leading to the final location. For the final moves you will need to stoop quite low and kneel down to open cache.)
Suggestion: print off this page and fill in numbers wherever you see three full stops ‘…’ Suggestion: use of a GPS which allows easy direct entry of co-ords if you have one will make solving this easier.
Recommended start is car park N52 52.184 W1 20.389 (002) N 52°52.184 W 001°20.389
Stage 1) - Given as the location in the cache listing. N52 52.198 W1 19.975 Bridge over ditch Q) How many large pipes convey water for the ditch under the foot path at this point Answer ‘a’ = …
[In severe flood conditions the pipes are hidden]
Stage 2) N52 52.2(a=…)9 W1 19.741 View of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station (2,000 MW) cooling towers.
Q) How many cooling towers are there. (not including the tall chimney) Answer ‘b’ = …
[The towers may be difficult to see due to the trees having grown up.]
Stage 3) N52 52.2(b/4=…)1 W1 20.377
Q) What is the number designating this bridge. Answer ‘c’ = …
Q) What is the phone number for the ‘secretary’ – the number may be useful later. Answer ‘d’ = ’01 … … … … … … … … …’
Stage 4) N52 52.(c=…)05 W1 20.446 Q) Look across to brick building on the other side of the canal how many semi-circular windows are there on the waterfront side of the building facing you. Answer ‘e’ = …
Stage 5) N52 52.151 W1 20.52(e=…) Q) how many miles from here to P****o* *r*o* Answer ‘f’ = … …
Stage 6) N52 52.143 W1 21. (numbers in 'f' added together=… …) 8
Q) How many great big onions do you see on the building from here. Answer ‘g’ = …
Stage 7) N52 52.169 W1 21. (g=…)71 CAREFULLY CROSS OVER THE MAIN ROAD Approaching this waypoint. At turn onto A**** **** old barn on other side of main road and pub opposite.
Q) How many vertical ventilation slots are there on the road facing wall of old brick barn on the other side of the main road. Answer ‘h’ = … …
Q) How many clay chimney pots are visible on the Pub opposite from the point where you are standing. Answer ‘i’ = …
Now subtract ‘2’ from the answer for the barn, then divide that by the answer for the pub to get the answer ‘j’. Answer ‘j’ = …
Stage 8) N52 52.1(h=… …) W1 21. (i=…)(j=…) 1 You now need to go off the pavement over a stile here. Then across a foot bridge. Immediately after that, turn left over another stile. You are now beginning your final approach run towards the cache! Just one more foot bridge to cross and you will be there.
FinalStage You will need some of you previous answers now to locate the exact position of the cache. N52 52.0 (c=… + g=… ) 1 W001 21.(e/2=…) 0 (third from last digit of d=…)
{note the symbol '/' means 'divided by'}
Writing it out more simply: N52 52.0 … 1 W001 21. … 0 …
This should lead you to be standing by some large trees that have partly fallen over. From there your search in the immediate vicinity can begin.
As a check if you add up all the digits in the coordinates the answer should come to: 35
When you have found the cache do not disturb all the coverings and vegetation any more than necessary, this will allow the cache to be naturally concealed, especially in the winter when cover is not as good. Good luck