Langdown Kiln? (Canterbury) Staveley, South Island, New Zealand
By Team chelmo on 06-May-06. Waypoint GCVWNN

Fun we slippery walk with the kids, found the cache, left a beautiful gift for next cache hunters who dear to explore this beautiful place filled with history

Even thoT.C. are not in the game this is still active
I ran the gauntlet of bees and then a wet slippery track to make the find
I had read the previous log and replaced boh the container and log
Hats off ro the men who worked in prlnltive conditions out in back blocks like this.
Thanks
erninz

Nice to finally turn this one into a smiley, now I know why I couldn't find it last time, it was above my height level, thank goodness I had a tall companion to help with that. Not the best day for caching it was drizzling and we got wet trousers, socks and shoes but it is a lovely spot to come to. Unfortunately the log is completely saturated, and couldn't be signed I have photo evidence if the CO wants it. Needs maintenance.

This geocacher reported that there is a problem with this cache.

Cache full of water log is mush play doh is fine. Worth a visit. Unfortunately we do not the container lid is cracked and will need some maintenance

One of those caches that I've never quite got around to grabbing..whenever I was in the area never enough time for the detour. After a FTF up on the Pinnacles track I had a bit of time to grab a few wayward caches in the area. Parked up and then walked up the road and along the track. towards the kiln. As mentioned by a previous cacher you pass by within 15m of 20 odd beehives....not too much of a problem but this time of year plenty of clover & buttercup with bee's hoving everywhere.....Not sure if it was an angry bee or a wayward bee but they thoroughly disproved of me and stung me on the lower calf (when I was adjacent to the hives!). Plucked him off and hurried on least the millions caught a sniff of the defence signal and swarmed/'attacked' me!.......Kiln pretty darn cool. Managed to quickly find and sign. Cheers. Walked out with no problem........but as mentioned; if you are allergic - watch out!!!

Awesome, due to recent logs for this, gave bit more clue. Last and first visit out here spent a fair bit of time looking for it. In fact I also got to the point of standing on it. But very glad to have found it this time.


Awesome !!!!!!

Found eventually.tftc

I'm pretty sure it will still be there.
You don't need to stand in the big puddle in front of the entrance to find it.
The cache is further back from the entrance now on the right.

Edit to add I will check on the cache to confirm it is there.

Hunted for a while. Quite wet in front of entrance. Looked top right looked top left, got bitten by sand flies.

What a great place! Wouldn't have known it was there if it wasn't for a cache. Sadly we couldn't find it - 3 pairs of eyes looking. I'm sure we were in the right area. Perhaps it was dislodged/washed away in the recent heavy rain? Had a very good look for about 20 minutes. The entrance to the mine was ankle deep in muddy water.

TFTC What an amazing place! Our Jr Cacher thought it was a castle!

Hint the entrance is at the bottom of the structure down an overgrown track

Amazing place

Managed to find the cache after a search around the hint area only to find it near the hint area. Cheers for the smiley

To get to GZ you have to pass within 20 meters of 52 bee hives that are not fenced off (I was under the impression that they are supposed to be fenced off if next to public access) it may be prudent to take a epi pen if you need one.

It's like a castle. Love it. As always in NZ, history that is over looked and forgotten about. Tftc

What a great find. Such a short stroll but for someone that is a smoker and so unfit coming back up the side of the kiln was some hard yakka. Nevertheless it was all well worth it for the cache, the history and the amazing views. Tftc

One of those caches just of the beaten path that u usually leave for another day well this was the day so out for a Sunday morning drive and stroll. After last nights rain my feet were soaked before reaching gz wasn't to keen on getting to close to the bee hives on the way down.
Came prepared and replaced log and removed old one and all the soaked contents. Cache was hanging in open veiw so re hid after signing still on the right just not visible p and gs for the rest of the day I think tftc

Quite a walk up then down to this thing, but I was not disappointed.. The cache was a very easy find. Unfortunately the logbook is completely drenched and needs to be replaced..

Found at 10:15 AM - #5553

TFTC

nice quick cache. log book a bit wet tho. Had been to kilns before so I decided we should check the geocache out.

Just saw this forgotten log in my gps geocaching finds txt file, been caching by phone more recently.
Yea, it was soaked as mentioned by everyone below. We enjoyed the walk in the area. TFTC.

Cool

Awesome

cache very wet, paper pulp. very sorry normally bring spare note books, but not today. thee mole.

been meaning to do this cache for a while, did it on the first cold day of the year. been to many limestone kilns around the country but none as grand as this one, and in quite a remote spot. nb if you are allergic to bees, don't visit. there are a lot of beehives here. cache needs maintence, very wet, paper pulp. sorry didn't bring a spare note book. tftc.

Went to show MacPacDad the area as I had found this cache 3 years ago. Cache container found at bottom of door area in puddle and full of water. Everything inside sopping wetand rusty. Didn't have caching kit with me for maintenance sorry.

Our last day of a weekend staying an Methven. Decided to cycle around the around Methven walkway. After that we headed up to the waterfall walk and then here to check out the kiln. Lots of bees as we headed past the hives down the hill. They weren't interested in us though. Thanks for bringing us here. Wasn't expecting such an impressive structure. The cache containeyr really needs replacing as it's not keeping the cache dry.

Log too soggy to write on. Left a piece of paper in there, but it will no doubt get soggy too.

Easy find, in plain view TFTC.

Thanks for bringing us to these kilns, quite enjoyable to see. The cache is soaking wet, didn't try and open the book. Tftc

Found but full of water

The cache was full of water and the logbook is saturated. I drained the water out but it does need some TLC.

We spoke to the landowner on the way to the kiln and she seemed rather annoyed to see us but on our return we chatted for longer and she was friendly enough. I guess when DOC suddenly tell you that you need to allow public access onto your property, it can be frustrating. Luckily we timed our visit to avoid the cows being put into the paddock and the bees left us alone as well. The cache itself is very very wet, we couldn't sign the logbook (we did try) and it is in urgent need of maintenance. We did enjoy our visit to this kiln, it was surprisingly large; the work that went into the construction of this must of been immense. Cheers for bringing us to this spot Team chelmo.

Quite an impressive structure designed to slake the lime and make cement. The log is in bad repair and needs attention for this is a very interesting place to visit. How heart breaking it must have been to find the coal was not suitable.

Great to have a walk after a bit of a drive from the city. cache was very wet.

Really muddy, then the insides of the container were really wet

Really muddy, then the insides of the container were really wet

Was very wet. Found with mctaguma

What a great place, and in such good condition too. Cant say the same for the cache but. Found on the ground, and was damp, with a slimy logbook. Thanks for the hide.

Slimy logbook, didn't have any spares with me.

ZH & Blondie invade NZ 2012!

Our 38th find in NZ, 9th of day 4

Top location. Th owner wasn't to impressed about us visiting but i guess that happens when you have a quality landmark on/near your property. Soggy feet but still a worthy vote getter, next time hopefully more time to fossick a little more!

TFTC

Nice easy find thanks

Snowed on walking down to the kilns, walked to entrance and sighted cache, walked along old rail tracks as very muddy. Logbook is bit wet but writeable great place for a cache thanks

A raging wind, a peaceful spot, a flat tyre and a cache found
Thanks

masohold found for me, went in bare feet=not a good idea oops TFTC

Thank you for taking me here - had been holding this for a while and glad I came to see this history

Cruising with BaldEd collecting additional caches after Pinnacles west of Mt Somers. Pleased to have waterproof hiking boots. That mud-water pongs! These historic old places must have lots of untold, fascinating stories. TFTC

Last find of the first day caching around the Methven area. This was a really interesting spot. Our favourite caches are these historic ones. The GPS had us a few metres out but the clue helped. TFTC

Great cache! Now if we could just do away with the mud, sand flies, bees, electric fence and extreme un-fitness it would be perfect. Am a local but have never been here, thanks.

One of the most adventourous caches, GZ is muddy and slippery, access to cache is overgrown, had to stradle a electric fence, great hide fascinating history.
The other kiln is not accesible, DOC sign posted, dangerous/closed? TFTC

DNF

Ha - this was no morning misty rain for us like the last cacher who had been here, this was pouring rain! Was a cool place to visit, thanks for bringing us here, now to dry out the hiking boots that went "squelch, squerch" for the rest of the day! Ended up being a very wet The Lost Scout and LittleTuiBird but so worth the walk!

This entry was edited by LittleTuiBird on Monday, 23 January 2012 at 08:38:35 UTC.

Great history lesson on an area I knew well. Thanks.

Got absolutely soaked walking through the long wet grass and wildflowers in early morning misty rain. The result was another fantastic area that I would have never found if it wasn't for geocaching.

Easy find.

Did this one right at dusk. Sky was lovely. Snow on the ground. And a nice hide. Cheers Gav [9718]

Forgot the camera which is a pity as the kniln was very cool. Hard to believe they built them in places like this. Took a while to find the cache but it was obvious in the end.

awesome, hope the builder made zillions for the effort.

This is a wonder to find this man made object where it is

Bit of a challenge for Mrs Hotspud who always struggles with hills - whew! - built for comfort, not speed!! Found cache, SL. The grass was full of daisy flowers (Neat!) and also a few crops of thistles (not so neat!) Also a very windy day. TFTC.

We had more trouble following the right path markers than the cache itself.TFTC

The cattle were watching us carefully. What an interesting place. A bit worried about going through the wire around the site but all was well. TFTC

I was encouraged by the comments on a log on GCTEH1 to come and try to find this one. A nice walk on a not too slippery day. Inetersting structure too. Nice one, TFTC, Biggles.

Very easy find, good one for kids. Amazing location looks more like medieval or middle earth watch tower.

(558) Another cache I forgot to log, Never thought that would happen.. Anyways awesome spot and great bit of history, TFTC, SL.

Good interesting location, track a little slippery with ice and mud, but good fun. Soon found the cache. SL TFTC

Wow thats what I love about geocaching - going to place's I would never have known about otherwise - awesome place for a cache -took keyring left peg person - really showed up our lack of fitness finding this one haha

Typical for us Wombles we went down the more difficult way,and came back on a pathway we hadn't noticed.An interesting place for sure.TFTC

The track was quite slippery as had rained during the night. Easy find once I looked in the right place. Be careful of the wire across the path.TFTC

Found easily by James without a GPS while I searched in the wrong place with one!! We stopped in here on the way to Lake Heron Station where we rented a cottage for New Years Eve. What an adventure!!! Had a really nice cup of coffee at the Staveley Cafe and bumped into Lynda Topp (one half of the Topp Twins) who autographed a commemorative tour book for us (I think you can buy these at the cafe). The kilns were interesting and in lovely surroundings, and worth the detour off the main road to check them out.
- carabina
+ NZ rugby ball keyring

A very big structure way back in the hills. It must have been a busy place in its time. TFTC

This was an interesting location that I never even knew about. Thanks for taking me there. I enjoyed the location so much, and it was getting dark, so I totally forgot to search for the cache. Cheers, Donovan

I've been to this area before, and went to the other kiln. Didn't know this one was here until now. This is probably the more interesting of the two. TFTC.

There was a southerly change on the way and rain was beginning to make think about finding warm shelter. Lots of Kowhai in flower on the way to the site. No trouble finding the cache. Stavely village was looking very attractive with plenty of daffodils in flower.

Another interesting kiln. The track is certainly a bit wet at present. TFTC

Found this cache with my personal travel bug Ice Age Scrat along our 3 moths trip around the whole New Zealand,
11:50
Today's 4. cache, TFTC & take me to this interesting place

Thanks for taking us to a to a place we wouldn't normally go to.

Nice spot we probably wouldnt have normally gone to!
Kiwi-Springbok

Found it!

This is one of those places we would never have known to visit without geocaching. Very striking stucture and sweet little hideout.NINO

Interesting one!

A great example of a kiln. Nice hide too, thanks.

Introduced father to Geocaching, he seemed to enjoy finding this one. Luke brought me here last year, but we weren't members then. First find for the year. Still haven't looked at the other one. Shame there is no information on the Kiln. Great day to be exploring, i think we got sun burnt.

Enjoyed revisiting this interesting spot with others and getting some more photos.

Found with some fellow cachers. Impressive drop off the end wall, and nicely hidden cache. TFTC

Last of the day and what a day it has been. Time out from Great Southern Sleepover event. Thanks for bringing me here and the history lesson. - geocoin

Interesting place. Left geocoin that wants to go to historic places. TFTC

Awesome structure. A couple of the wall stones look a bit unstable, wouldnt want to be doing the cache during an earthquake. Nice spot

Another interesting bit of history we may not have found if it had not been for caching.
TFTC

Interesting spot. Found with simpsonsrgr8.
TFTC

slippery when wet is right.

Was raining earlier in the day and the track was very wet. Easy enough find though, but very muddy shoes now.

Good spot for a few photos.

TNLN

Judging by the track there obviously has not been a drought around here. I was happy to have my boots on.
No exchanges.

After reading the comments, we should have found this easily, but no. Perhaps we will return at another time when we have alittle more time.

Yet another huge Cantab.kiln.Track a little hard to spot,but found after a brief search and cache located easily.Good interest cache.T clip pen/L smiley face

Incredible the amount of work that must have gone into building these great kilns.
Quick find TN/ Left snap lock clip. TFTC.

Had been to this spot before but didn't know about other kiln so walked there as well today. Kilns are amazing structures. Path was quite overgrown today and looked rather as if no one wanted you to go there as you couldn't see the markers as they were below the level of the grass. Good job we had been here before as we may have been discouraged. Don't be put off, it is a great place to visit. Found cache with ease, it was rather easy to spot, hope we have hidden it now.
- karabiner, gem stone
+ china doll, dice set
TFTC

Found it! TFTC.

What an impressive structure. I guess the fact that it got used so little helped keep it in pristine condition. Zeroed to the right of the track on the way down, which made for a lot of searching before finally giving up and reading the clue. Thanks for the cache, and the excuse to visit. TNLN.

Bit of a walk in the mud and drizzle and with terrible shoes! However, beautiful location and I had NO idea this was here. Thank you for showing me.