Geocaching around Baddesley Common

Following our last visit a few weeks ago to Baddesley Ensor we decided to return last weekend and do some more Geocaching in the area. Baddesley Common is located adjacent to the village of Baddesley Ensor and for centuries was the site of a colliery and to this day there is still evidence of the mining activities around the common.

Geocaching around Baddesley Common

On arriving at the common we saw two stone benches and a bird bath, each one was beautifully carved giving evidence of the mining history for the area.

Baddesley Common stone bench

Baddesley Common still has a huge amount of evidence from its industrial past and it is a shame to see quite a lot of it being consumed by nature and neglected. This was the main entrance to the colliery, now sealed up with a concrete slab. It is such a shame that the tunnel is not maintained and maybe opened for special guided tours.

Baddesley Colliery entrance

I managed to get a photograph through the small opening within the doorway and it looks beautiful inside with the red brick archway of the tunnel. It is a shame this has to be hidden away behind a concrete slab.

Baddesley Colliery entrance tunnel

Next to the old entrance to Baddesley Colliery we found one of our first Geocaches on the common. Quite fittingly the location was marked by an old rusty Miners lamp.

Baddesley Common miners lamp

Further along we discovered this beautiful bridge that was built to pass over the Baddesley colliery railway. We stopped for quite a long time here whilst having a picnic.

Baddesley Colliery railway bridge

I spent quite some time admiring the workmanship that had gone into the brickwork of the bridge. A fantastic relic of our industrial past and it is quite sad to see it being left to ruin.

Baddesley Colliery railway bridge brickwork

We had a great day walking around Baddesley Common and look forward to returning one day. The common is only 15 minutes away from where we live and I don’t think we would have ever visited it if it wasn’t for Geocaching.

Mick

Geocaching around the village of Baddesley Ensor

Wasn’t it a gorgeous weekend with a lovely Spring-like feel to it! On Saturday we decided to head for the village of Baddesley Ensor, near Grendon in Warwickshire for a spot of Geocaching. We parked up in the village and headed for the first of six rambles in the area.

Geocaching aound Baddesley Ensor

Ok, firstly for the negatives. There was an awful lot of dog mess about and all of it was right in the middle of the footpaths too, what is it with people? We were forever warning our son to be careful which made the walk a lot less enjoyable than it could have been. Also quite a lot of rubbish too, what should have been a lovely area was spoilt really and I had the impression that the walks were not very well maintained. Once upon a time the view from the area would have been wonderful but now a huge industrial park (Birch Coppice) has taken over and is a real blight on the landscape.

Footpaths around Baddesley Ensor

Quickly onto the positives! The owner of the Geocaches had made the effort to detail the history of the area. That is something I really love about Geocaching; most caches that are placed are in areas that mean something to the owners and in this case the owners had lived in the area of Baddesley Ensor and wanted to share the history. If you ignored the stain of Birch Coppice industrial park, there are some nice views; this one looking over a freshly ploughed field particularly got my attention (this is looking in the opposite direction to the Industrial park.

Baddesley Ensor - Near to Birch Coppice industrial park

We came across some unusual sights on our walk; we have seen this one quite often whilst Geocaching and that is a pointless stile (i.e. the hedge or fence has been removed leaving the stile all on its own). Every time we come across something like this we are always tempted to still climb over it!

Pointless country stile

Then there was this Graveyard, but no church and in the middle of nowhere (surrounded by fields). I bet this place is a bit creepy at night!

Baddesley Ensor graveyard

So that was our ramble around Baddesley Ensor, there was nothing really to show you regarding the caches themselves but we will be back to finish the other walks in the area at some point.

Mick