Trains and Tadpoles is a great spot and the cache is placed in accordance with the GAGB guidelines and agreement with the Forestry Commission so please check out the New Forest Guidelines and stick to the rules so that we can continue to cache within the borders of the New Forest National Park.
Our first cache is located here, one of our favourite places in the New Forest, particularly with our children, and we wish to share it with you. The cache was placed in winter... but at certain times of the year you may wish to take a jam jar with you and a fishing net, so the children can fun in the best tadpole pond we know!
The cache is situated nearby our Tadpole pond, but please be aware the pond is deep - so when you are searching fot the cache - don't leave the kids unsupervised!
This pond was not built for tadpoles though, it was built here alongside the main railway line from Waterloo to the South Coast to provide passing steam trains with water, when the track was first established.
Nowadays trains pass the pond reguarily, and the drivers often beep to say Hello (there is unmanned pedistrian crossing just up from the pond) - there is always a train to wave too... you may be lucky and catch the driver waving back, from here or the nearby bridge!
We haven't given directions to the Cache, as we feel there are many different ways in - you can walk or cycle from Roundhill Campsite, walk in via Ladycross Estate (NO CARS), take your bike or walk from the Standing Hat car park, or if you fancy a longer walk follow the cycle trail from Matley Wood. You can get to within about 1/4 mile of the cache on gravel tracks, the last bit can get a little muddy as the last 1/4 mile is on a grassy path.
When the Cache was placed it contained - a fantastic multi colour flashy light, some bubbles, a cute cuddly beaver, an unusual collectors train memorabella badge, a personalised find it first badge, a I wish I found it first badge, a set of six New Forest postcards complete with pen and stamps - so you can write home...
We would really appreciate it if you could swap with similar value items, and quality - our children are disappointed at some cache contents - it is a largish narrow container, so please bring something appropriate. Travel bugs and Geocoins welcome!
Congratulation to Seekingsalters - who Found it First on the 1st Day of 2009!
Please note - approach the cache with care - we were notified on the 28th August 2013 that "There is a hornets nest at the base of nearby tree - take care if you have children searching for the 'treasure'." We don't want to close the cache... so please be careful!
2022 - Original case container is no longer here, but we have updated it with a new box and it is still going!