CC9 Cefn y Brithdir (RVR9)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This ninth cache of the “Caerphilly Collection” involves a minimum walk of about a mile on good tracks. Two virtual caches lead you along this ridge, with impressive views, to the final regular cache in a small rectangular plastic box. Approaching from the north, it is possible to drive to the first virtual cache. The road comes to an abrupt end just beyond this point and walking is then advised. The trail will take you along part of the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Footpath.
The Caerphilly Collection is distinguished with a unique CC number and is made up of 50 caches. The caches vary in difficulty and type and usually have other “C” word connections – castle, cheese, coal, canal, etc. There may even be Cryptic Clues for Clever Clogs! The current Caerphilly unitary authority grew out of the former Rhymney Valley and Islwyn Councils and stretches from the outskirts of Cardiff and Newport in the south to the Brecon Beacons, north of Rhymney. Despite a past dominated by coal and heavy industry, it has a diverse history and varied and dramatic scenery. We hope you will enjoy exploring it with us.
Towards the end of the Collection is CC48 The Accumulator, the location of which is given in coded form. The translation details of the code are distributed around the whole Collection, but only about a third of the caches will contain a piece of the code, which is on the back of the Log Book. To do the Accumulator, you will need to keep a note of each piece of code that you find. Unless you are very lucky, you will need to find the majority of the Collection in order to do the Accumulator. The Accumulator cache is hidden in an area of difficult terrain and demanding navigation, with a 5, 4½ rating.
CC9 is also the ninth of a subset of the main series around the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway (RVR) Footpath.
In this case, CC stands for other things associated with the cache – but it would give the game away to write them here, so they are in the encrypted hint. No! Don’t be tempted – wait until you have finished the cache to look.
In the following, VC stands for Virtual Cache and RC for Regular Cache.
VC1 is at the coordinates given above for the cache and has been given the name of a town which is about 15 miles away. In view of the nature of the installation here, it is a bit worrying that the owners don’t seem to know where it is! To find VC2, convert the name of this distant town into a set of numbers, using the corresponding digits on the keys of a mobile phone (e.g. A, B or C become 2).
VC2 is at N51 4W.XY1 W003 1Y.XZ3, where:
W = the first number of the set derived at VC1
X = the sum of the second and fourth numbers
Y = the second number less the third number
Z = the sum of the first and sixth numbers
The original stone, which is now in the National Museum of Wales, is 6’-8” high x 3’-3” wide x 3” thick and bears a Latin inscription. The precise translation is not agreed by all who have examined the stone, but one version is “Teyrnoc, son of Marius, lies here.” To find RC3, convert the name by which the inscribed stone is known to a set of numbers, using the keys of a mobile phone, as before.
RC3 is at N51 4P.QR4 W003 1S.RT5, where:
P = the seventh number of the set derived at VC2
Q = the first number
R = the sum of the fifth and eighth numbers
S = the third number
T = the second number less the fourth number
In keeping with our intention to encourage exploration of the RVR Footpath, we would recommend starting from Parc Cwm Darren (N51 43.359 W003 17.073) and heading initially north-east to gain the ridge. You will need a good map and should be prepared for a walk of 4-6 miles, with total ascent of 600-800 feet. The difficulty and terrain ratings would go up by one or two, too! However you get onto the ridge, enjoy the views of the Rhymney and Darran valleys and the views north to the Brecon Beacons. From the highest point on the ridge, the distinctive conical peak of the Sugar Loaf can be seen peeping over the eastern skyline. Cefn y Brithdir is popular with hang- and para-gliders, so you might be lucky to catch a display.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fb PP zvtug fgnaq sbe phevbhf purng! Be, zber urycshyyl, pbpxcvg pbzzhavpngbe, pbapergr pbcl naq pebff prager. Pnpur orgjrra Naa naq jnyy.