Join us for a walk on the wild side in the Ballaugh Curragh (reference point 1), a place of wonder and fascination, with our very knowledgeable guide John 'Dog' Callister.
Meet us in the Curraghs Wildlife Park car park at 6p.m. At 6.30p.m. we will be taken through to the rear of the park to begin our walk which will last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, ending at approximately 8:30 p.m. There is no charge for the walk but our guide, John 'Dog', makes a collection for his chosen charity. Check out his WillowMann website to find out a little more about this extraordinary place.
MIDGES
The Manx word "Curragh" means marshy ground and here this wet environment has provided a suitable habitat for a great variety of flora and fauna, from ancient willow trees to wild wallabies. Past cultivation of the land has left the remains of raised hedges which means we will be able to enjoy our walk without getting bogged down - as long as we stay on the paths! It can be muddy in places though so please wear suitable footwear such as good walking boots, and long trousers and sleeves, and midge repellent, are recommended due to the close proximity of scratchy vegetation and the abundance of midges which usually abound in wet areas on summer evenings.
GEOCACHES
As you might expect, advantage has been taken of this weird and wonderful environment as an excellent hiding place for a couple of geocaches. One of them, The Key to Middle Earth, GC1312J, is a regular cache. But it also contains a "key" to the whereabouts of a geocache in Shropshire. Normally, the information would have to be exchanged with finders of "Doorway to Middle Earth the Key", GC130WW, in Shropshire in order to find the cache hidden here on the Isle of Man. However, tonight, finders of the "key" will be able to exchange the information directly with the COs to give them a chance of finding the mystery cache "Middle Earth" GC1312K without having to wait for a response from Shropshire.
Please note that the Wildlife Park closes to the public at 6pm, so if you wish to visit whilst in the area, you will need to do that before the event. Sorry, dogs aren't allowed in the park.
Buses from Douglas via Peel and from Ramsey stop at the park, please see the timetable for details.
DOGS
Although there is no formal restriction on dogs in the Curraghs, their presence may mean that the wallabies and other wildlife would be more likely to take cover and we would be less likely to spot them. Also, the terrain could prove dangerous should a dog venture away from the path. We will therefore erect a gazebo for shade and provide water and treats in the car park so that we can look after your dogs there for the duration of the walk.
There are 9 events during the week and all the details can be found here.
Also go to manxcachefest.com for details of travel and accommodation and lots of information about the Isle of Man and the week's events.
If you have any questions about the ManxCacheFest or any of the events then contact us via our web page.
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