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Original poster

Any geocachers?

27 replies

BroccoliFloret · 04/09/2021 12:49

We started geocaching in the first lockdown out of sheer boredom of walking around the same boring old streets all the time.

Fair to say we're now pretty much addicted, out most weekends when the weather is OK, up to 328 finds and have discovered so many brilliant walks, parks and parts of the city and country we just wouldn't have thought to go to otherwise.

Any other fans?

Share your best find : we found a cache in a country park which was operated with a spring like a pinball machine, you had to pull the knob back, release the spring and quickly grab the cache when it popped up.

Another favourite was a VERY sneaky urban one hidden behind a "cctv in operation" magnetic A5 sign which had just been slapped onto a random metal box. So obvious when you are looking for a geocache, totally unnoticeable otherwise.

OP posts:
StandardLampski · 04/09/2021 13:00

Fledgling. Found 2 Grin
Would like to get into it more....

FatCatThinCat · 04/09/2021 13:03

We do it but we're utterly rubbish at finding them. We can get into the general area but can never find the actual cache itself.

Chrestomanci3 · 04/09/2021 13:04

We've done some in the past, but the dc got a bit disheartened when they couldn't find them.

Brieeeeeeeeeeee · 04/09/2021 13:07

Watching with interest, I know a few people who do this. Whenever we go for a walk we play Pokémon Go, I’d love to try something a bit different !

Original poster
BroccoliFloret · 04/09/2021 13:34

@FatCatThinCat the more you find, the easier it gets as you get to know the classic hiding spots.

OP posts:
eurochick · 04/09/2021 13:49

We also got into it through lockdown but are nowhere near your number! It's great walking motivation for kids.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 04/09/2021 14:15

We love geocaching. Didn’t do much during lockdown because we’d already found the ones within walking distance of home.

We are on around 350 “finds” all told.

Had a great one last month which had some kind of motion sensor as it started “talking” to us when we picked it up 😆.

Danikm151 · 04/09/2021 14:19

Went geocaching in brum a few years ago. A crafty one by Aston uni looks like part of a drainpipe but you pull it out to find the scroll inside.
Another one in Needless Alley was clever!

flutterbean · 04/09/2021 14:47

Think we're on about 15 finds.
Sadly the enthusiasm has left my children, so looks like i'll be doing it solo!

FrenchFancie · 04/09/2021 16:24

We’ve just got our 100th find. I get the most pleasure from the cache I’ve hidden though - I love getting the emails when someone has found it!

Farcry66 · 04/09/2021 16:27

We found a brilliant one hidden in a sensory garden. The cache was hidden inside a bigger box and locked with a combination padlock. To get the combination you had to smell numbered aromatherapy oil bottles and identify lavender and a couple of others I can't remebr now. The numbers on the bottles was the combination for the padlock. I thought that was hugely inventive!

SheepPixie · 04/09/2021 17:34

I used to be, for various reasons I had to give it up a few years ago after 5000 odd finds.
Maybe I’ll go back to it one day.

GroggyLegs · 04/09/2021 17:37

We've looked for 3 and found 1 - but in our defence I did not realize they were so inventive & clever!

I'd love to do more, this kind of geekery really appeals to me & yes, it motivates the kids to actually walk!

FatCatThinCat · 04/09/2021 22:15

I think part of my problem is that there are always other people about and it makes me feel guilty. Like I'm up to no good. Even though I'm not. Blush

MagnoliatheMagnificent · 04/09/2021 22:34

I have about 600. It’s a great hobby. My daughters both like it too and a couple of other family members too - we’re quite competitive!Have discovered loads of places I wouldn’t otherwise have noticed. Have put a couple of my own out now, it’s great when someone finds them!

ShirazSavedMySanity · 04/09/2021 22:40

We’ve got about 750 across 7 counties and I love it. We started with the DC were little and they’re not as keen now; they basically hate anything that drags them into daylight and off their phones.

It was a great way of finding new walks but also if we were visiting a new place on holiday, it gave us an idea of places to visit.

We’ve seen so many beautiful places and views that without caching, we wouldn’t have seen. The UK really is a beautiful county.

Best find…under a bridge in a stream. It wasn’t a spectacular hide, but I was the lookout on top of the bridge and a man came to help as he though someone had fallen over, I quickly lied to say that my friend had dropped her keys..he offered to go and help. I had to quickly talk my way out of that one!

starlingsintheslipstream · 04/09/2021 22:42

I love it, have done 500+ but that's spread out over years. We started when the kids were little as a cheap hobby to get us out and about and now find that they've lost interest but we are still at it! I read about it on here first of course! My favourite finds are the genuine ammo cans for the sheer size and audacity of them and the really inventive home-made containers, like one carved out of wood in the shape of a mushroom.

wintercoffees · 04/09/2021 22:42

What is geocaching

ChoccyJules · 04/09/2021 22:42

Yes we have been doing it for ten years (!) and have put out a handful of our own which we maintain.

One of our favourites was in Colchester, it was epic. If you‘ve done it you’ll know which one I mean.

MissOrganisedMe · 04/09/2021 22:42

This sounds interesting. Did you just sign up here? www.geocaching.com/play

Beachtrip · 04/09/2021 22:43

We went this morning!!!
I love it, kids love it.

Dd(9) wants to create one locally as there aren't many. Love it!!

FatCatThinCat · 04/09/2021 22:45

@wintercoffees

What is geocaching
A free giant worldwide treasure hunt.
Sheldock · 04/09/2021 22:46

Yes, but not for a few years now. Have just over 10,000 finds. We loved all the ones in decoy ducks/pigeons, the magnetic street signs, the puzzle boxes etc. My favourites were tree climbs...even did a ropes course to help with those ones!
So many challenges...filling the difficulty grid, continuous caching, new records.
I do miss it, but other hobbies took over.

Magpie1976 · 04/09/2021 22:55

Love it. We've just joined in May and are at nearly 100. The DC 12 and 3 and I have been out loads in the summer discovering new paths and areas. It's walking but with an extra challenge and more interest for the kids. Paying for the premium version was def worth it.

Original poster
BroccoliFloret · 04/09/2021 22:57

10,000? Wow. That's dedication!

I like the ones which are smart, but not too smart. There was one hider round here who was writing his cryptic hints in Latin. Obviously thought he was being oh so clever but it just put us off even looking.

Found a brilliant one on holiday last year in Weymouth, it was one of those solid bike logs which had been secured round a post, there was a bit you unscrewed to find the log. Hiding in plain sight, dozens of people walked straight past it without ever knowing it was anything but an abandoned bike lock.

@MissOrganisedMe, yes just sign up on the website and download the app to your phone. As a free member you have access to a limited number of caches, but full membership is only £20 a year and you can share the account over several devices - we have three phones with it on. Well worth it.

Love the travel bugs and tokens too, we dropped off two this afternoon and it's so interesting to see where they've been and where they might go next.

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