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Squire's Castle LbNA #3884 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Blaze
Plant date:May 11, 2003
Location:
City:Willoughby Hills
County:Lake
State:Ohio
Boxes:1
Found by: The Tanner Turtle
Last found:May 26, 2013
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFm
Last edited:May 11, 2003
So sorry...
This letterbox was planted 10 years ago and relocated twice. Unfortunately, the last time I checked on it, it was missing. (The only evidence I could find was part of a ziplock bag around 10 feet from its former location : (

Repaired stamp + new log book: 03/06/09
Location: Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Reservation
Difficulty: Moderate; some hills
Distance: 3/4 to 1 mile

The structure known as Squire's Castle was originally intended to be the gatekeeper's lodge for the estate of Cleveland oil pioneer Feargus B. Squire. Built in the 1890's of Euclid Bluestone (quarried from the area that is now Euclid Creek Reservation), Squire used it in the early 1900's as a weekend retreat.

DIRECTIONS
Take I-90 to the Willoughby/Willoughby Hills exit; turn south on Rte. 91 (S.O.M. Center Rd.). Turn left (east) at the traffic light @ Rte. 6 (Chardon Road). You will pass the Willoughby Hills Fire Station on the left, then an entrance to the North Chagrin Reservation of the Metroparks on the right; keep going straight. At the next traffic light (junction 174) turn right. After going down a hill, you will soon see the sign for Squire's Castle Picnic Area on the right; turn in here. Drive past the pavilion on your right and towards the castle, leaving your car in the parking lot.

CLUES
Walk into the front door of the castle, up the steps and through the rooms to your left. Go out the door that faces to the southeast and down the steps; begin heading east on the paved walk. Near a standing dead tree to your right, hidden among foliage, is a set of stone steps. Walk down these steps and to your right past a bench, then over a small footbridge. When you reach pavement, turn to your left and follow the Squire's Lane trail (marked with a red salamander), beginning to the southwest.
After following the hairpin curve to the right up and around a hill, the path will level off and there will be an abrupt turn to the left. Follow this wide path up the long hill until you see a smaller unmarked trail forking off to the right along the edge of a deep ravine. (If you reach a signpost you've just missed it.) Follow this unmarked trail along the ravine. You might see a beech tree with "krash" on your right. Keep going right along the edge of the ridge. Shortly, you will reach an open clearing, with the path turning sharply to the right over the top of the ravine and a large fallen tree. Do not turn to the right, but keep walking straight ahead about 42 single steps at a reading of 340`, following a faint groove in the earth. Just before you reach a large old fallen log, look for a rather small standing tree to your right. On its right side is a hollow opening protected with sticks...

If you wish to do some additional hiking in this beautiful area, you may continue on the Squire's Lane (salamander) Trail and join one of the other trails, such as the Scenic Loop (white flower) or the White Pine Loop (pine tree).
Reverse back on the salamander trail to return to your car.