Back in Business!

Alcester Recreation Ground

Due to all the snow we haven't been able to get out caching, in fact it's been 11 days, this has broken our previous 'consecutive days without a find' record of 10 days, so we decided no matter what the weather we would go out and find some caches today.

GC2KMRM - Cheep Cheep 

Ponies with their winter coats

We did our first Chirp cache today. We were alerted to the new cache last night but not wanting to go back out in the cold after walking the dogs decided to leave it until we were in the area today on our way to a planned caching trip just north of Bromsgrove.

We had hoped we'd able able to detect the chirp whilst driving slowly down the road but alas it was not to be and after 3 passes we had to resort to leg power and walked back up to where we'd suspected we'd detect the chirp.  We met the COs Saza36 clearing snow off their driveway, had a brief chat during which they hinted we might actually be first which was quite surprising as we thought other more local cachers may have beaten us to it. After downloading the required information we went on our way and parked somewhat closer to GZ.  It took us a few minutes to locate the well hidden cache, there were fresh footprints in the snow so we thought we had actually been beaten to it so we were very surprised to see a blank log sheet and we were FTF.  Spent ages and ages fussing the cute ponies that had come running over to greet us.

Really enjoyed our first experience of this type of cache and we hope to set something using the same technology in the near future, it opens up all kinds of possibilities...........

RQ Series

4 mile circular walk

8 caches plus a bonus & 1 extra 

As the roads weren't too bad we decided to head over to Romsley, a village about 5 miles north of Bromsgrove to do the 'Romsley Quest' series.

Set off in the freezing cold at 11:50 .... after coffee and chocolate biscuits.  Great to be out caching again, we've really missed it, so good to be out in the fresh air.  Great views on the way to RQ 1.  On the way to RQ2 we passed through a field of horses, we made it half way across when they all came running over to us, luckily they stopped when they reached us and we fussed them and carried on through the field with them following very close behind.

Spotty Jacket

The walk takes you along a section of the Illey Way and takes you over the underground Elan Valley pipeline that carries water from Wales to the Frankley Reservoir.  

The Illey Way

After RQ4 you pass what remains of the Dowery Dell Viaduct, which was demolished in 1964.  There's also a cache to be found here but unfortunately for us it was a DNF, a previous log mentioned that the co-ords were out by about 30ft and also the hint wasn't any help and with all the snow around we didn't really hold out much hope of finding it.  A very interesting spot though.

Picturesque path between #2 and #3

 
We took Poppy & Whisper with us even though the listings warned of stiles that were not dog-friendly, but we needn't have worried, at all gates and stiles we were able to find a way of getting the dogs through without too much trouble. 

Poppy

We were instructed in the listing to work out the bonus co-ords as soon as the bonus numbers are discovered but we completely forgot as we were too busy talking, enjoying the walk etc so at one point we had to retrace our steps, well Mark offered to go back alone whilst I carried on slowly with Pegz, Poppy & Whisper.

Inquisitive Sheep

All the caches were found easily and one of them was even found by Poppy and Whisper, they ran ahead along the path and sat down right next to where the cache was hidden, it's taken a long time but they've finally got the idea  :)

Elaborate Tree Stump

 

Whisper can't get a drink

Cute Miniature Shetland

All in all an enjoyable walk which we completed in 3¼ hours.  Then back to the car for a cuppa and some more chocolate bikkies :-)

Dambostin' (All Along The Reservoir #3) 

Stopped off on our way home to do this one at Bartley Reservoir, luckily a nice easy find and a great view of the frozen reservoir.

Last of the day at Frankley - Views All Round

Views of Frankley

As soon as we pulled into the layby we recognised it from a cache we'd attempted back in 2007, Austin Seven (Drive-by) but unfortunately it had gone missing and was archived soon after, we went down to see if the plaque was still there.

Stanley Howard Edge

 Enjoyed the walk through the snow and on the way back to the car we made a snowman.

Fun in the snow

 Time to go  home now as we've run out of daylight but pleased that the nights have started to draw out again and we'll soon be able to cache well into the evening!