Dan Q found GCADXC6 Tour de France

This checkin to GCADXC6 Tour de France reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

My very first “ski-o-cache” was 9 years ago, down in La Tania: this was my second! Found the host easily at the coordinates and found the cache in the third hiding place I tried. It’s quite stiff and hard to extract right now! Needed to wait to return it while some other skiers took pictures of one another at the GZ, but got there in the end. Salutations d’Oxford, en Angleterre. MPLC!

Dan, in a wintery mountainous landscape, poses for a selfie by a sculpture of a bicycle marking part of the route of the Tour de France.

Dan, in a wintery mountainous landscape, poses for a selfie by a sculpture of a bicycle marking part of the route of the Tour de France. ×

Geohashing expedition 2024-02-10 51 -1

This checkin to geohash 2024-02-10 51 -1 reflects a geohashing expedition. See more of Dan's hash logs.

Location

Field between Cumnor and Appleton, West Oxfordshire

Participants

Plans

I haven’t hashed for long enough that my home graticule got marked as inactive. I’ve got a little free time this morning, so let’s fix that!

Expedition

It took two attempts to reach this hashpoint.

The first attempt saw me set off around 09:40, with a plan to drive over the world’s stupidest toll bridge (paying 5p for the privilege), park up in Cumnor somewhere, then work down the Cumnor-Appleton footpath before dipping into the fields (which are likely to be fallow this time of year) to claim the hashpoint. I suggested to take the dog, and the 7-year-old child asked if he could join me too, so the three of us with our eight legs set off.

This winter’s seen heavy rain around these parts, and the stream that runs alongside the footpath had broken its banks and flooded the fields. The water had receded, but the ground remained extremely boggy. That kind of thick, wellie-sucking mud that means that if you stop walking for more than a couple of seconds, you might as well give up and say you live there now because your boot is never coming back.

The kid found the going especially-tough, especially after a particularly-deep puddle splashed over the edge of his wellies, and asked to turn back. The dog was finding it a bit challenging too! So we doubled-back and found a geocache a little way off the path. We’ve generally been disappointed by Cumnor’s geocaches and especially this series, finding them to be ill-maintained or completely absent, but it looks like the cache owner has been working on repairing and replacing them towards the tail end of last year and this one was soon found. I drove the dog and child home (back across the toll bridge), then came back out myself (paying the fivepence toll a third time). So began the second attempt:

Unburdened by short-legged dogs and damp-footed kids, I made better progress. At points, the path was completely flooded-out, but this gave me an excuse to walk along the “tramlines” of the cultivator that must’ve been working in the field last year, which put me on a better course to reach the hashpoint. By 11:06 I was well within the circle of uncertainty and declared the mission a success.

Then I plodged back through the mud, changed my footwear, and drove over the toll bridge a fourth time. The attendant, clearly sick of seeing me driving back and forth, took pity on me and let me off without paying yet another 5p piece, so that was nice.

Tracklog

Map showing a route from Sutton, Stanton Harcourt, over the Swinford Toll Bridge, South into Cumnor, and then out into some fields South of that.Download tracklog.

Photos

A waterlogged path alongside a field.
This “path” seems to be a stream.
Green Wellington boots in deep sticky mud.
Muddy boots
GPSr, held up in a fallow field, reading 209m from destination.
200 metres to go.
GPSr showing 0 metres to destination. A reflection of Dan's face can be seen in its screen.
Zero point!
Dan, smiling, holding up his GPSr, in a field.
Silly grin
A field with furrows and wispy clouds above.
View North from the hashpoint.
An electricity pylon stands along in a green/brown field.
View East from the hashpoint.
A field with furrows with a tree line in the distance.
View South from the hashpoint.
The edge of a field, becoming increasingly waterlogged into the distance.
View West from the hashpoint.
A waterlogged path alongside a field.× Green Wellington boots in deep sticky mud.× GPSr, held up in a fallow field, reading 209m from destination.× GPSr showing 0 metres to destination. A reflection of Dan's face can be seen in its screen.× Dan, smiling, holding up his GPSr, in a field.× A field with furrows and wispy clouds above.× An electricity pylon stands along in a green/brown field.× A field with furrows with a tree line in the distance.× The edge of a field, becoming increasingly waterlogged into the distance.× Map showing a route from Sutton, Stanton Harcourt, over the Swinford Toll Bridge, South into Cumnor, and then out into some fields South of that.×

Dan Q found GC82XT0 Cumnor Minions – Dr Nefario

This checkin to GC82XT0 Cumnor Minions - Dr Nefario reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Found after trying a few different hosts while out on an expedition to try and reach the 2024-02-10 51 -1 geohashpoint with the 7-year-old and the dog. The path to the hashpoint is really waterlogged and the little man said his wellies were leaking so we doubled back and retrieved this cache. Extracting the log was a bit of a challenge owing to tune container shape but we managed in the end. TFTC.

Dan, in a grey jumper, stand beside a 7-year-old boy wearing a camo jacket, in a lightly wooded area.

Dan, in a grey jumper, stand beside a 7-year-old boy wearing a camo jacket, in a lightly wooded area.×

Dan Q found GC8X86T Crawley to Minster Loop – #5 Mirach

This checkin to GC8X86T Crawley to Minster Loop - #5 Mirach reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

A second find this morning for the boy, the geopup and I this morning. The hound was no use; she had her nose right up against the cache at one point and gave no indication whatsoever. I’m beginning to think she doesn’t understand geocaching at all! Signed “DQ” to save space. TFTC.

A French Bulldog stands on an ivy-covered muddy wooden footbridge, panting at the camera.

A French Bulldog stands on an ivy-covered muddy wooden footbridge, panting at the camera.×

Dan Q found GC8X86E Crawley to Minster Loop – #4 Gacrux

This checkin to GC8X86E Crawley to Minster Loop - #4 Gacrux reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Out for a dog walk with the younger child (and the dog, of course!). We’ve come to the nearby ruins many times before but never taken the time to do some caching here, until today. Needed the hint to guide us to the right host, after which it was an easy find, although the 7 y/o‘s little fingers had to work hard to extract the cache container from its (temporary?) hiding place! Log damp, but was able to sign “DQ”. TFTC.

Dan, wearing a grey hoodie, stands in a meadow alongside a boy who's throwing "devil horns" hand signs.

Dan, wearing a grey hoodie, stands in a meadow alongside a boy who's throwing "devil horns" hand signs.×

Dan Q temporarily disabled GC9EXXX Church Micro 14129…Sutton

This checkin to GC9EXXX Church Micro 14129...Sutton reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Cache removed and temporarily disabled. The council have just started installing new signage to advise of a new 20mph speed limit around here. 🎉

When they recently did the same in a nearby village, they removed a cache of this type as a (presumably accidental) side effect. I don’t know if this cache’s host is among those that’ll be affected but I suspect it will so I’ve temporarily removed this one as a precaution and I’ll reinstate it after the works are complete.

A 20mph "repeater" speed limit sign around the corner from the cache location.

A 20mph "repeater" speed limit sign around the corner from the cache location.×

Dan Q found GC2WTGE 8~ NUDDSY MEGA RAMBLE

This checkin to GC2WTGE 8~ NUDDSY MEGA RAMBLE reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

A challenging and courageous scramble by the eldest (who turned 10 yesterday!) and I (who turned 43 today!) up the slippery wet leaves to reach the GZ. I stopped to double check the proximity and meanwhile the little one found it! Thanks for the enjoyable birthday scramble, and TFTC!

Dan smiles alongside a 10-year-old girl who's holding a geocache container.

Dan smiles alongside a 10-year-old girl who's holding a geocache container.×

Dan Q did not find GC2WTGN 9~NUDDSY MEGA RAMBLE

This checkin to GC2WTGN 9~NUDDSY MEGA RAMBLE reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

An extended search by three adults, two children, and a dog failed to find this cache. We found what we think might have once been its camouflage near the obvious hiding place at the GZ, but nothing else.

Dan Q found GC5TF25 Mystic Abbey

This checkin to GC5TF25 Mystic Abbey reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Out for a walk on my 43rd birthday, left the kids playing with their other parents in the (beautiful) ruins of the abbey or I hacked my way around to the GZ. Started searching at my evaluation of the target point and spiralled outwards, eventually finding the cache about 10m away (downhill and further from the abbey) after interpreting the hint. Good sized container in a great location, TFTC and greetings from Oxfordshire!

Dan, with his thumb up, in front of the ruin of an abbey.

Dan, with his thumb up, in front of the ruin of an abbey.×

Dan Q found GC2HDCZ Tom Burts Cache 4

This checkin to GC2HDCZ Tom Burts Cache 4 reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Found while walking into High Wycombe to work after dropping my canine caching-companion (pictured) off at the nearby veterinary hospital for an operation. Didn’t need her help with this easy find, luckily! Shame about all the fly tipping littering this otherwise pleasant path. Greetings from Oxfordshire!

A champagne-coloured French Bulldog snuggles up against a human's leg, wearing blue jeans.

A champagne-coloured French Bulldog snuggles up against a human's leg, wearing blue jeans.×

Dan Q found GC54E29 WAG 16 – Elvendon Valley

This checkin to GC54E29 WAG 16 - Elvendon Valley reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

The poor little geopup’s only got tiny legs, and the 8km we’ve walked so-far has got her pretty tired-out, so this’ll be the last cache of the series before we go and find ourselves some lunch and go home. It’s been a very enjoyable series so far, and I fully intend to return to complete it (and perhaps find some of those earlier caches that I failed to spot).

For this final cache of the morning (well, afternoon: barely!), I found the likely spot straightaway and picked up something that looked out of place. Nope, no sign of the cache though; that’s strange. It took a few seconds to realise that yes, the cache was hidden behind the thing I’d picked up… it was just also covered with leaf little and detritus. Soon had it retrieved in the end, though.

A huge number of butterflies flocked in the field to our right: it was quite impressive. I’ve snapped a picture showing just one, so that I can later look up what kind of butterfly it is!

Close-up photograph showing a butterfly atop a purple flower in a grassy meadow.

Close-up photograph showing a butterfly atop a purple flower in a grassy meadow.×

Dan Q found GC54E1W WAG 15 – Action!

This checkin to GC54E1W WAG 15 - Action! reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Sometimes the geo-sense “just works”. This was one of those moments. I was approaching the area and checking the distance. Then I walked straight to a likely location. Then I picked up the cache. Done and done.

Dan Q found GC72TZ5 WAG 14 – Wander through Wroxhills

This checkin to GC72TZ5 WAG 14 - Wander through Wroxhills reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Turning South and crossing our own path, the sun came out at last and we were bathed in glorious warm light. Between that, and the familiarity of the trail we passed, the geopup and I completely forgot for a moment that we were out to look for this next cache and overshot it: we had to turn back to get to the coordinates and find the cache. TFTC!

Dan Q found GC54DR7 WAG 9 – Sausages & Bacon!

This checkin to GC54DR7 WAG 9 - Sausages & Bacon! reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Worra lorra porkers! The geopup is a huge fan of sausages but I don’t think she understood that the cornucopia she was looking at across the field was the same thing, just a few years off being ripe. Great cache container too. TFTC, and let’s chuck an FP in because this series as a whole has definitely earned another one in my mind by now…

A French Bulldog looks out over a field which contains many pigsties and pigs.

A French Bulldog looks out over a field which contains many pigsties and pigs.×