Through the power of Facebook I had arranged to meet Team MX and anyone else interested in the village of Terrington to do the Northern Loop of the York Mega Series II. The York Mega Series II has 100 caches split into two loops, the Northern one being the shorter having only 45 caches, but having more hills. July was an exceptionally hot month and Saturday 13th had been the hottest day of the year, fortunately Sunday 14th was about 5° cooler, but it was still hot and sunny.
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #001: Information Point GC2V5AR – cache #2658
We had arranged to meet by the cache at 12:00. I arrived at 12:02 and there was no-one else around… so I went and found the cache to see if anyone had signed it already, had my 2 minutes lateness meant that they had signed the cache and gone ?
But no, there was no new signatures and after another 10 minutes sitting outside the village shop Team MX and PrinterFixerMan (with Lady the dog) turned up – both of them had already signed this cache so my checking wouldn’t have been much use anyway ! They were the only other takers for the walk, the hot weather had put off anyone else from joining us. I did let Team MX put the cache back !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #002: “Howzat” GC2V65Q – cache #2659
A cache name that seemed somehow fitting. We were doing this one as the Australians made their last wicket stand against England in the first Ashes Test. Team MX was first to the steps and so found the cache before PrinterFixerMan (hereafter called PFM) and I got to the GZ
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #003: The Out Post GC2V85T – cache #2660
You don’t really need a hint for this cache, from at least 20 yards away we knew exactly where it was going to be !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #004: Hedge End GC2V85Z – cache #2661
Team MX was quickly down on his hands and knees crawling around for this one
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #005: The Water Bowser GC2V868 – cache #2662
My turn to crawl around in the hedge bottom this time as I was the one on the right side of the hedge
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #006: Wooden Bridge GC2V86E – cache #2663
We followed the instructions in the hint and found…. nothing
Then we noticed another matching place a few yards away and this time Team MX turned up the cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #007: Information Point GC2V86K – cache #2664
We spread out to search potential hiding places, it was PFM who got the right one
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #008: The Tomb GC2VAC9 – cache #2665
From #7 the ‘find nearest cache’ directed us to #9, and as the OS map shows a path diagonally across the field it was only the lack of path through the corn that had us go round the bottom of the field to this cache. (Like the OS map, the google satellite picture clearly shows a diagonal path across the field)
Going round the field we realised our mistake in targeting #9 and Team MX found this cache in the corner
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #009: The Bog Lands GC2VAH6 – cache #2666
A quick easy find, no idea why this cache is called the bog lands, dry as a bone in the summer sunshine
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #010: Stumped GC2VAHN – cache #2667
A large number of nettles around this corner of the field made finding this more problematical than it otherwise would have been, but I got there in the end
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #011: The Cliff Face GC2VAJ2 – cache #2668
Team MX was straight in to this cache, I think he was disappointed that he didn’t have a tough climb to make
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #012: The Hollies GC2VAJB – cache #2669
Lots of spiky holly leaves and dark glasses made spotting this cache a problem, eventually Team MX got his hands on it
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #013: Hot or Cold? GC2VAK4 – cache #2670
PFM found this one as Team MX and I were looking at the wrong side of the track (guess we hadn’t read the description then, as it clearly says it is on the right of the path !)
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #014: Windy Hill GC2VAKQ – cache #2671
Team MX was glad this cache could be reached through the fance behind the tree and we didn’t have to fight our way through the nettle patch to get to it
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #015: Little Hollow GC2VAMF – cache #2672
We walked along the track until the GPS beeped to say we were at the cache, checked the hint and headed for the matching place… no cache
Then we realised that a few yards away hidden by the tall grass was another hint matching place… and this time the cache was found
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #016: Please Take Care GC2VAN8 – cache #2673
Team MX was straight in for this cache, didn’t need the hint or anything, the name was enough to get him to the right place.
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #017: The Log Pile GC2VANM – cache #2674
Followed the cachers trail to this one – A cacher called Loubo had visited the day before and flattened most of the nettles and brambles so I found the cache easily enough
14th July 2013 – first attempt GCQ19Y – cache #2675
This cache is a little detour off the YMSII route. We were glad to get into the woods and out of the direct sun. The cache was found with no problem even though it is one of those where the hint says ‘on the left of the tree’ which of course relies on you approaching the tree from the same direction as the CO did when they hid it.
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #018: Fryton Man GC2VAQ2 – cache #2676
As I’ve said in logs many times before I like a cache with a convenient bench to sit on while signing the log, only this time PFM and I sat on the bench while Team MX removed the caches camouflage covering of empty wine bottles and signed the cache log standing up !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #019: Birds Eye View GC2VAQH – cache #2677
It was here that Team MX and PFM were glad that I was wearing trousers not shorts like them and it was me who was delegated to push through the nettles and brambles to get to the cache… I chose the wrong clearing to see the view from at first, but soon got the right one and spotted the cache straight away
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #020: Bluebell Quarry GC2VARM – cache #2678
Team MX was straight down to this cache, no problem finding it
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #021: Holly’s Elbow GC2VATB – cache #2679
Again being the one wearing trousers rather than shorts I was the one delegated to venture off the path through the undergrowth to get this cache.
This must be the largest Holly tree I have ever seen
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #022: Centenary Way GC2VATP – cache #2680
We had to split up and search round a few trees until I spotted the tell tale pile of stickoflage
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #023: Fryton Wood GC2VAVE – cache #2681
Again we followed the hint and looked and found nothing… then widened the search to the next hint matching spot and found the cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #024: Smarties GC2VAVQ – cache #2682
We followed the cachers trail left by Loubo to this cache – which meant we looked in the same wrong places they did until we got to the right one !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #025: Bramble City GC2VAVZ – cache #2683
As the non-short wearing member of our party it was again up to me to go and retrieve the cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #026: King of Stumps GC2VAW9 – cache #2684
Ooh Err Missus, that’s a big one ! – The stump, not the cache.
Team MX said it would be a good place to have put a bigger cache, but we surmised that if you are putting out a whole series of caches at once there’s a limit to the size of caches you can carry
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #027: Timber GC2VAWJ – cache #2685
From the cache name we realised where it was going to be as we walked up the path… then we saw the cachers path leading through the trees and round behind it, the trail took me straight to the cache !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #028: Thurtle About in the Woods GC2VAWQ – cache #2686
A straightforward find without the hint… I mean, where else was it going to be than hidden behind the biggest tree in the area ?
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #029: Do I Go Left or Right? GC2VAX0 – cache #2687
I went one way, Team MX went the other – he chose correctly for the cache.
PFM was following along behind so he chose the right way too !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #030: The Dry River Bed GC2VAY7 – cache #2688
I spotted the covering camouflage from 20 yards away, funny how cachers can spot camouflage so easily whereas a noncacher would just see a lump of rotten wood and think nothing more of it
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #031: Queen of Stumps GC2VAYM – cache #2689
We walked past this one and then had to go back and find it, again a cacher’s path through the nettles and brambles made finding it easier
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #032: Tree Fushion GC2VB03 – cache #2690
Team MX was straight in for this one before PFM or I had got there
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #033: Shaw it’s here somewhere? GC2VB0B – cache #2691
Team MX liked this one, he was moving things aside thinking they were being used to cover the cache then suddenly realised he had the cache in his hand !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #034: The Troll GC2VB0P – cache #2692
The masses of nettles growing here made getting down to the cache impractical, so I lay down on the bridge and while getting poked by the sharp ends of the chicken wire managed to get the log book out of the container without dropping it into the stream
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #035: Lake View GC2VB0X – cache #2693
A nice path straightlining through the wheat made navigation to the this cache easy… Team MX rushed straight off while PFM and I stopped in the middle of the field to view the lake and the domed top of Castle Howard poking above the trees… so Team MX had the cache found, signed and replaced before we got to him
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #036: Mind Your Head! GC2VB1G – cache #2694
No Mister Bump’s in our party – even though we were all wearing hats to keep off the sun and our vision was somewhat obscured in an upward direction we all avoided the low branches. There were many places a cache could be secreted, but we found it in the end
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #037: The Kissing Gate xxx GC2VB1V – cache #2695
There is something very tactile about barley, walking on a path through a crop it is almost impossible to not put your hands out to feel the fronds sliding through your fingers…
Another straightforward cache to find !
14th July 2013 – Tie a Yellow Ribbon GC2VBK0 – cache #2696
A quick detour from the YMSII route. Team MX was a bit disappointed that the cache wasn’t higher up the tree, he wanted to go climbing !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #038: “I do like to be beside the sea” GC2VBHX – cache #2697
Under the trees there was poor accuracy on the GPS, so we went by the hint… which wasn’t ‘that’ much help as there were three potential cache sites that matched the hint…. as usual it wasn’t the first one we tried that was the correct one
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #039: Solid as a Rock GC2VBHZ – cache #2698
An excellent hide, one of the top two or three on the Northern loop. The amount of nettles around made this a painful cache to get to… Team MX retrieved it, but let me put it back as I was wearing trousers not shorts and so at least my legs were protected from the stings, even if my hands unfortunately weren’t
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #040: The Corn Field GC2VBJ1 – cache #2699
Having to go single file along the man meant that Team MX was in the lead when we got to this cache, he had already decided what he thought the hint meant and so quickly found the nicely hidden cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #041: The Last Post GC2VBJ6 – cache #2700
We were walking down the field and missed the footpath turning out of the field onto the overgrown track, which involved us walking down to the corner of the field, finding no exit was possible and then having to retrace our steps to find where the path really went… after 9 miles we could have done without the extra yards !
The cache was relatively easy to locate, but took a bit of getting out as again there were brambles and nettles guarding it
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #042: Up The Junction GC2VBJB – cache #2701
The hint for this was “a Barry’n’Shirley favourite” and indeed it was, there were about a dozen hidden like this on the first York Mega Series, so as soon as we saw the road sign at the right distance from us for the cache we all knew exactly where it was hidden – long before we got anywhere near the co-ordinates !
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #043: Church View GC2VBJK – cache #2702
Just follow the cachers trail behind the tree to get to the cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #044: Dingly Dell GC2VBJR – cache #2703
We walked along the road alongside what appeared to be an impenetrable hedge, wondering here the cache could be hidden… then we spotted the cachers trail leading through a gap in the bushes and soon Team MX had his hands on the cache
14th July 2013 – YMS II N – #045: Terrington GC2VBJW – cache #2704
So, 9.97 miles (according to Team MX’s GPS), 46 caches and 5 hours 42 minutes from the start we got to the last GZ on the walk… only to find that the last cache was missing…
Looking back at the last logs we read that it wasn’t just us, the cache had gone walkies.
PrinterFixerMan being a keen cache hider had some spare caches of the right type in his car and some suitable fastenings so rather than put DNF and a Needs Maintenance log on we replaced the cache and finished the YMSII with a final smiley
It was a bit of an effort to do the 10 miles on the hottest weekend of the year so far, we were all glad that we had finished could have a rest
Team MX and PrinterFixerMan have already done the Southern loop, whereas I still have that to look forward to ! I think I will wait for cooler weather before I attempt it !
14th July 2013 – Geeks bearing Gifts (N Yorks) GC7B3B – cache #2705
A quick drive by stop on the way home… Curiously it was Team MX who was the last person to log this cache, though that was several weeks ago – he must like it round here !
The ‘modern’ council sign is almost unreadable (unlike the at least 50 year old North Riding County Council sign !) and the maze is looking in need of a bit of TLC, but it is an interesting curiosity nonetheless – and a Virtual Cache which doesn’t involve signing a log anywhere. just going to the location and seeing what there is there to see… makes a nice change after 45 caches that need the boxes retrieving, opening, signing, closing and replacing
