Geocaching

Ever heard of geocaching?

If so, excellent....I hope you have fun caching like I do. If not, don't worry...it is quite simply a treasure hunt. There are hundreds of boxes (various sizes) hidden around the country for you to find, log your visit and maybe swap some 'treasure'. According to the geocaching website there are 2,495,792 active geocaches worldwide.

It's an excellent activity to do with kids, as there is always a purpose to getting them active. There are urban and hill caches, so you don't need to be uber confident with hill skills to get started. I use geocaching sporadically partly as motivation to see new places and partly to test my navigation skills.

Now, you can do geocaching the modern day way, using a gps device to guide you pretty much right on top of the cache. I however prefer to note the grid reference and description of caches, then head out with map and compass onto the hillside. Whatever method you use, it's fun and will get you out and about.  There's also the option to place your own cache (following various rules) for others to find, and in fact I have two out there somewhere...a jointly placed one with a friend and one fairly close to home.

If you're interested in geocaching have a look at the website www.geocaching.com. There is an app you can use on your phone too, it's one you have to purchase so perhaps give caching a go before spending any money.

view from one of my placed caches in Glossop

and the path to the same cache

Hidden geocaches around Glossop

If you'd like to give this a go and want some company drop me a message, I'll happily show you a few caches around Glossop. I'm also available to teach navigation if you'd like to be more confident out on the hills. Navigation training is set up on an individual or group basis; prices vary according to numbers/time out on the hill.