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Celtic Tales LbNA #11453

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Oct 7, 2004
Location:
City:Needham
County:Norfolk
State:Massachusetts
Boxes:6
Planted by:Dragonfly
Found by: TallDave & ThimbeLinda
Last found:Apr 10, 2015
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFa
Last edited:Dec 11, 2015
Find the "Gateway to the Needham Town Forest" on Central St. in Needham, diagonally across from the Needham Town Dump. Park your car near the pond.



Clues: Start by taking the trail/road to the right of the information board. You may want ot check out the trail map here, or you can get a copy from the town park and rec department. Follow this trail past the pond. The red trail will intersect with the main road after the pond, take the red trail to the right. Follow this trail past the tree infirmary. Follow the red trail till it intersects with a road/trail. Cross the road diagonally to the left, and take the small trail leading off there. (It is not the red trail) Follow this unmarked trail into the valley of dead trees. At the intersection with the dead tree, stay to the right. The trail will start to be marked by yellow blazes. Follow this trail till a T intersection with a road/trail. Turn left and walk till you come to a Y intersetion. Take the trail at 180degrees. Walk between the rock outcroppings. After the rocks a dead tree is lying parallel to the trail. Walk to the middle of the dead tree and look left off trail. See the tree with an alcove near its base? Remove the rocks and leaves to reveal "The Eagle of Loch Treig" letterbox. The stamp was inspired by the story of the same name. After stamping in, make sure to rehide carefully in the same spot. (You will need your own ink for this one.) Continue on the trail the way you were going. You will come to another intersection, stay to the left. The trail will curve off to the left, and be marked blue blazes. One hint about this forest, someone put minature birdhouses on many of the trees, most of them have a colored roof, this color corresponds with the trail color. When two trails are running concurrently, the birdhouse roofs are also two colors! (You might want to look for the Birdhouse LB too, or Pennybags by Choi). Soon the trail will curve and you will have to walk on some logs and exposed roots through a very swampy area. Shortly after the swampy area you will cross over a small brook.You will then come to a four-way intersection. Take a left here, and cross over three areas with wood plank crossings. Just before the third one notice the large wasp nest hanging from the tree on the left. Go over the third plank crossing, and just at the end count 50 steps/ 25 paces on trail to a 6-7ft tall hollow tree stump on the left side of the trail. "The Raven and the Serpent" letterbox resides in the main trunk. This stamp image was inspired by the story "The Battle of the Birds." Please rehide well. Continue on the trail the way you were going after stamping in, until the trail ends at a T intersection. Go right on yellow trail. At the next intersection you will see the blue trail go off to the right. Continue straight, where the yellow and blue trails are running concurrently. Right after the intersection you will see a two-tone birdhouse (yellow and blue roof) Directly across trail from this house on the right hand side, about 8 steps off trail you will find a hollow stump. Inside the hollow you will find the "Mermaids" Letterbox. Continue on in the same direction after this stamp. At the next intersection take a leftt on blue trail. Then at next intersection of yellow and blue take a left. Stay straight on this rail for awhile. Right before the trail bends to the left, look to your right and look at the tree and rock formation that looks almost like a teeter totter. On the oppposite side on the trail walk25 steps at 208 degrees off trail and up a small rocky hill. There is a rock formation to your right and an upturned tree root mass at the back side of the hill. Take 16 steps at 180 degrees (South)to a tree growing out and up from teh boulder formation. Notice the space under the large root on the left hand side of the tree. The "Coldfeet and Lonesome Island" LB is in this space, pushed in a crevice back and to the right, behind some stones. Be careful not to push the bo back too far please. From here continue on blue trail. Next you will come to an intersection with the white trail. The trail is marked both blue and white in both directions. Take a left, there is a brush pile in this direction right now, don't know how long it will be there for. At yet another intersection take a left. Shortly this white trail/road will intersect with the red trail. Continue straight on the white Trail/road. Around 55 steps from this intersection on your right will be a large rock formation gong uphill. Walk 22 paces at 280 degrees up to the top of the hill and go to the tree directly to the right of the rock formation. Turn around and sit with your back to this tree, looking back toward the direction you came from. Right on your right hand side now is two rocks forming a V shape. Lift up the left hand rock and the box is under the right and rock. This box is called "The Leeching of Kayn's Leg" Please put back the rocks in the v formation you found them in so the clues are still correct for the boxers after you! Now go back onto the trail and back track to the intersection with the red trail. Take a left onto the red trail. You will follow this trail for quite awhile. There will be other trails that branch off, just stay on the red trail in all intersections. The first wounded tree you will see on your left. Directly behind this tree and somewhat down hill, you will find a lot of dead tree logs, but also two live trees. Go to the further of the two trees, and on the backside of the tree, you will find your last letterbox under a suspicious looking pile of rocks. This stamp is also from the "Battle of the Birds", and is entitled "The Giant's Daughter." Please rehide well under the rocks. Hope you enjoyed your Celtic Tale trail.Happy Hunting