Category Archives: the essex way

my hides, solo, the essex way

Fyfield Frolic

Multi: 2
Walked: 3.2 miles

I noticed a couple of new multis have sprung up in Fyfield recently, so this afternoon I decided to head over the for a little walk.

The first was along a track to the north west of the village which I hadn’t really explored before. The cache was soon in hand once I had done the number-crunching.

Oak Leaf On The Path
Oak Leaf On The Path

The second was a multi starting at Canon’s Green. It was a bit tricky to spot the info I needed (the hint as to what I was looking for was pretty cryptic). But eventually the penny dropped and I headed off up a short section of The Essex Way – familiar territory here from a previous visit a while ago. The Viking Treasure was soon located!

Along The Essex Way
Along The Essex Way

While I was in the area, I also scouted out resetting a section of The Essex Way between a stretch starting just south of Canon’s Green along to Willingale, to meet up with PeCeH‘s section there. All the pots were still in place from when they were originally archived, so I replaced the logs with fresh ones and went home to publish 15 caches under the title of Essex Way Redux. All in all a good day’s work.

the essex way, with friends

Forty In The Bag

Trad: 39 Multi: 1
Walked: 12 miles

I teamed up with Kitty!! and Mr Crow for another outing today. We decided to go for the latest section of Essex Way caches to be revived, between Cressing and Coggeshall. Handy having two cars, leaving one at each end.

The Long Path Ahead
The Long Path Ahead

Most of the pots were easy enough but one or two needed a bit more of a search.

Hmm. Where's The Cache?
Hmm. Where’s The Cache?

Mr Crow was usually up ahead so we often spotted him grovelling in a bush or behind a telegraph pole before emerging with a pot in hand.

Mr Crow Found It
Mr Crow Found It

We spotted some fluffy friends along the way – Alpacas, I think.

Fuzzy Locals!
Fuzzy Locals!

Occasionally, when Mr Crow couldn’t find one, Kitty would dive in and have a look instead. I think I got to look for a couple!

Send Kitty In...
Send Kitty In…

We enjoyed our walk and the views – especially the rickety old bridge along the river.

Kitty & Crow Near Coggeshall
Kitty & Crow Near Coggeshall

There was also a hilarious incident at No. 18, which is probably best explained by reading my log. A fave for sure! Forty in the bag today, but that was definitely the most memorable.

the essex way

Essex Way At Epping

Trad: 16
Walked: 8 miles

Another section of The Essex Way has been revived, starting at the beginning in Epping and following the path to Coopersale. It’s a section I never got around to walking the first time around, so I decided to visit today and polish a few off the list. It was easy enough to follow the route, since it is pretty well signposted – even though this one was hiding behind the dreaded vil.

This Way For The Essex Way
This Way For The Essex Way

There were plenty of wide open vistas and an easy to follow path for the most part – and it was dry enough for me to avoid most of the mud!

Wide Flat Path
Wide Flat Path

There is still a bit of a gap between Coopersale and Tool Hill, but let’s hope it gets bridged in the future.

hq duck dash, solo, the essex way

Day #383 – Don’t Go Away Again

Trad: 8 Letterbox: 1
Walked: 3.0 miles

I decided to walk another section of resurrected Essex Way today, between Cressing Church and White Notley. Plus looking for a couple of extras along the way.

Which Way? The Essex Way
Which Way? The Essex Way

We dropped off a trackable in one pot to continue along the way.

Dropping Off A Trackable
Dropping Off A Trackable

At last, I managed to locate the pesky 5, one of infinson’s evil hides. Hurrah!

Finally Found Five!!!
Finally Found Five!!!

Little Quacker was surprised to see some rare spotted piggies enjoying the dirt near their little houses.

Spotted Piggies
Spotted Piggies
first to find, the essex way, with alistair

Day #348 – Essex Don’t Go aWay

Trad: 19 Earth: 1
Walked: 6.8 miles

More and more of the archived Essex Way series are being resurrected by various cachers along the route. Recently a new section between Fairstead and White Notley has come back online, placed by Potternut. So today I took Alistair along for the walk – it’s great to have him visiting again for a week.

Here he is, doing his best impression of a Munchkin, due to an unfortunate camera angle and a wide-angle lens! Made me laugh…

Alistair Doing His Munchkin Impression!
Alistair Doing His Munchkin Impression!

We also visited the new Earthcache in White Notley – all about the Puddingstone – yum yum.

Resting At The Earthcache
Resting At The Earthcache

Our last find was due to be at the little bridge over the Brain. But then a funny thing happened…

Bridge Over The River Brain
Bridge Over The River Brain

I had the GPS but had forgotten to tell Alistair we had finished all the batch of caches along this stretch. But he carried on to the next likely spot and found another pot! What? We guessed we had found the unpublished No. 16! So he’s claiming FTF for that one.

We walked on a little further and I then claimed FTF on No. 17 – again unpublished. I contacted the CO when we got home, and the cache pots had only been put out that morning! It took the reviewer another 3 days to agree the publication.

FTF Before Publication!
FTF Before Publication!

So a very welcome, but certainly unexpected, FTF – No. 27 for me. 😀

solo, the essex way

Day #320 – Seven Reborn

Trad: 7
Walked: 5.3 miles

I was looking for an easy series to tackle this evening after work. Unusually, I chose some caches in Essex at the last minute – which nearly had me unstuck because I had the Hertforshire PQ loaded on my GPS!

I had decided upon looking for the remaining seven unfound caches along the Essex Way Reborn section (Willingale to Good Easter) by PeCeH.

Been Here Before...
Been Here Before…

Thankfully there was just enough phone signal when I arrived at the start point to the south of Good Easter, and I was able to hastily download the waypoint info – but I forgot the hints!

I remembered some of the locations from the first time around, but a couple caused me more trouble than I would have liked!

Tracks In The Crops
Tracks In The Crops

At least I managed to get them all, so no revisit required another day. That has connected the chain of smileys on this reborn section now, which is very pleasing.

grand day out, solo, the essex way, with friends

Day #252 – Best Day Yet

Trad: 73 Multi: 1 Earth: 1
Walked: 15.1 miles

Yesterday I hastily arranged an outing with Kitty!! and Mr Crow to do some more of the revived Essex Way caches today. We started a little bit west of Pleshey (at No. 21) and finished at Great Leighs (No. 75).

Which Way To The Essex Way?
Which Way To The Essex Way?

The track was mainly easy going, with few mud patches along the way. We met a some bikers along the way who were churning up the track.

Dirt Bikers Pass By
Dirt Bikers Pass By

Ray did a lot of the finding as he went striding ahead, while Anne & I enjoyed the walk – occasionally having to come to the rescue to find a difficult one which eluded him!

Ray Goes Troll Hunting!
Ray Goes Troll Hunting!

We were pleased with our 52-cache haul at Great Leighs and retired to the lovely Snug Café in High Easter for a well-earned pot of tea and a panini.

Phew! 52 Caches Done
Phew! 52 Caches Done

While we were refuelling, I mentioned that I needed 75 caches for a challenge cache and Anne suggested it was worth keeping going as I was 2/3rds of the way there already. So they dropped me at Good Easter to walk another section which they had already completed.

I bagged another 18 caches along this stretch, and realised I was still 5 short of my target, so I stopped off for some drive by caches on the way home. The first was Pleshey Boulders, a new Earthcache which has only been published for a few days.

Pleshey Boulders
Pleshey Boulders

A few more finds around Chelmsford, finishing at Sandford Mill Lock, finally brought up my best total for the day, 75 caches, and qualified me for another Challenge Cache. Plus, I also earned my 72 finds in a day geocoin, which has been sitting unactivated at home for a few months! I think that makes it a Grand Day Out.

Well-Earned Gong
Well-Earned Gong
solo, the essex way

Day #229 – Essex Way There & Back

Trad: 21
Walked: 4.5 miles

Time for another spin along the revamped Essex Way today. I picked up where I last left of just north of Willingale to do caches 8-28. However, parking is tight at No. 8 so instead I went to the other end and did a there-and-back walk, picking up the even numbers one way and the odds on the way back.

Which Way For The Essex Way?
Which Way For The Essex Way?

I spotted attractive snowdrops growing next to the track in several places but stopped to photograph this particularly big clump.

Snowdrops En Route
Snowdrops En Route

In general, the going was pretty good, apart from one nightmare section where a farmer had been doing lots of ditch remodelling and his tractor and digger had really churned up the mud to wellie-swallowing proportions! Thankfully I made it through each way and remained upright, with both my boots!

The Track Is A Mess
The Track Is A Mess

I had left the house a bit later than originally planned, so by the time I was nearing the end of the walk, the sun was getting lazy and slowly sinking into bed.

Sunset Now
Sunset Now

It was still a nice stroll and good to be back picking up a few more of these, even though I’ve visited once before for the original caches.

solo, the essex way

Day #213 – Essex Way Reborn

Trad: 7
Walked: 2.8 miles

When The Essex Way Series was archived suddenly a few weeks ago, I was quite disappointed as I still had at least half of the 450-cache 81-mile route to walk.

Which Way To Willingale?
Which Way To Willingale?

Other local cachers were disappointed too, and a couple have now “adopted” the cache locations and republished them, to give 81 hides between Willingale and Pleshey.

Big Sky & Sunshine
Big Sky & Sunshine

At lunchtime I decided to have a little walk to collect the first seven, starting in Willingale. it was a lovely day for it, even though the going underfoot was rather muddy in places – a bit different from when I last walked this stretch back in July!

Which Way For The Essex Way?
Which Way For The Essex Way?
My Walking Companion
My Walking Companion
solo, the essex way

Day #126 – Letterbox Reward

Trad: 2 Letterbox: 1
Walked: 2.4 miles

29th November 2015
29th November 2015

Trying to continue my streak of Unconventional hides, today was supposed to be Day 9 out of the 10 I need to qualify for the Challenge Cache. I had a puzzle lined up to find, plus a backup, before going out to lunch with a muggle friend.

I knew I wouldn’t have time to look after we had eaten, so made a point of setting off early to search. A frantic hour later, I still hand’t found either of my intended targets!

The only other non-trad hide which was on my GPS was 6 miles away (as the crow flies) but I thought it would be worth the 10-mile detour by road to pick it up – it was a Letterbox cache along The Essex Way. I know from experience that these are rarely difficult to find, so thought that was my best bet.

Letterbox Hide - Essex Way 245
Letterbox Hide – Essex Way 245

Thankfully, it was indeed an easy find! And I even had time to look for a couple of Infinson’s Number Caches nearby, before heading home to get changed into my posh togs for lunch. So only one more day to go!

Also, find number two today brought up my 900th cache since I started my geostreak on Day #1!