Geocache Memorial to Captain Lawrence Oates (17 March 1880 – 17 March 1912)
Multi cache to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Oates’ birth and death on 17 March 2012. The Oates’ Family home Meanwoodside stood in the grounds of what’s now Meanwood Park. Questions at each of the waypoints lead to the final cache.
Start at the new Oates Family Memorial.
STAGE1: On the memorial, in the roman numerals following the words “natus annos” how many “I”s are there?
Answer = A
From the car park, follow the tarmac path west to the beck and over the bridge
STAGE2: To the right of the bridge is a small weir. How many millstones with square holes are on the weir?
Answer = B
Directly after crossing the bridge, turn right and follow the beck upstream. About 100m on your left, you’ll see a monument to Lt. Col. Edwin Kitson Clark, Engineer, Archaeologist, and the next owner of Meanwoodside after the Oates family.
STAGE3: How many years did Edwin and Ina live at Meanwoodside?
Answer = CD
Continue to follow the beck upstream. After about 500m you’ll see a picturesque duck pond and waterfall behind it. There is a platform to feed the ducks in the middle.
STAGE4: How many planks make up the bench?
Answer = E
Cross the beck over the stone hump-backed footbridge. Turn left at the end of the bridge and follow the beck edge to a couple of steps that lead up through an archway in the wall. Turn left, and opposite the houses on Hustlers’ Row, you’ll find an out- building with windows made from bottles.
STAGE5: Look at the right hand window. What is the date on the bottle marked “G&J”?
Answer = FGHI
Cross the wooden footbridge to the left of this building and then turn right. Continue to follow the beck about 100m upstream. Climb the steps to the left, leading to a narrow path with the main beck to your right and a narrow drainage stream on your left.
Follow this path for few hundred metres. On the far side of the beck, look out for what’s left of an old iron gate covered in moss.
STAGE6: Look across the river at the gate. How many spikes on top?
Answer = J?
Ignore the bridge to the left heading uphill, but continue until you come to a bridge to the right, over a high weir. Turn right, and follow the track back, south through the woods.
STAGE7: On the sign, what number relates to the tennis courts?
Answer = K
Here in the Hollies, J.R.R. Tolkien was said to have walked the beech woods and craggy rocks, possibly providing inspiration for his trilogy Lord of The Rings. Tolkien lived in neighbouring West Park around 1925 when he spent five years as Professor of English Language at the University of Leeds.
STAGE8: Look for a faint Celtic symbol carved into a rock on the ground. How many points to the Symbol?
Answer = L
A small detour up the hill, and you’ll find the ground suddenly drops into an overgrown quarry. Looking down from the top, you can just make out the outline of what’s left of an old anti-aircraft battery from World War 2.
EXTRA: If you couldn’t find the Celtic Symbol, don’t worry,! There is an alternative clue for this answer. What is the last digit of the Park Watch phone number, divided by three?
Answer = L
The Final Cache can be found at:
N 53° (G*J) . (C+E-F) A K
W 1° (B+I) (J-K) . L D H
The tree cover means that the co-ordinates for the final are a little vague, however if you furtle about a bit and use the hint you shouldn’t have too many problems. Please do be discreet when retrieving the cache, and please carefully replace the cache and associated camouflage as found.
Return to the main path and continue to follow the stream back. You’ll come to Meanwood play park, with a great climbing wall and castle slide. It even has a grass-covered Hobbit hole (a nod to Tolkien, perhaps?!)
Hope you had a good walk. As you drive back along Green Road look out for the War Memorial on the left, at the end of Memorial Drive (about 100m before Waitrose). On the right hand gate post there is another plaque dedicated to Oates. This was also the site of the Lawrence Oates’ School, closed down in 1992 and replaced by Carr Manor School, just over a mile away.