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Cailleach Bheur LbNA #58572

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 3, 2011
Location: Nicasio Reservoir
City:Nicasio
County:Marin
State:California
Boxes:1
Planted by:mandala
Found by: geckonia
Last found:Jan 31, 2022
Status:FFF
Last edited:Jul 3, 2011
Cailleach Bheur



The Cailleach Bheur is the Scottish “Divine Hag”, though she is also known by other names elsewhere in the British Isles. She is also called Beira, the Queen of Winter, and mountains were formed from the rocks that dropped out of her apron as giant she took her large steps across the landscape. She formed a lake (Loch Awe) when she fell asleep accidentally at the mountaintop spring of Ben Cruachan, and the spring overflowed. Thus she is sometimes known as "The Witch of Ben Cruachan."
Haggish mountains such as Hag’s Head in Ireland are associated with her.
The destructive elementals viewed as Old Scottish women were called “Storm Hags,” named after her.
She is related to all those mountain realms from which the ferocity of Winter descends upon the lands below.
She is called “Black Annie” in the Dane Hills in Leicestershire, and on the Isle of Man those familiar with her call her, “The Old Woman of Gloominess.”
The word "cailleach" comes from the old Irish "caillech" for "veiled one", which suggests a mysterious aspect to the Old Hag.
I like to think of The Cailleach as a Scottish version of Baba Yaga, the Slavic old Witch in the forest who lives in a house perched on Chicken Feet.

To find the old Crone, with her hoary and loathesome visage, sitting on her pile of bones, go to the Scottish Highlands at Nicasio Loch, and find the Scottish Cottage there out upon the Enchanted Isle. The place has lately been made famous by the presence of Nancy Drew, out on one of her sleuthing escapades with a Clue of Whistling Bagpipes. (See www.atlasquest.com for letterboxes with those names)
The hideous hag Cailleach was unable to locate Nancy and her Clue hiding in one of the nearby bushes, so she has decided to post herself upon a nearby mountaintop and, should the sleuth one day emerge, the Toothsome Hag will be conveniently located to swoop down upon the unsuspecting lass.

Sure the Cailleach
Doth screech
From her icy heights,
Hard for a mortal one to reach.
Approach in winter, the cold shall teach
You of her icy power there.
Then of damp and muck, beware!
Come in the summer,
It could be glummer,
With the isthmus pass
All stopped up with grass
The plants grow high
The ticks there do alight to ride
On any fool who in this swelt'ring heat
Comes now assailing by.

The warnings and disclaimers stated,
Your letterboxing desire hath not abated,
Ye would THE CAILLEACH FIND?!?!?!
Then within this rhyme
Seek the hidden design.

Turn back ye clock
And get thee to Nicasio Loch.
Seek there the Scottish Cottage
That dwells upon the Isle's east hill
Behind the Giant Rock.
If you find that dwelling,
Then align the dial to 67
And walk, alike, 67
Steps toward a rocky outcrop
Just at the crest of the hill
Covered with orange lichen.
From here
Look very near
4 to 6 paces at most
Til toward a 14 inch rock upon the ground
You be steered.
Tilt or lift this cover clear
To see where a screeching Witch
May be duly found.
There the Cailleach, marvelously loathesome
Buried like an earthbound toad
Is adequately stowed.

If the Cottage you have lost,
Then follow clues like Nancy Drew's.

From famed pullout on Nicasio Loch:
Shithouse trail straight ahead.
Obstructed Isthmus crossing.
(I did lop and hack a bit at it today
With garden shears...)
Giant Rock to left.
Hill beyond (left, southeastward) Giant Rock.
South/eastern part of hill, western crest.
Rocky outcrop with Orange Lichen atop.
Middle house at 98 degrees.
Telephone pole 40 degrees.
Highest peak on "Knuckle Mountain", distant to the west, 238 degrees.
Giant rock you passed before coming here 302 degrees.
14 inch rock on ground. Tilt or lift this door.
Then look under your feet
For the Cailleach!!

(It may be helpful, if she is buried tight, to use a small rock to dig out the hole to rebury her in. We wouldn't want her to stick out from under her rock....)

PS: WHile the Loathesome Hag Cailleach was out trying to hunt down Nancy Drew and her dratted Clue, she found a mysterious letterbox, with a stamp but no log, which was not listed on AtlasQuest or letterboxing.org. (Details are being here withheld to protect the identity of mystery.) If you know any unlisted boxes planted out on the Scottish Isle, please let the Old Crone know, she would be curious to find out what's going on here.