Dan Q

Kind: Checkins

Dan Q found GC1TPPC Constellations 2

This checkin to GC1TPPC Constellations 2 reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

A little over seven years ago, presquevu and I enjoyed a walk around here and found what are now Constellations 3, 4 and 5, among other caches which are no longer around. This morning, I decided, would finally be the time that I’d complete the circuit! Nowadays I live just on the other side of Stanton Harcourt, so I took the excuse of a Saturday morning’s exercise to cycle down to Standlake and proceed up the path to this first cache.

Apparently presquevu and I walked right past this one without making an attempt to find it back in April 2014: we were possibly distracted at the time and not paying full attention to the GPSr as we walked the path from Medley Brook to the footbridge over the Windrush. This time, though, I honed right in on the hiding place and managed to retrieve the cache with a minimum of nettle stings and thornpricks.

As others have noted the cache container is looking a little worse for wear and has a significant hole in it. However, the waterproof logsheet is holding up remarkably well and was still definitely signable. TFTC.

Dan Q found GC7PEG1 The Cachington Tour

This checkin to GC7PEG1 The Cachington Tour reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

I happened to be passing through with a little time to spare so I thought I’d take another run at this one. Unfortunately my first attempt had seen me make my notes on the back of my hand (and I’ve washed them since then!) so I’d have to collect the clues again. At least I already had the one from the church (thanks, CO!), so I parked at the Village Hall and went about (re) collecting the others.

To my surprise, the pub seems have repainted its windows since my last visit: clearly in a specific effort to fool and confuse geocachers! Luckily I knew broadly where I was looking so I wasn’t caught out.

Soon I was on my way to the cache. The hint was definitely needed as I hadn’t expected a container of this design in a location like this one! SL. TFTC, and special thanks to the attentive CO who provided an extra hint for people who, like me, got stuck outside the locked church.

Dan Q found GC97N47 SideTracked – Oxford Parkway

This checkin to GC97N47 SideTracked - Oxford Parkway reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

I needed to divert from my journey from Summertown to Eynsham anyway to stop at the nearby Sainsburys, so I took the opportunity for a quick stroll down to find this cache. Do you think the nearby gate is always left locked-open? That seems surprising! A relatively quick find although some stealth skills were needed. SL, TFTC.

Dan Q found GC98N6Q Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #14 Final Destination

This checkin to GC98N6Q Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #14 Final Destination reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

After all the amazing containers and hiding places I’ve seen on this excellent series, this final destination almost felt… mundane, by comparison. Not that that’s a problem, and I was still happy to reach the end, be treated to a great view of the last of the sun disappearing over the horizon, and find a good sized logbook complete with the notes and praises (for the series!) of cachers who’d come before me.

An altogether delightful series that I’ve been really glad to have explored. I’m looking forward to coming back and searching for #9 again sometime soon! TFTCaches!

Dan Q found GC98N69 Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #13 Black Hawk Down

This checkin to GC98N69 Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #13 Black Hawk Down reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Lots of deer in the fields tonight! The sun was beginning to set as I approached this, my penultimate cache for the day, so my bike lights went on again and now stayed on. I felt sure I knew what I’d be looking for, but I was nevertheless delighted by the imaginative cache container.

Leaving this GZ, I made a few wrong turns before eventually working out which path I needed to follow to the finale: for some reason, the correct path doesn’t appear on my (OSM-derived). I’ve kept a tracklog, though, so I’ll try to get the map updated!

Dan Q found GC98N5T Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #12 Clockwork Orange

This checkin to GC98N5T Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #12 Clockwork Orange reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

As I worked my way to this, the third cache in my tour for today, I realised that my local sparrowhawk – who lives up a tree behind my house in Sutton – seemed to be following me. I’d seen him atop a couple of telegraph poles earlier on and I’d heard him screech a few times, and when I looked up I saw that he was still above me. Perhaps he’d decided to come on this expedition too?

One of the things that I love most about this series is the diversity of quirky and unusual cache containers, of which this was no exception. I was also pleased to find a fresh, clean log sheet, and added my name as the first on the list. TFTC, and FP for the surprise!

Dan Q found GC98N5E Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #11 One Tree Hill

This checkin to GC98N5E Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #11 One Tree Hill reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Deer were prancing around the fields as I came through, and I realised that the hiding place for this cache must be near a place I’d thought about once as a possible hiding place myself, when I first moved to the area and took a walk this way (before I’d looked at the local caches!). While retrieving the cache a dog walker came the other way and, seeing a cyclist on a not-entirely-cycle-friendly path, probing around looking for something, asked about my activity. He’d never heard of geocaching, but he’d heard of hide-and-seek and he’d heard of orienteering, and seemed happy enough to accept that it was some combination of these two.

Dog walker in a recently turned-over field.

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Dan Q found GC98N4Z Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #10 Up

This checkin to GC98N4Z Tar Lakes/South Leigh Loop #10 Up reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Came out for a cycle tour today to complete the loop: I covered the first half – with the exception of a DNF at #9 – last month, and I was itching to get out and complete the second half. (Having gotten home after this second expedition I see that #9 has been repaired/improved, so I’ll fly by and give that another go sometime soon!)

I was glad to have brought my bike lights: even though it’s a while until sunset it was helpful to find my way in the wooded area that surrounds this cache. Great hiding place for this one: the only cache I’ve come across of a remotely similar design was my own GC7R0HB (which sadly got muggled one too many times and had to be archived a few years ago).

Dan cycling towards South Leigh.

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Dan Q performed maintenance for 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.

Visited to check on this new cache: especially as the container is a new design I wanted to do an early checkin to ensure it’s bedded in nicely. Glad to say all is well! Also dropped off Paul The Sea Horse, a Travel Bug I found up in Derbyshire who’s still got a couple of years exploring left in him before he completes his ten year mission! Please help him move along if you can.

Dan Q performed maintenance for GC9EXX4 The Bisected Footpath of Blackditch Fields

This checkin to GC9EXX4 The Bisected Footpath of Blackditch Fields reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

Dropped by to check in on this new cache (always worth checking that a new cache is settling in alright!) and to dip a TB. All is well. Also discovered that through the kissing gate on the opposite side of the road there’s a crop of the plumpest and brightest sloes I’ve seen in years. So if you’re in the vicinity and fancy a lip-curling snack (or you’ve plans to adulterate some gin!) take a look!

Geohashing expedition 2021-08-19 51 -1

This checkin to geohash 2020-08-19 51 -1 reflects a geohashing expedition. See more of Dan's hash logs.

Location

Field alongside Cote Ditch, West Oxfordshire.

Participants

Plans

If I get out early, before I start work, I (Dan Q) might be able to make it to the hashpoint by bike before about 9am. Most of the fields round here have already been harvested and so nobody’s likely to object if I step into this one for a couple of minutes (it looks like there’s a promising looking gate at N 51°43.2′, W 1°29.722′).

Expedition

I was out and about anwyay, dropping my kids off at rehearsals for a play they’re in later this week, so I figured it’d do no harm to swing by Cote – the settlement nearest the hashpoint – this morning. Cote turns out to be a delightful and quaint little hamlet, and when I passed through everybody and their dog seemed to be out on a morning constitutional and I got a few odd looks from the locals who are, on account of their hamlet’s location, probably unused to “through” traffic and so may well have been wondering who exactly I was visiting!

Round here most of the farms grow wheat, and it’s harvest season. I had to pull aside on one of the narrow roads that criss-cross this part of Oxfordshire to allow a combine harvester – fully the width of the entire road! – to pass in the opposite direction. It was followed closely by a line of impatient drivers crawling along behind the enormous mechanical beast, and I was glad to be going the other way! When I first saw that the hashpoint appeared to be in a field I was optimistic that it might be one that had been recently harvested, like all the ones near my house, or else left fallow, and I’d be able to get close to the hashpoint without causing any disruption.

Unfortunately, the field with the hashpoint was very-much still growing, full of corn for harvesting later in the season, so my expedition ended abruptly at the gate. I took a sad-face photo and attached a “The Internet Was Here” sign to the gate, for good measure (and perhaps as an explanation to the locals who looked at me curiously as I passed!), then continued my journey home.

Tracklog

My GPSr keeps a tracklog:

Tracklog showing expedition 2021-08-19 51 -1

Photos

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Dan Q archived GC8YZKJ Sunken Bunker

This checkin to GC8YZKJ Sunken Bunker reflects a geocaching.com log entry. See more of Dan's cache logs.

When I first placed this cache I failed to accommodate for how high the river might get during summer floods. I’d chained it to the bridge to help stop it from disappearing, but that instead introduced a new problem: after a flood it’d be left hanging in a highly-visible spot and attract muggle vandalism. The net result is I’ve had to retire this cache.