I've got a lot of miles to walk this year, if you've read my post 2017 the Year Ahead you'll know why, but in case not I'm walking 2500 miles this year to raise money for charity so taking the family out for our first geocaching of 2017 on the 2nd Jan (yeah I'm a day late posting) was a great way to add to those miles.
First Geocaching of 2017
Packing our bags with a few snacks and a flask of hot chocolate, the perks of cold winter walking, we headed out from our house and off into the freezing air of Milton Keynes our destination an estate known as Bancroft Park, where there are a few geocaches located, as well as some pretty areas and an old roman villa. The area used to form part of my old patch as it goes so is quite familiar to me.
The walk to the area was well over a mile, but once we arrived we started our first geocaching of the new year pretty quickly.
Pointing out a Robin
After a few moments of wandering around we realised we needed to push our way through the bushes (well we could have walked around but sometimes a short cut is needed), we were in the location of our first real hunt, while Zoe and bubs searched the nearby tree roots I admired a stunning male Bullfinch that was perched quite close (always the way when you don't have your camera gear with you) but it wasn't long before the girls returned with our first find of the new year.
Searching for the First Cache
Our First find of 2017
Cache No. 2
Wandering along the sounds of winter thrush could be heard all around as Redwing and Fieldfare flew through the brilliant blue skies above us, Robins and Dunnock sang from every sunlit perch and everything seemed right with the day as we walked off in search of cache number 2 for the day.
It wasn't long till we arrived at the location for number 2, as the clue suggested holly was growing all around and large rocks bordered our path, finding a small hole my daughter shoved her hand deep inside pulling out the small clip lock box that held this treasure, and cache 2 was soon in our possession, when things go this well you feel unstoppable.
a muddy hand after grabbing Cache 2
Winter trees looking bare in the cold sun
Our third cache of the day was in a more exposed area, nestled within bushes near a rather public location (no clues sorry), and while a walk away from number 2 it wasn't long till Zoe's eagle eyes had found the small key box and we were signing off ready for number 4.
First Geocaching of 2017.
Pin Me.
A Brilliant Mistake
Cache 4, our next target proved to be a stumbling box, walking through the river valley we duly followed the little arrow on our Geocaching app as it pointed us up stream, arriving close to the location we began to search when it dawned on Zoe that although close a rather impassible item blocked our route, yup, you guessed it we were on the wrong side of the river!
Frustratingly close but too far to walk back around quickly we sat down to enjoy a hot chocolate by the waterside, and while sat warming up with the sweet liquid we were joined by a stunning Kingfisher, at first flying past Zoe in a hurry then slowly hopping from perch to perch down the river occasionally sitting so still that the bright orange and blue would almost vanish, and amazing experience yet another frustrating one when you only have a small camera and not your wildlife gear with you!
Zoe as realisation dawns
A Cold Bubs warming up with Hot Chocolate
Giving Up
With the coldness of the day setting in we decided to give up the geocaching for the day and began our trek home, crossing the wooden boardwalk that leads you over the water then across the valley, and where Bubs decided she would pose and strut her catwalk stuff offering her best Zoolander impressions, and on past the roman ruins that take pride of place within the small parkland area.
Bubs posing on her makeshift catwalk
Roman Ruins
Brilliant Blue Skies
Not our longest walk (5.7 miles) or our most successful geocaching day (3 found) but still a lovely walk, in an area we haven't cached before and well worth the effot.
Other Photos
Just a few more photos of the little lady.
Bubs chatting to mom (No she doesn't wear gasses, but likes her geek chic look)
A smiling portrait
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