The cache has been archived.

The cache is ready to be found. Good Luck!

I've just adopted this cache. I believe the first stage may be missing and will rectify that shortly.

Rgds, Andy

This is one of my all-time favourite caches so I was keen to repeat it. At the first location I found not one micro but two within 30 centimetres of each other. Information in hand I set off for the second part. Lots of birds en route including mute swans, cormorant, tufted duck, grey wagtail and grey heron. At GZ a green woodpecker flew off as I approached. I could not remember the precise location of the cache so I had to revert to first principles in order to pinpoint it. Soon it was in hand. Left a small car. TFTC

This cache has been disabled for some time on geocaching.com, but last night the cache owner emailed me to let me know it was up and running again. He appeared to have the mistaken belief that I like puzzle caches, whereas nothing could be farther from the truth . As a general rule I don't even look at the cache pages at all, which is why in my 3 or 4 years of caching I've never even glanced at this one, despite it being quite local.

I takes something out of the usual to "kick me off" on a puzzle. In this case it was Roderick's email arriving after I had spent the whole day slaving over a hot computer. I quite fancied a ride on the motor-bike to get some fresh air, so as dusk was falling I set off for Slough.

Stage one was easy enough, though the little workshop occupying the unit to the right of the location was working late, and someone came out to ask if anything was the matter .

Stage 2, the micro, was another matter. The little hedge protecting the cache was vicious out of all proportion to its size. It tore both my trouser legs and ripped great chunks out of my shins and calves - both legs are now covered in long, deep scratches and cuts - if you visit, watch out for this little blighter and give it some respect.

I hadn't planned to do the final on the same trip, though in retrospect that would have been possible. Instead I did some homework, which in the event proved rather less accurate than I had hoped.

So this afternoon it was another ride in that direction. But imagine my anguish when I got close to GZ and realised I hadn't brought the information from the micro !!!

But I did find a lot of trampled grass, which I hoped had been caused by the cache setter when he was checking out the cache prior to it being re-enabled. I followed the trampled grass, but I didn't find the cache there. So I racked my brains and tried to remember the contents of the micro. And I did find the cache. The grass wasn't trampled at that point, which rather suggests it wasn't the cache owner doing the trampling elsewhere.

Excellent camo, probably the most realistic I've seen.

So, did I enjoy this puzzle? Yes, I did, it was pretty good cache, very original and very neatly put together.

Will I be rushing out and checking all my local puzzle caches? Nope .

Thanks for the cache,

Rgds, Andy

New first stage placed; Listing updated.

---(2010-03-25, 14:53:01)---(Find 5378)---
We found this in its Groundspeak form in April 2008. As with other cross-listed caches which we've already found we decided to visit again to sign the log before logging it as an Opencache find. As we know where it is and as the micro may be missing we went straight to the final though to add variety we approached from a different direction. After thirteen months unfound we're pleased to report that the cache is in excellent condition.

Thanks for the cache.