The Four Provinces LbNA #6275 (ARCHIVED)
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Oct 17, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Brandywine |
| County: | Prince George's |
| State: | Maryland |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Found by: | girlguides (4) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Nov 2, 2003 |
| Status: | F |
| Last edited: | Oct 17, 2003 |
Box status: Boxes pulled 11/7/04. Not sure if they are going to return.
The Four Provinces
Placed October 17, 2003 by Celtic Pride
Patuxent River Park/Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince George’s County, MD
4 boxes in a 2 mile loop, terrain is easy in most spots, some rocky hills/gullies. Very popular horse trail (watch your step!)
Directions to park:
Take the DC beltway to either Rt. 50 or Rt. 4 east to Rt. 301 south. Head past Upper Marlboro to Brandywine. Turn left at the light Croom Road. Turn left onto Croom Airport Road (there is a sign for the park, but you come up on it fast). The park will be on your about 1.5 miles on your left. There is a permit requirement (a daily fee) - pick one up at the Visitor’s Center. For PG County residents you can get a year’s pass for $5/year.
Directions to trail:
You can pick up a trail map at the Visitor’s Center (recommended), although it isn’t the best one in the world. The trails can be slightly confusing as all of them aren’t shown on the map, and they aren’t color coded. Drive from the Visitor Center back towards the entrance. We started our adventure at the junction of 4 trails near the “Horse Crossing” sign. There is a grassy parking area nearby on the right side of the road. From the parking area, take the first trail on your left.
These 4 stamps fit together in a 4”x4” image.
Munster
The province of Munster is the southwestern portion of the beautiful country of Ireland. There are many popular places to visit, including the Ring of Kerry and Dingle in Co. Kerry, and the otherworldlyness of the Burren in Co. Clare. There are a couple of stories as to how the provincial flag of Munster, 3 gold crowns on a sea of blue, is said to have come about. The first is that the 3 crowns was a popular symbol throughout medieval Europe and was a depiction of the 3 Wise Men. Another story is the surviving 3 sons of Milesius, who had conquered Ireland in a one of a wave of conquests, shared the kingship of the realm. As they had travelled over the sea to get to Ireland, thus the 3 crowns on a sea of blue.
As you walk down the path, pass a tree eating a white “Managed Hunting Area” sign on the left of the trail. Pass over a culvert. Soon there will be a beaver pond on your left. Look for evidence of the tallest beaver around! Continue walking and on your right, you will spy a naked tree leaning onto a double “V” tree. From the base of the naked tree, walk 40 steps to a double trunked tree on your left. From this tree, take a reading of 217 degrees and walk 8 steps to another double trunked tree. The first province is hidden in the tree.
Connacht
The province of Connacht is the mid-western portion of the country. It contains the lovely city of Galway, the gorgeous green marble of Connemara, along with the Shrine at Knock, and beautiful Kylemore Abbey. The story of the design of the Connacht provincial flag, a black eagle on a field of white on one half and a man’s arm holding a drawn sword on a field of blue on the other, is that it is a derivation of a similar style from an Irish monastery in Germany. It is a combination of the Imperial Arms, and a family dynastic crest of the O’Briens, who patronized the monastery.
Continue down the path, which will turn to sand and rock for a time. Soon there will be the “Cliffs of Moher” on your left. Head up the rugged, rooted “Hills of Connemara”. In a while, you will pass a twisted double pine tree on your left. You will come to an intersection - take the path at 99 degrees. There will be lots of discarded bottles on your right as you head down the path. You’ll soon pass an old bed on your right and an old TV on your left. The path will head down hill. At the second intersection, go straight, and the path will head back up hill. You will see a group of 7 trees grouped together on your left with a 6 trunked tree close ahead on the left and a 5 trunked tree a few feet further. The second province in that trunks of the 5 trunked tree.
Ulster
The province of Ulster is the northern part of the country - most being “Northern Ireland” (NI). It is considered by many to be the most gorgeous part of the country. It contains the beautiful coastline of Sligo and Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and the fascinating Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The Ulster flag, a red right hand in a field of yellow, crossed by a stripe of orange, has a great story. It is said that in one of the invasions of Ireland, the leader of one invading group promised something great to the first man to touch land with his right hand. The winner, a left handed man, proceeded to cut off his right hand and toss it onto the shore.
Continue down the path and across the road. Pass a trail head marker and continue straight. You will soon see an ancient cement mixer off to your left. To find Ulster you must triangulate its position. You will need to go off trail to get to the correct spot. From the box’s position, the cement mixer is at 66 degrees and the trail head marker you just passed is at 12 degrees. Good luck!
Leinster
The province of Leinster is the eastern portion of the country. As you travel south from NI, you’ll pass through Dublin, Wicklow, Kilkenny, and Wexford. The Leinster provincial flag, also known as the Green Flag, is the former national flag of Ireland. It was flown during the campaign for repeal of the Act of the Union in the 1830’s and 40’s. It was also used by insurgents in 1916 - as was the current national flag, the tricolor. The two flags became symbols for competing national parties, the Irish Parliamentary Party v. Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein won in a landslide in the general election of Dec. 1918, and thus became the national flag.
Head back to the trail and continue in the same direction. Very soon you will get to a second trail marker and intersection. Go right. You will soon head down a rocky ravine with a stream on your right. Cross over the stream on a wooden bridge and head up a rocky ravine. Pass an interesting double tree on your right - kind of a union of two different cultures, maybe the joining of the “Orange” and the “Green”. When you come to a “T” intersection, look into the woods straight ahead and spy an old train axle. From the axle take a reading of 191 degrees to a medium sized leaning tree about 10 steps away. Leinster is in it’s base.
To head back to your car:
Get back on the trail and head back the way you came. Recross the bridge and go up the ravine. At the first trail marker, take the trail bearing 10 degrees. This will take you to the parking area.
Notes: 1) 1 step = 1 footfall
2) All degrees magnetic
3) Be careful when poking around in trees - use gloves or a stick for safety.
The Four Provinces
Placed October 17, 2003 by Celtic Pride
Patuxent River Park/Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince George’s County, MD
4 boxes in a 2 mile loop, terrain is easy in most spots, some rocky hills/gullies. Very popular horse trail (watch your step!)
Directions to park:
Take the DC beltway to either Rt. 50 or Rt. 4 east to Rt. 301 south. Head past Upper Marlboro to Brandywine. Turn left at the light Croom Road. Turn left onto Croom Airport Road (there is a sign for the park, but you come up on it fast). The park will be on your about 1.5 miles on your left. There is a permit requirement (a daily fee) - pick one up at the Visitor’s Center. For PG County residents you can get a year’s pass for $5/year.
Directions to trail:
You can pick up a trail map at the Visitor’s Center (recommended), although it isn’t the best one in the world. The trails can be slightly confusing as all of them aren’t shown on the map, and they aren’t color coded. Drive from the Visitor Center back towards the entrance. We started our adventure at the junction of 4 trails near the “Horse Crossing” sign. There is a grassy parking area nearby on the right side of the road. From the parking area, take the first trail on your left.
These 4 stamps fit together in a 4”x4” image.
Munster
The province of Munster is the southwestern portion of the beautiful country of Ireland. There are many popular places to visit, including the Ring of Kerry and Dingle in Co. Kerry, and the otherworldlyness of the Burren in Co. Clare. There are a couple of stories as to how the provincial flag of Munster, 3 gold crowns on a sea of blue, is said to have come about. The first is that the 3 crowns was a popular symbol throughout medieval Europe and was a depiction of the 3 Wise Men. Another story is the surviving 3 sons of Milesius, who had conquered Ireland in a one of a wave of conquests, shared the kingship of the realm. As they had travelled over the sea to get to Ireland, thus the 3 crowns on a sea of blue.
As you walk down the path, pass a tree eating a white “Managed Hunting Area” sign on the left of the trail. Pass over a culvert. Soon there will be a beaver pond on your left. Look for evidence of the tallest beaver around! Continue walking and on your right, you will spy a naked tree leaning onto a double “V” tree. From the base of the naked tree, walk 40 steps to a double trunked tree on your left. From this tree, take a reading of 217 degrees and walk 8 steps to another double trunked tree. The first province is hidden in the tree.
Connacht
The province of Connacht is the mid-western portion of the country. It contains the lovely city of Galway, the gorgeous green marble of Connemara, along with the Shrine at Knock, and beautiful Kylemore Abbey. The story of the design of the Connacht provincial flag, a black eagle on a field of white on one half and a man’s arm holding a drawn sword on a field of blue on the other, is that it is a derivation of a similar style from an Irish monastery in Germany. It is a combination of the Imperial Arms, and a family dynastic crest of the O’Briens, who patronized the monastery.
Continue down the path, which will turn to sand and rock for a time. Soon there will be the “Cliffs of Moher” on your left. Head up the rugged, rooted “Hills of Connemara”. In a while, you will pass a twisted double pine tree on your left. You will come to an intersection - take the path at 99 degrees. There will be lots of discarded bottles on your right as you head down the path. You’ll soon pass an old bed on your right and an old TV on your left. The path will head down hill. At the second intersection, go straight, and the path will head back up hill. You will see a group of 7 trees grouped together on your left with a 6 trunked tree close ahead on the left and a 5 trunked tree a few feet further. The second province in that trunks of the 5 trunked tree.
Ulster
The province of Ulster is the northern part of the country - most being “Northern Ireland” (NI). It is considered by many to be the most gorgeous part of the country. It contains the beautiful coastline of Sligo and Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and the fascinating Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The Ulster flag, a red right hand in a field of yellow, crossed by a stripe of orange, has a great story. It is said that in one of the invasions of Ireland, the leader of one invading group promised something great to the first man to touch land with his right hand. The winner, a left handed man, proceeded to cut off his right hand and toss it onto the shore.
Continue down the path and across the road. Pass a trail head marker and continue straight. You will soon see an ancient cement mixer off to your left. To find Ulster you must triangulate its position. You will need to go off trail to get to the correct spot. From the box’s position, the cement mixer is at 66 degrees and the trail head marker you just passed is at 12 degrees. Good luck!
Leinster
The province of Leinster is the eastern portion of the country. As you travel south from NI, you’ll pass through Dublin, Wicklow, Kilkenny, and Wexford. The Leinster provincial flag, also known as the Green Flag, is the former national flag of Ireland. It was flown during the campaign for repeal of the Act of the Union in the 1830’s and 40’s. It was also used by insurgents in 1916 - as was the current national flag, the tricolor. The two flags became symbols for competing national parties, the Irish Parliamentary Party v. Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein won in a landslide in the general election of Dec. 1918, and thus became the national flag.
Head back to the trail and continue in the same direction. Very soon you will get to a second trail marker and intersection. Go right. You will soon head down a rocky ravine with a stream on your right. Cross over the stream on a wooden bridge and head up a rocky ravine. Pass an interesting double tree on your right - kind of a union of two different cultures, maybe the joining of the “Orange” and the “Green”. When you come to a “T” intersection, look into the woods straight ahead and spy an old train axle. From the axle take a reading of 191 degrees to a medium sized leaning tree about 10 steps away. Leinster is in it’s base.
To head back to your car:
Get back on the trail and head back the way you came. Recross the bridge and go up the ravine. At the first trail marker, take the trail bearing 10 degrees. This will take you to the parking area.
Notes: 1) 1 step = 1 footfall
2) All degrees magnetic
3) Be careful when poking around in trees - use gloves or a stick for safety.