Miltons Walk Traditional Cache
Long Man: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache, I'm archiving it.
Andy
Long Man
Volunteer UK Reviewer - Geocaching.com
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This is a regular cache hidden on Milton Dog`s daily walk on Malling Down Nature Reserve in Lewes,East Sussex.
You will find car parking available at the top of Mill Road,which is off the A26 Lewes to Uckfield road,cordinates N50 52.982 E000 01.289.
We placed this cache along Miltons favourite walk.He loves to chase rabbits up here and who knows,maybe you will see him when you pay the site a visit!
Obviously dogs are very welcome in the Reserve but there is livestock in various areas so please be a responsible dog owner and put your dog on a lead where neccessary.
There are goats roaming free around the cache site and they are rather partial to carrots and potato peelings so feel free to get rid of all your vegetable scraps here!.
The hunt takes you through Malling Down Nature Reserve which is part of the larger Lewes Downs Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Butterflies such as the rare Adonis Blue live on the warm south-facing slopes where the grass is short,and the food plant of the Adonis caterpillar,Horseshoe Vetch,grows.May and August are the best time to see the butterflies.The Adonis Blue is restricted to the warm chalk grassland of the south.The Adonis caterpillars feed on this Horseshoe Vetch(a member of the pea family)and are then taken into the underground nests of ants.In exchange for a sugary liquid produced by the Adonis caterpillars,the ants offer protection from predators.The caterpillars "sing" to pacify them.
The green gleam of the Glow-worm lights up part of the Reserve on warm summer nights.Glow-worms are really beetles which prefer living on warm banks in longish grass where they hunt for snails.
After the war a decline in sheep grazing allowed scrub,a mixture of trees and bushes,to take over parts of Malling Down.This scrub casts deep shade and adds nutrients to the soil.The thin,nutrient poor soils are the reason for the huge variety of plants (up to 35) in a square metre of chalk grassland.Today sheep graze once more in Malling Down,fighting the battle against scrub.
We have given the terrain a 2.5 difficulty rating as most of the hunt is on a climb up the downs.This climb is steady and not too difficult but you might be puffing a bit by the time you reach the cache site!We havent given a hint as the hiding place should be obvious enough!
If you enjoy the outstanding views over Lewes on the way up to the cache site then you might want to make this a circular walk.Carry on along the path you were on,keeping the fence close to your left and after going through the next gate take the gate immediately on the left which takes you up and over the top of the hill to a dew pond.Stop here to admire the spectacular views over the Weald towards the North Downs.You should then be able carry on down the hill to navigate your way back to the car park.You are free to roam all over Malling Down so why not explore and zig-zag your way back!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)