In a twist on the "SideTracked" series of caches that exist on the Green Frog site, this is a series of four OpenCaches at stations along the "Watercress Line" preserved steam railway in Hampshire.



In 1861 the Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway Company was authorised to build a new railway to connect to the existing London & South Western Railway lines at Alton and Winchester. It was opened on 2 October 1865 as the Mid-Hants Railway. Trains were operated by the London & South Western Railway who eventually purchased the Mid-Hants Railway Company in 1884.

Stations were initially constructed at Itchen Abbas, Ropley and Alresford. The station at Alton was already in existence. The station at Medstead & Four Marks was added in 1868. Just outside this station, the line is at it highest point (652 feet (199m) above sea level) having risen from Alresford (263 feet (80m) above sea level) and descending to Alton (339 feet (103m) above sea level). The section of line became known as "the Alps", due to the steep gradients.

The railway was eventually closed by British Railways in 1973. The section of line from Alresford to Alton that can be seen today was successfully purchased from British Rail in November 1975 and restored over the next 10 years.

The Saxon settlement of Alresford is the second largest town on the railway, but it is scenic. This cache, the last in the series, is an offset cache starting at the station. At the published coordinates is an information board. On it is a dotted red line that you should follow. The board describes how Alresford was destroyed by fire twice, in years ABCD and EFGH.

Your next waypoint is at N51° 0(B-A).(C-G)(H-E)C W1° A(H-B).E(E+G)(F-E).

Here note that New Farm dates from the 1J century and the Toll House from the 1K century.

The cache is located very nearby at N51° 0(B-A).(C-G)(J-2)(D-2) W1° A(H-B).E(K-H)(G+A).

This cache is a 500ml lock top box. Access to the cache involves a little fun, it should only take a little while to find it and the clue should only be needed to confirm it is missing.