GCVNZZ The Olympian Trail (Multi-cache) in West Midlands, United Kingdom created by Rosie's Rangers

This cache has been archived.

Rosie's Rangers: Cache moved and replaced with an ammo box, archiving this one to be replaced with a [url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c71df2e9-a67c-4989-a799-ff9857e1ecbb]new cache[/url] page.

[This entry was edited by Rosie's Rangers on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 3:17:17 AM.]

GCVNZZ ▼

A cache by Rosie's Rangers Message this owner

Hidden : 4/27/2006

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This is a nine stage multi-cache around Much Wenlock (see the waypoints below for the co-ordinates). It should take just under 1 hour to complete. The above co-ordinates are for the 1st stage, NOT the cache.

The cache is a black 1 litre sandwich box, please re-hide it carefully and watch out for dog walking muggles. There is no need to climb fences or scale cliff faces to find the cache.

Forget Athens as the home of the Olympic Games, because Much Wenlock can claim an almost direct link with the modern Olympics. For it was here, in sleepy little Much Wenlock that the modern Olympic Games found their inspirations.

Dr William Penny Brookes, a local doctor and GP, born here in 1809, campaigned internationally (and eventually, successfully) for the revival of the ancient Greek Games. His aim was “To promote the Moral and Physical Benefits of Exercise”, more accurately he wanted to improve the lives of working men by providing an alternative to one of their favourite pastimes: drinking. We are relieved to report Shropshire’s many delightful pubs seem to have survived his attentions.

In 1850 he launched his Wenlock Olympian classes and encouraged outdoor recreation by awarding annually to the locals, prizes for skill in athletic exercise. The Shropshire Olympian’s Games were founded in 1861 and they included a range of athletic and country events including cricket, jumping, quoits, a three mile Penny-farthing bicycle race and a wheelbarrow race. ‘Putting the stone’ is the oldest traditional event, still maintained. It’s a contest between the two local quarries. Children were not left out and their events included, history, reading, spelling and …knitting!

Sadly, Dr Brookes died, aged 87, just four months before the first international Olympic Games were held in April 1896.

Although the Game’s venue is now decided by international committee rather than by the parish council, they still hold their own Olympics here every July.

There is a 2.1Km Olympian Trail around this sedate and peaceful town marked out using bronze plaques. This multi-cache will take you around most of this trail. It is recommended that if you have the time, then visit the Tourist Information Office in the town centre and obtain a free copy of The Olympian Trail, which gives you a map and more information on the interesting facts.

Free parking can be found in numerous places just outside the town centre, although the recommended parking (Stage 1) is either in the Wenlock Priory car park (free if paying to visit Wenlock Priory, and highly recommended while in the area), or park on the roadside just a bit further towards the town centre. There is a cheap Pay and Display car park available in the town centre if free parking is unavailable.

Tree cover may affect your signal at the cache site, so a spoiler is provided below. There are Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympian certificates for the first 3 finders, plus lots of other goodies.

Thank you for taking the time to look around Much Wenlock, we hope you enjoy the cache as much as we did placing it.

Repeated Additional Waypoints for paperless cachers.

Stage 1 - N52° 35.852, W002° 33.378
Read the information board, "the Abbey of St. Milburga, originally founded before ??? AD for nuns and monks". The 2nd number = D

Stage 2 - N52° 35.780, W002° 33.400
You are looking for the bronze trail marker near Dr William Penny Brookes grave. The marker measures ???? metres. Add the last 3 numbers together = C

Stage 3 - N52° 35.775, W002° 33.442
Another bronze trail marker near the home of Dr Brookes, ??? metres. 1st number minus the 2nd number = E
(From here look across the road and to your right, you will see a large black and white building. This is the Guildhall and an old medieval jail. Look carefully at the vertical beams and you should see a whipping post which makes a great photo opportunity! Opposite the Guildhall is the Tourist Information Office, don’t forget to pick up the map).

Stage 4 - N52° 35.699, W002° 33.563
Read the plaque about the "lost and naked beggars" and find the year that Charles I stayed here. Add the last 2 numbers = A (From here head back and turn left into Back Lane and head towards The Bull Ring, no not the one in Birmingham!)

Stage 5 - N52° 35.838, W002° 33.461
The telephone number is 01952 ?????? The last number minus 4 = B
(This was the subject of the BBC's Time Team's first archaeological excavation).

Stage 6 - N52° 35.896, W002° 33.520
On the information board, what year is on The Much Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway Seal? The 3rd number minus 4 = F

Stage 7 - N52° 35.978, W002° 33.400
Read the information board to find out how many Lime trees Dr Brookes planted. The last number + 1 = G

Stage 8 - N52° 36.260, W002° 33.344
The telephone number on the information board is 01952 ??????. Add the last 2 numbers together = H

By now you should have all the information to work out where the cache is. You should find it at

N52° 3A.BCD

W002° 3E.FGH

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

va n ubyr, oruvaq fgbarf ng obggbz evtug bs fznyy pyvss

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)