Introduction
This cache is located in the
Frances Hildreth Townes Forest, 543 acres of conservation land
owned by the New England Forestry
Foundation.
The parcel includes a stretch of the South Branch of the
Piscataquog River, and two local curiosities: Frog Rock, 10 feet
high — giving its name to Frog Rock Road, an abandoned county road
which runs through the property, and the nearby 6-foot-high
Teetering Rock, which can be rocked by hand. These glacial
erratics stand on exposed bedrock in an area affected by
post-World War II forest fires.
The coordinates for Frog Rock are listed below. I've not found
Teetering Rock, if you do, please write me and let me know where it
is!
Northwest of these unusual stones and across the old town road
lies an enormous barn foundation belonging to the old Read Brothers
place. This family owned much of the land in the area and was
active in farming and logging. My family and I were stunned to find
this set of ruins. They are big, real big. Please take some time to
explore them but treat them gently.
This cache is a letterbox hybrid. If you go to the list
coordinates you'll find the cache, but why not have a bit of an
adventure, put away your GPS, and try it find with written
directions, a compass, and a sense of adventure.
Parking Instructions
The designated parking lot is on the 2nd NH Turnpike about a
mile south of the intersection of Lyndeborough Road. From the
intersection, travel south for about a mile until you come to Frog
Rock Road on your left, which is of course unmarked! This road is
just past Hopkins Road on your right. Look closely for Frog Rock
Road since it is somewhat overgrown and on a sharp curve of the
Turnpike. There is parking for only 1 car on Frog Rock Road, or 2
or 3 if you know each other, but just south of that there is an
unpaved wide spot which will easily hold 3 cars.
Please do not block any snow plows, nor should you park on the
other 2 turn-offs on 2nd NH Turnpike. All of the land between the
forest and the roads is still privately held. Please treat it with
the utmost respect.
Letterbox Instructions
After you park, walk down Frog Rock Road. You'll see an old
stone wall along your left and right. This is a 3-rod road, later
roads were 4 rods wide. When you cross onto NEFF land you'll see
their sign on a tree on the right and you should be able to pick
out their red paint blazes on the trees to your left and right.
The road will gently rise and you'll come to a clearly which in
the past has sadly been used by local teens for parties. If there
is any trash, please carry out what you can. There is a path off to
the right which leads directly to Frog Rock.
Continue down Frog Rock Road until you come to the Read farm.
You'll see a covered well on your left with the bulk of the ruins
behind it. You can lift the cover and see water below. This is
where your adventure starts! Cross the road and you'll see a
smaller foundation. (There is a covered well at this site. It has a
carved stone cover. This well is filled in with rocks.)
Continue past this foundation and bushwhack until you come to a low
stone wall. Turn right and follow the wall until it makes a right
turn. Stop here and pull out your compass. Be careful, the terrain
gets a bit rougher from here on.
Set a course of 53 degrees magnetic and walk for about 150 feet
until you find a stand of 15 to 20 red maples. The cache is located
very close to these maples.
Geocache Instructions
Go to the listed coordinates and find the cache. Now don't
you wish you followed the letterbox instructions? Go back and read
them, they aren't that difficult and they point out all sorts of
interesting sights along the way.
Letterboxes don't trade McToys, they hand carved stamps and
place them in the cache. I've hand carved a stamp. This is not a
trade item!
NEFF is grateful to all the wonderful volunteers throughout New
England who placed these caches and made the 2006 Summer
Geo-Challenge possible. Thank you "Not The Painter" for placing and
care taking this cache in our Frances-Hildreth Townes Forest!!!
NEFF's 2007 Geocache Challenge kicks off on June 16th!!! We've
expanded to include 20 caches at 20 forests. See http://www.newenglandforestry.org/forestry/geochallenge.shtm
for details