The Black Hole of Loudwater Multi-cache
oldragbag: This cache has now been replaced by The Black Hole of Lodwater 2 in a different location.
The Black Hole of Loudwater
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is number two of a series of caches of “black holes”. It is a regular cache located adjacent to a public footpath not far from the “black hole”. It is not push-chair friendly.
The initial co-ords given are for the free, Queensmead Road car park in the village, the suggested starting point.To obtain the co-ords for the final cache, you must first have a wander around a small part of the village obtaining details, and then the usual substitution of letters for numbers etc. Not exactly rocket science is it?At the edge of the car park, look for a green and white sign. To contact Wycombe Services Team you would ring 01494 4A141LContinue towards the Post Office (Forbuoys) – at the war memorial –James and John – were they brothers? The number of letters in their surname = BThe nearby public telephone has the number 01494 520C06Continue towards the church, and shortly after passing a cottage with a triangular connection, bear left and cross the River Wye.When did the bye-laws become operational? 12/8/199DBeware of what? – The number of letters in the potential danger (both words) = EBear right and eventually cross the road and make for the Happy Union. You have several chances to spot a date associated with the brewers – 17F2 Opposite, the Bishop of Oxford laid it in 19G3 – I bet that was painful!!Continue uphill until you are opposite the nearest two-tone brown building to where the M40 goes over. This building is on site of the former Loudwater Station and on your right is the old trackbed, now a footpath, maintained by “X X Parish Council”. The number of the letters in the councils name is H and K.It is hard to imagine from where you are now standing how things looked 35 odd years ago. Two old photographs of Loudwater Station are below. The black and white shot depicts a High Wycombe to Bourne End single coach train arriving at Loudwater on 25th April 1970, two weeks before passenger services were withdrawn and the line closed. The road over the crossing appears considerably narrower than it is today!The colour photo was taken in September 1965 photo when steam locos were fast becoming a thing of the past. A coal train passes a High Wycombe bound diesel railcar. The passing loop was removed in late 1966.Now, unless you’re feeling perky and energetic, you need to return to your vehicle and make your way to the cemetery on Altona Road. The co-ords for this point are N51° 36.614 W000° 41.632. If you haven’t got a map with you, leave the car park you’re in, and turn left by the post office. At the mini roundabout turn right and almost immediately left up Derehams Lane. Continue uphill under the railway bridge then bear right into Altona Road. At the end bear left and park outside the cemetery. You now have a micro cache to look for containing the final co-ords (which need decoding from the numbers you have collected). This micro is located at N51° CB.LKG W000° FD.FLE. Again, unless you have a map with you and not everybody does, you will probably need the following directions to this point. This is because it is not direct; the direct route takes you over private land.From the cemetery head in a roughly NE direction along unmade road passing Derehams Farm Bungalow en route, until you reach the end by three metal gates. Here fork right along a bridleway, drop gently downhill and shortly fork right again, then bear right through the vehicle graveyard and continue to a stile. Cross the field ahead in a SSW direction to the trees opposite which need to finish up on your left hand side. From here your GPS will direct you to the micro and then your ultimate goal.Please take great care as you make your final approach to the cache, a steep downhill path with a hazard at the bottom!If you parked by the cemetery you will need to retrace your steps. If you left your car in the car park in the village, you can continue along the public footpath in a southerly direction and you will eventually get back to the A40, and will then need to walk along the road.Clue for the micro cache: wedged in the nearest tree on your left as you look at the stile
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zvpeb: jrqtrq va gur arnerfg gerr ba lbhe yrsg nf lbh ybbx ng gur fgvyr
Znva: Uvqqra va terra ont ba gur sne fvqr bs gur arnerfg gerr gb gur fgvyr