Geocaching
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I have been caching since 2003 but hardly at all for the last few years! I'm firmly with the old whingers who say it isn't as good as it used to be. In it's defense it has made me go places and do things I would never have done without it. Reached 1000 caches then pretty much stopped. Why do you ask?
I reached 100, but seldom go so refuse to pay for premium, and have cleaned up most of the local "free" ones.
We were interested a while back and did some but then caught a nasty virus from a geocaching site so has put us off for good.
Just go nice walks now without plastic boxes at the end!
Simon
Just go nice walks now without plastic boxes at the end!
Simon
Just wondering as it seems to be very popular in the UK , justseeing if any one in this comunity does it thats all.
Cache when the mood takes me, by no means an obsesive, may be months between caching outings.
Good fun when on holiday as often takes you to interesting places.
Good fun when on holiday as often takes you to interesting places.
i've been dragged along a few times when friends/family are geocaching, in all honesty, i just don't get it
I geocache on occasion. My other half goes to a lot of sheepdog trials, I go along and wander off caching. Also did aload in Brighton with a friend. I find the themed ones interesting and can take you to some unusual places that you wouldn't normally go. Not obsessed, but adds another dimension to taking a walk.
Scots_Charles_River
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I setup some to keep a 6yr old busy in the rain! I own 15 and have only found a dozen.
I'm taking a class out to a local country park tomorrow, too windy to canoe, and if we have time we can collect 3 geocaches.
They are near an old mauseleoum, roman wall and old country house so can show some natural and industrial archaeology.
It's good to teach numeracy and navigation.
Nick
I'm taking a class out to a local country park tomorrow, too windy to canoe, and if we have time we can collect 3 geocaches.
They are near an old mauseleoum, roman wall and old country house so can show some natural and industrial archaeology.
It's good to teach numeracy and navigation.
Nick
I had a go at a few but without using a GPS. I found this was a good way of sharpening one's map reading and nav skills: e.g. pace counting in to the cache from a collecting feature. I probably did a dozen or so caches, including some of the problem-soving ones, and was defeated by two.
I'm just starting to look at this.
Innitial reason was for the Cubs. Idea is to set up and register a new cache on a footpath crossing the Farm. In the box will be 6 TravelBugs, one for each Six and one for the Leaders. Want to see who's tavels furthest, passes through most caches, or 'meets' the most Scouts during 2012. There'l be some Scout themed swaps in the box and a logbook aswell.
After the year we might change the 'mission' to trying to get them back to the starting cache.
Once I've got my head round it all I can use as another point of interest for learning the Navigational skills with the Cubs. There appear to be quite a few caches in striking distance of our H.Q. by walking or short minibus run.
As Nick said, will try and find some near points of interest, use for other subjects.
That's the plan anyway, see how far I get.
My own kids seem to enjoy doing it so far. Havn't got a GPS yet but have found 4 using a map localy. Doubt we'll get into it as much as some do, but should be interesting to dip into now and then.
Innitial reason was for the Cubs. Idea is to set up and register a new cache on a footpath crossing the Farm. In the box will be 6 TravelBugs, one for each Six and one for the Leaders. Want to see who's tavels furthest, passes through most caches, or 'meets' the most Scouts during 2012. There'l be some Scout themed swaps in the box and a logbook aswell.
After the year we might change the 'mission' to trying to get them back to the starting cache.
Once I've got my head round it all I can use as another point of interest for learning the Navigational skills with the Cubs. There appear to be quite a few caches in striking distance of our H.Q. by walking or short minibus run.
As Nick said, will try and find some near points of interest, use for other subjects.
That's the plan anyway, see how far I get.
My own kids seem to enjoy doing it so far. Havn't got a GPS yet but have found 4 using a map localy. Doubt we'll get into it as much as some do, but should be interesting to dip into now and then.
We cache infrequently, mainly as a family activity. It's much easier convincing an 9 year old to climb a hill because there's a plastic box at the top with swaps in it that to climb the hill & see the view!!
Our caching has taken us places (locally & not) that we would never had thought about going to so for that reason, we've found it to be good fun. We have introduced our Scouts to it as well and have done a couple of walks where there are a couple of easy caches for them to find. With most modern smartphones having GPS, makes it easier. I do agree with an earlier comment about premium membership - whilst it's good getting all the cache info in a 'single' pocket query, it is reasonably expensive when you think about what you are dealing with (i.e. data).
Caution on the TB - they get lost frequently so be prepared (Scouting pun!!) to have disappointed kids when their bug vanishes first time it's lifted. Also, can take quite a while for a TB to gain any distance so might be 12 months before it has gained any mileage.
Our caching has taken us places (locally & not) that we would never had thought about going to so for that reason, we've found it to be good fun. We have introduced our Scouts to it as well and have done a couple of walks where there are a couple of easy caches for them to find. With most modern smartphones having GPS, makes it easier. I do agree with an earlier comment about premium membership - whilst it's good getting all the cache info in a 'single' pocket query, it is reasonably expensive when you think about what you are dealing with (i.e. data).
Caution on the TB - they get lost frequently so be prepared (Scouting pun!!) to have disappointed kids when their bug vanishes first time it's lifted. Also, can take quite a while for a TB to gain any distance so might be 12 months before it has gained any mileage.
Its great for my 3 year old, he walks miles with little 'cache stops' every so often to keep him going. We tend to join the premium membership in spring and summer then lapse into the dark wet days of winter.
We only do rural caches, tried some in Morecambe where you would have to dig around in accumulated litter (not leaf litter!!) to find the cache - not for me!
We only do rural caches, tried some in Morecambe where you would have to dig around in accumulated litter (not leaf litter!!) to find the cache - not for me!
I'm up to about 50 having stumbled across a local cache in the summer and logged onto the website.
I find it fairly entertaining, and it has definitely taken me on local walks that I wouldn't have bothered with otherwise. I even found a local Royal Observer Corps Bunker http://www.angus1745.com/roc.html which I found utterly fascinating.
It can be a good way to entertain yourself for an hour or two in a new place - if 'she' wants to do some shopping you can have a wander with your phone and collect a cache or two.
Really, finding the boxes has very little to do with it for me - it just takes me to new parts of the country I've yet to see.
I find it fairly entertaining, and it has definitely taken me on local walks that I wouldn't have bothered with otherwise. I even found a local Royal Observer Corps Bunker http://www.angus1745.com/roc.html which I found utterly fascinating.
It can be a good way to entertain yourself for an hour or two in a new place - if 'she' wants to do some shopping you can have a wander with your phone and collect a cache or two.
Really, finding the boxes has very little to do with it for me - it just takes me to new parts of the country I've yet to see.
I hadn't really thought about it until I read this thread. What a great idea, my son thinks it's awesome...he's nine...but I think it's quite awesome too...(and I'm 49)
I have signed up and having looked at our house, there are about 50 caches hidden within easy walking distance...one pretty much in my local pub
Hopefully this will make the Christmas walks just that little bit more interesting.
Thanks for the heads up
Sack
I have signed up and having looked at our house, there are about 50 caches hidden within easy walking distance...one pretty much in my local pub
Hopefully this will make the Christmas walks just that little bit more interesting.
Thanks for the heads up
Sack
I have signed up and having looked at our house, there are about 50 caches hidden within easy walking distance...one pretty much in my local pub
Hopefully this will make the Christmas walks just that little bit more interesting.
Hi - you will find that as a basic member, you can only download cache details one-at-a-time. If you have a smartphone (or GPS) that is Pocket Query / GPX aware, as a Permium member I can download a single file which can contain up to 1000 caches if you'd like. Much easier than downloading singly !! If you want this, PM me the centre of where the query should be (town / post code) and I'll run one off for you.
The family and I are regular geocachers. We started last year and picked up around 250, this year our target is an additional 500 with 100 of those done in 24 hours. If you've not tried it you are missing out. As some others have said this is a great way to discover areas that you would otherwise not know about. My children (4 and 6) are now keen to go out for long walks rather that watch TV etc. Their enthusiasm for the great outdoors has dragged me along with them and reignited an interest in walking exploring and bush craft. I think we are particularly blessed living where we do, the quality of caches around here is exceptional there is a fair bit of dross around as I have found when on holiday but it's worth persevering to discover the real gems. I have tried the events as well and made some good friends in doing so, I've found it to be a great community full of interesting people for the most part. We are doing the www.geolympix.com mega event later this year as it's nearby.
