Devil`s Tor - Geocaching Opencaching UK

2013-12-15 15:24 sandvika (105) - Didn't find it

Having had my path to Rough Tor blocked by the raging white water of the West Dart, and not having the good sense to retrace my steps, this cache marked the return to my itinerary and intended route after the detour around West Dart Head. However, it proved to be a short lived return.

At Summer Hill cache I had discovered to my horror just how awfully my new outdoor jacket had performed - the fabric was watertight but the zips were not - my geocaching stamp had been completely flooded out and ruined in my left chest pocket, my smartphone had been flooded out in my right chest pocket and was alive but malfunctioning, and my cache notes and itinerary had turned to pulp in my right side pocket. Then I had discovered that the main zip had leaked too and all my base layers were soaked. Although keeping my remaining dry clothes dry would have made more sense from a survival perspective, I had swapped the failed new jacket for the combination of old ski jacket and cagoul, which provided greater warmth and better morale.

Unfortunately, though it was quite clear where the cache should be, and indeed I found the cacher's rock, GZ was completely waterlogged and though I had a good rummage in the water, there was no sign of the cache. It had either floated away or was bobbing around somewhere under the rock beyond my reach! The nearby OpenCache, supposedly even closer to the menhir, was regrettably missing too.

Next on my itinerary was The Tinners' Rabbits OpenCache - another Amberel Top Cache - but to get there, I needed to cross the Cowsic River. Theoretically this should have been a small stream, rather narrower than the West Dart River that had defeated me earlier, and after my gymnastics on the bog, jumping over broad extents of water, I had renewed confidence that I would be able to leap across it, if not cross on rocks. How wrong I was! The Cowsic River has also a raging torrent with submerged rocks and though it was indeed much narrower than the West Dart, it too was not passabkle. I found one spot where I felt I could have crossed if I had the confidence to leap, but I realised that leaping across still water and an equivalent width of raging torrent were actually very different propositions and thought the wiser of it. I also realised that back-tracking via Cowsic Head was not an option either as the extra time and distance involved would have ensured I could not finish in daylight. With the disappointment of the 2 DNFs I decided very belatedly to call it a day and just get myself off the moor as quickly as I could.

I thus remained on the east side of the Cowsic River and clambered southwards to pick up the Lych Way for my return. However, this was probably the hardest terrain I encountered all day - a steep hillside which was basically one wide stream, very boggy in many places and before I had even got out of it, twilight descended. The loss of light was barely noticable at first because I had been in cloud all day anyway, and I just about made it out onto the shoulder of the next hill before I needed my head torch.

TFTH Sandvika

Having had my path to Rough Tor blocked by the raging white water of the West Dart, and not having the good sense to retrace my steps, this cache marked the return to my itinerary and intended route after the detour around West Dart Head. However, it proved to be a short lived return.
At Summer Hill cache I had discovered to my horror just how awfully my new outdoor jacket had performed - the fabric was watertight but the zips were not - my geocaching stamp had been completely flooded out and ruined in my left chest pocket, my smartphone had been flooded out in my right chest pocket and was alive but malfunctioning, and my cache notes and itinerary had turned to pulp in my right side pocket. Then I had discovered that the main zip had leaked too and all my base layers were soaked. Although keeping my remaining dry clothes dry would have made more sense from a survival perspective, I had swapped the failed new jacket for the combination of old ski jacket and cagoul, which provided greater warmth and better morale.

Unfortunately, though the instructions were clear enough it was quite clear where the cache should be, due to limited options, GZ was completely waterlogged and though I had a good rummage in the water, there was no sign of the cache. It had either floated away or was bobbing around somewhere under the rock beyond my reach! The nearby Groundspeak cache, slightly further from the menhir, was regrettably missing too.
Next on my itinerary was The Tinners' Rabbits OpenCache - another Amberel Top Cache - but to get there, I needed to cross the Cowsic River.

Theoretically this should have been a small stream, rather narrower than the West Dart River that had defeated me earlier, and after my gymnastics on the bog, jumping over broad extents of water, I had renewed confidence that I would be able to leap across it, if not cross on rocks. How wrong I was! The Cowsic River has also a raging torrent with submerged rocks and though it was indeed much narrower than the West Dart, it too was not passable. I found one spot where I felt I could have crossed if I had the confidence to leap, but I realised that leaping across still water and an equivalent width of raging torrent were actually very different propositions and thought the wiser of it. I also realised that back-tracking via Cowsic Head was not an option either as the extra time and distance involved would have ensured I could not finish in daylight. With the disappointment of the 2 DNFs I decided very belatedly to call it a day and just get myself off the moor as quickly as I could.

I thus remained on the east side of the Cowsic River and clambered southwards to pick up the Lych Way for my return. However, this was probably the hardest terrain I encountered all day - a steep hillside which was basically one wide stream, very boggy in many places and before I had even got out of it, twilight descended. The loss of light was barely noticable at first because I had been in cloud all day anyway, and I just about made it out onto the shoulder of the next hill before I needed my head torch.

I would love to come back for this cache, but in view of the distance from home, won't do so until it has been found by others or replaced.
TFTH Sandvika

2011-04-24 17:48 poole dolphins (35) - Found it

A nice easy find. Plenty of walkers about today, probably due to the good weather for April.

2011-01-29 18:24 ELDITTON (26) - Found it

Lovely find on a freezing cold day on the Moor. The cold made the walk out along the Lych Way much easier as all the bogs were frozen solid!

T4TC

2010-12-05 09:49 windrush cache hunter (97) - Found it

Last time I was near here I had to turn back because of the sleet and cold, today it was just cold and the walk on to this cache from the last presented no difficulties. Thanks for getting me out here again, the log now has my signature twice!

2010-12-05 09:36 The Hamian Explorers (20) - Found it

A long day's caching, covering 10 caches (9 geo and 1 open), and 11.6 miles. It was quite an eventful day, starting with small stuff like a frozen gate to having to cross a river and getting caught out by the dark as it took us 8 hours because the going was very slow, few paths and lots of ice on the ground, making footing a bit treacherous. And then there were bogs to navigate and sink into. And one DNF which was the cache furthest away... Some bits were easier, wet ground was frozen over and therefore a bit easier to navigate, and the landscape was special. The sun was shining, in our eyes at first though we rather missed the sun once it went down and it started cooling down with it. It was nice meeting the Tamerton Chocolates on the way and doing a few geocaches with them.

2010-10-31 19:24 muddypuddles (16) - Found it

It was nice to visit "the man" again, and the cache was where I remembered.

2010-09-27 14:25 Amberel (611) - Found it

It was rough, wet ground from Rough Tor to here, but nothing like as bad as it would be when I headed off to Conies Down!

The way I was facing it was LH, not RH, but it didn't take long to find the cache .

Another TOP CACHE http://www.amberel.com/topcache.htm - Phil will soon have difficulty finding places to store these coins .

Rgds, Andy

2010-08-28 22:40 Redruth Roamers (46) - Found it

Found on an opencaching/geocaching/letterboxing/maintenence days walk on the 1st day of our weeks stay on the moors. Cache in good condition. Now on to Beardown tor then back to Holming beam.

TFTC, Redruth Roamers.

2010-05-15 00:00 Brentorboxer (94) - Found it

I approached this tor walking in a straight line from Conies Down Tor, not the best way to come! But I suppose it was the quicker way in the end, which ever way you come there’s still a hill. Cache found easily, many thanks.

2010-01-03 00:00 Spannerman (192) - Found it

This again, I visited as a geocache but returned again today. I came across from The Tinners Rabbits and as I crossed the Cowsic I met with a chap and learned that he had camped out last night and was planning to stay out again tonight. It put the cold I was feeling into perspective and as I left him I felt quite a whimp!

A quick find again but I stayed here a while in the shelter of the tor while I had a couple of mince pies and a cup of coffee. Headed back via Beardown Tor to pick up a Geocache.

Great cache and walk, many thanks.