CUPCAKE LETTERBOXES

Lisbon, Connecticut

PLACED: December 30, 2001

PLACED BY: Tate, Sue, and Sara

LOCATION: Lisbon Meadows Park

Lisbon, Connecticut ( New London County )

RATING: Easy to Moderate. Approximately 1 mile hike over hilly terrain on well defined trails.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: Lisbon Meadows Park is located in Lisbon, Connecticut on Route 169 south of the intersection with Route 138. Route 169 can be reached at Exit 83A off of Route 395 ( Northbound Side )

CLUES: From your car, find the trailhead in the Southwest corner of the parking lot. Head out along this pathway. Cross over the bridge and continue straight until you come to a main intersecting trail.

At this main trail, take up a heading of 340 degrees. Continue on this heading until you come to the first trail bearing 260 degrees. Turn onto this trail and proceed down the hill until you come to a clearing. Cross through this clearing on a bearing of 295 degrees heading back into the woods.

After re-entering the tree line,continue on the path bearing 320 degrees. Shortly you will come to a fork in the trail. Bear 280 degrees and continue off in this new direction, passing through a stonewall. Continue along this trail until you reach another clearing. This clearing will be slightly larger than the first one that you have just transversed. Pass through this meadow setting , heading in a direction of 232 degrees. At the end of the clearing, you will notice the playing field in the southeast direction. Look for the trail to enter the woods at 290 degrees. Enter the woods and continue your journey towards your first prize.

Follow along this trail in a northerly direction. Take notice of the railroad tracks that you are paralleling. Pass through a stonewall and follow the main trail up and over a hill. The trail will start to descend the back side of this hill. Nearing the bottom of this grade, you will come to a hairpin curve in the path heading in a direction of 194 degrees. The trail will start to ascend again. Follow the main trail up and over this winding section. You are getting close. The trail will start to descend to a clearing.

Before you get to the clearing, be on the lookout for a large erratic at a bearing of 100 degrees. Letterbox #1 is located in a crevasse on the eastern side of this erratic. After stamping in head back onto the main trail continuing towards the clearing. A shortcut at 136 degrees will bring you into the clearing.

Take notice of this clearing, you have already seen it. To continue your quest to find the next box, head in a direction of 8 degrees. Follow the trail back into the woods. After crossing a brook, take a short cut path at 56 degrees to bring you to an adjacent trail. Turn and head in a direction of 26 degrees. Be on the lookout for a number of birdhouses along this trail. Bear 340 degrees to follow the trail, crossing over a brook along the way. Follow the trail along it’s winding course. Take notice of the stone wall. As the trail winds up and over the hill, you will come to the intersection of this stone wall with another which marks the Northeast corner of this wooded property. You should notice a church in the distance at a bearing of 180 degrees. From the corner of where the two walls meet, turn 210 degrees. Letterbox #2 can be found 12 paces from this corner in this direction. The box is located on the east side of the stone wall.

Continue along this trail heading parallel to the stone wall in which you found your prize. Cross over the brook and follow the trail turning at a bearing 100 degrees to head back to a main trail. At the fork turn 180 degrees and follow the winding trail. This trail will intersect with another trail that you have seen before. Turn 80 degrees follow for a short distance, then turn 188 degrees onto the main pathway. Continue along this main path until to come to a trail sign. Turn and head 80 degrees back to you car.