Thanks to the last couple of days I was now at a stage where I had to limit the number of caches I could find to make sure I didn’t get to #6,000 too soon – Which was good as I was needed a quiet day to rest my leg.
The First day time event was a trip on the Churnet Valley Railway – another of the Heritage Railways of the area.
I didn’t book a ticket to go on the railway as I have been on it already (see cache #4964), but I did drive up to Froghall station and attend the event, and wave the train off.
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway GC9MDXM – cache #5971
2nd August 2022 – Thomas, Alf, and John GC9W88T – cache #5972
There was a cache in the station car park, easy enough to find, and there were a few other cachers about waiting to sign the log even though it was raining a bit – almost the only bad weather we had all week
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Leek – cache #5973
A set of Lab caches had been put out along the old railway line from Leek to Uttoxeter, the central part of which was where the Churnet Valley Railway now operated. So after the train had left I decided to go to Leek and do the Labs in a sensible order following the line back to Uttoxeter.
At Leek the station is now a Builders Merchants yard
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Leekbrook Junction – cache #5974
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Cheddleton Station – cache #5975
I arrived at Cheddleton station before the train full of caches got there, but as I had already been there and done the cache I just found the Lab answer and carried on my way
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Consall Station – cache #5976
Then it was on to Consall Station, down a narrow road which became a narrow track then a narrower track where there was no phone signal so it was difficult to know which way to go – I know some people couldn’t find it !
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Kingsley & Froghall – cache #5977
Froghall station next, I had been here before a couple of hours earlier – it was easier to park then !
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Oakamoor – cache #5978
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Denstone – cache #5979
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Rocester – cache #5980
The railway line here goes through JCB,s factory grounds, and the only non road transport in evidence is the helicopter pad
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Uttoxeter – cache #5981
… And we get to the end of the line where the Leek branch joins the network at Uttoxeter
2nd August 2022 – Churnet Valley Railway Lab Cache – Alton – cache #5982
Although I was doing the caches in order I couldn’t log this one in order as I couldn’t find the answer… the reason being that the old station building is now a holiday cottage and the family who had hired it were sitting having their meal on the table and benches on the platform and this covering up the answer…
So when I got back to my room I googled and guessed until I got the right word.
In reality Alton station is between Oakamoor and Denstone
2nd August 2022 – An evening at the Races GC9MDXR – cache #5983
This was really a quick in and out as I had no interest in video horse racing
