Having  thoroughly explored the gardens and grounds of Chatsworth estate it was time to think about making tracks. The problem being I wanted a cache find for the day. I was fast approaching 100 days on a streak. (Finding a cache every day for 100 days. To think I was completely normal until I started geocaching…😉)

Toying with the idea of a cache and dash on the way home I noticed that there are a few caches dotted around just outside the Chatsworth estate. A small series set in nearby woodland fitted the bill and we could grab the first in the series before heading off.

We were already on a bit of a geocaching downer. The previous day having completed the Alphabet soup trail. A popular and treasured trail with lots of favourite points. 

I could however summarise the series in one word, and sadly that’s maintenance! 

Having navigated ourselves to the edge of Stand Wood at the rear of the estate, caching for the day wasn’t looking too promising once again.  The first cache of the trail hidden in a busy location, we were looking for something rock based in an area covered in leaf litter. Coordinates were also troublesome.

It took only a few minutes for me to stroppily call time on the situation.

The dilemma of what to do. 

Try a potential cache and dash on the way back to the tent? 

Continue with the trail and hope that it gets better from here? The path does look rather steep….. 

However to get to nearly 100 days and blow it – not an option. 

Up we go then…

Thankfully we have better luck at number two. Turns out it’s a really nice wood, with stepping stones over trickling streams and some fab trees to explore. It’s also completely deserted. Lovely! 

A quick find saves the day and my mood.

  

Having made a considerable climb up a rather steep hill it’s now time to either head back down or press on with the remainder of the trail – which just so happens to be up a mountainous set of steps.

  

You only live once right?!

Up we go!

The steps are old, incredibly steep and quite slippery too. It makes for a fun walk, much better than a cache and dash!

  

The caches all fairly easy to find despite some very iffy coordinates in places, the hides all standard and in a nice location to boot. All is good in the world once more.

With one cache remaining and time now getting on, we are starting to flag and keen to get going. Wearily we trudge the path. We really are at some height now but being in woodland can’t comprehend quite how high. I plough on ahead with the GPSr trying to set a decent pace whilst Mr Muddy lags behind with the children who are being easily distracted climbing on trees and picking up pine cones. Like we need more pine cones! 😉

The path suddenly twists and the trees clear and in that moment it actually feels like I am standing on the top of the world. 

  

Yesterday I mentioned how we scaled the steep grounds within the Chatsworth, this is a whole other hill on top of that one! 

The view incredible. 

The type of view you photo endlessly just trying to capture the minutest fraction of what you see. 

Also as it happens a view which on first sight actually makes you shout out ‘WOAH!’ – Well it does me anyway!

The team came running. The children being typical children aren’t usually that fazed by a cracking view, but even they stopped to declare the awesomeness…and I like the dutiful mother hen scooped them back on the path just a tiny bit.

 
We now stood at Sowter Stone, this trickles water down the sheer rock face below us. This waterfall feeding a stunning aqueduct built for no other reason than the fact it looks pretty cool. 

The aqueduct breaking sharply away allowing the water to trickle down in another waterfall. My GPSr suggesting this is where the cache is hidden.

With the current track record of the children being far from nimble footed, we make our way carefully down, the path criss-crossing the side of the hill. 

  

The cache located and the log signed as we got splashed by cascading water. 

All whilst I’m still grinning away at the amazing place we have found. 

The amazing place we absolutely would never have found if I didn’t have an ever so slight geocaching problem.

I’m also rather glad we gave up with the first one.

We follow the path of water back down the hill.  To our amusement we reach the bottom of the hill to find the gate to the footpath closed. 

The estate shut up for the day. Stuck in the woods. Oops!

Jump the wall it is then! 

Once over, we sensibly try the gate…yep unlocked! 😊

Needless to say the final of the series got a favourite point and another of my gushy logs. 

I’m not afraid to share a little geocaching love!