Keeping busy: The First izaacwilson loop! - Photo heavy!

I hadn't intended on doing a lot of Geocaching this week... shows you how wrong you can be!

I had dropped my Anticaching OH at my parents for a driving lesson with my mother, and they planned to be out all day. I had bought lots of work to do to get on with while they were out, but the moment I sat down the sun began to shine... Who am I to resist?!

I checked up on a cache of mine (GC4QHGH Stamford and Deepings' Canal - Not Another Tree) after it was reportedly stuck in the tree trunk. A lot of fiddling, and a fear of loosing my arm 127-hours style in the tree trunk and I had retrieved it, but it couldn't go back where it was! I've relocated it to a new tree.

Izaacwilson's West Deeping and Back series had been published a little while ago, which dismayed me slightly - it took a lot of the route I was going to use for the Stamford and Deepings' Canal, but I should have got there sooner! I've since spoken to Izaac, and he's happy for me to direct Stamford and Deepings' Canal walkers along his route.

With the sun shining and my Geodog eager to go (for once!), we set off and started with #14. Ironically, I had stood at GZ earlier today on my way back from my maintenance run and idly looked, knowing there was a cache somewhere here but not properly knowing what I was looking for or where it was. Now I knew, it was a quick find. We were joined by a red kite here soaring directly above us (and very low!) but I just wasn't quick enough with my camera to catch it.

I know this walk well and it's a pleasant one. We quickly pick up #13 and #12 along the route the dog regularly walks. From here, we join the path of the canal (which is why the field moves in a strange, curvy route) and there are more quick finds.

Coming towards Tallington, the farmer has set up a small wooded area; when we used to walk this walk regularly, there was often a gentleman with two small, pitbull-esque dogs who we eventually reported to the police for harassment; he used to follow my mother and myself around the field making horrible sexual comments or shouting abuse. It's the main reason we stopped walking it. I have no idea if he's still around, but I thankfully didn't encounter him today. I did, however, find the first caterpillar I've seen this year!

From here I cut across the field (naughty! But it's not being used at the moment) to the railway line. The new boards here say that they are eliminating the footpath across the line entirely (a path that has been temporarily disabled for 2 years) and making the permissive footpaths permanent. About time they did something!

At the next cache (#7) is one of my favourite local curiosities, a camouflaged ladder!

One of the local farms tells me it's a hide for shooting from. He's probably right. There's a lot of animal traps around here too. The Geodog likes the bridge, but not the water; she's not a great fan but wants a drink. In the end, her fear wins out and she gives up trying to reach over the bridge to the water.

This is the first point I really experience any trouble with the Geodog too. She won't get over the stile! In the end I lift her over, but she objects greatly to this and ensures that I'm aware of it.

This part of the walk is one of my favourites. I love the river here, but the field usually houses sheep. I wonder where they are over the winter? The dog gets down to the river here, but the ground it's as secure as she thinks and she ends up shoulder deep in water, which put her off the entire mission! She also ended up covered in mud, which she hates....

 ... But not as much as she hated being stuck in the mud at #3!

She waded around in the water while I signed the log, and then found she had sunk and couldn't get herself out! I was worried that I would have to wade in myself and pull her out, but thankfully she worked herself free before it came to it. The field in between #2 and #3 usually has cattle in, but again they're not here today. Again, I had to physically lift the dog over the stile here, but only because she was too lazy to jump over it; most dogs should manage it, both big and small.

This joins the route of the canal again, and while the rain has been so heavy the canal itself has re-flooded. and the footpath walks along the old towpath, with the river on one side and the canal on the other.

It was a lovely walk and I enjoyed it, and although the caches will pull people in to walk it (which is great!), they're not exceptional and become very predictable. It would be nice to see some variety in the containers Nevertheless, it's a nice series and I look forward to putting it to good use alongside my own caches! :)

-RFF
-Finds Today: 14
-Total Finds: 340