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.

Review & Reminder

Here's my update on February and how my 2012 Aspirations are going...

Monthly (weekly goals are getting a bit lost along the way)

2 Glossopdale Harriers club runs: complete - 10km on 14th and 11.7km on 28th. Both head torch runs on the fell.

2 full days on the hill: 5th - out on Bleaklow in the snow - more about that on my White Out blog. Not had any long days on the hill....must address this one.

2 half days on the hill: complete. 12th - birthday walk with friends; 17th - good nav session around Lordship Hill/Doctors Gate; 19th - nav & geocaching around Cock Hill/Peak Naze;  25th - hide & seek geocaching walk around Lees Hill/Swineshaw Moor north of Hollingworth.

1 weekend away: nope.

1 bivvy night on the hill: nope. life was just too busy. I'm changing this to be 10 bivvy nights during the year...seems more feasible to get nights on the hill away from winter.

Rocks on Lordship Hill - navigation run/walk session

Progress on 2012 Aspirations

#1 - 24 GDH runs: 2 complete, on target. Both were head torch runs...the last of which was in clag - i.e. not a lot of visibility.

#2 - run 3 fell races: 1 complete (Kinder Trial in January), on target. I've entered the Dark&White Mini MM on 18 March (to be held around Macclesfield Forest), and Kinder Downfall race on 22 April.

#3 - cover 25km in one go: max distance 19.25km. I've not run anything longer than Kinder Trial.

#4 - 10 body weight chin ups: max in one go is now 5 which was reached on Thursday last week. Training last Monday saw me hit the 4 bwt x 4 sets target as well. Progress is good. I actually did 17 on Monday and 31 on Thursday - just not all in one go. But if I'd done 17 in one go on Monday then I would have equalled the record for female chin ups at the gym! Some way to go for that record.

Ogden Clough - walking up to place geocache

So, things I need to address:

• run 3 times a week
• weekend away
• more time on the hill doing navigation and learning the local area
• increase running distance 

I have included longer runs on my training programme...I just need to do what it's telling me now during March.

Stand and stare?

WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Leisure by WH Davies

The sunshine beckoned me outside today. A friend recently placed a geocache not far above Old Glossop so I used that as inspiration for navigation practice, seeking out a few other caches and joining them up with a run.

My route took me over to Old Glossop via the Sunday football players on Pye Grove field, up past Shirebrook hospital and up the farm track for my first geocache. Muggles on the track around and above the farm so skipped this one and headed up the muddy trod and round the south west side of Swineshaw Reservoir which is shown in the photo above.

Looking up to Peak Naze from the South

Easy find for cache #2. I knew where this one was, having walked/run this way before, but have never signed the log. No muggles around, unusual for this popular dog walkers path. I faffed a bit here reading the map, choosing my route. I'd not really planned the finer details at home and eventually settled on getting the cache on Peak Naze next.

Disused quarry at the bottom of Blackshaw Clough, the ends of Blakemoor Plantation visible in the distance

Round the disused quarry at the bottom of Blackshaw Clough and into open country. Sheep in that field were clearly not used to seeing people....they stood and stared, in a big huddle! My climb to the top of Peak Naze was rewarded by fabulous views over to Black Hill and back to Glossop. Cache #3 found very easily after putting on my windproof top - quite a wind blowing up there.

Tintwistle Quarry seen from Peak Naze

Having spent a bit of time walking and caching I needed more running, so picking up feet over the grass tufts I headed over to Glossop Low. 

Frozen in places, wet and boggy in others

The helicopters who are lifting bags of heather and seeds for Moors for Future were out and collecting bags from that location. Could be interesting I thought!

I kept up a steady pace on the gentle incline, reaching the guys roping up bags just as a heli came in. I'd fully expected to be asked to stand back or move on, but nope, I just stayed right where I was (about 5 foot from the bags) munching on a chocolate bar as the heli hovered, loaded and flew off. Then in came the Huey. OMG, now that's a loud bird! I couldn't resist taking a video. Sorry if it's poor quality, especially the sound - only had my phone with me.

The bit where it goes a bit wobbly is the downdraft hitting me!!

I hung around for the heli's to come back once more for more bags, it's about a 7 or 8 minute turn round, and while I'd loved to have stayed longer my damp feet were feeling the cold. Not wanting to get chilled I said my goodbyes to the 2 bag loading guys and headed down to Cock Hill trig. I had 3 caches left on my list. Next one just below Cock Hill. Feet cold and starting to feel hungry I almost just ran home. But no. It's a good test of endurance to keep going that bit longer so I check the map and start searching under stones. There are quite a few thousand of them in this disused quarry, but my nav is spot on and I come across cache #4 quite soon. I'm almost muggled by 2 walkers having a picnic at the foot of the slope in front of me. Managing to duck back out of sight just in time I sign the log and I'm off down the slope to cache #5.

This cache is back over towards the disused quarry, but on the south side of Blackshaw Clough. After 10 minutes searching I'm unsuccessful - not surprising as several other cache-seekers have reported a non-finds. Back up the hill and through into the gap between the two patches of trees making up Blakemoor Plantation.

Here I find a small pond in between the two patches of trees.....with 2 fake ducks!!!

The final cache I head for is the one which inspired today's run. I knew it would be an easy find and it was. Thanks to the cache owner for inspiring my run today.

Just the last push back home to do and I'm 11km or so into my 13. My feet are leading the way and before I know it I'm dropping back down the south side of Shire Hill. I feel strong, yet tired at the same time. I've been out about 2hrs20, but was only moving 1hr43. I really did take time to stand and stare today, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Here's the garmin track for you to look at.

Yellowslacks

A bright start got me fired up to get out there...I knew it was going to rain, but if I got up and out early enough I'd get a bit of distance under my feet before the dampness crept in. I could tell my knee wasn't up to running, still feeling a slight twinge on the outside. I wanted to go hunting the DPFR calendar box but the potential location of it had a ramble of about 16km from home...too far, so I ditched that in favour of geocaching over Shire Hill and Yellowslacks, with the potential to ramble up to Dog Rock if I felt strong enough.  There was also a cache up towards Shelf Benches, so if I was going really strong I could head over that way, either over the top and down, or back to Mossy Lea and up the track if I didn't fancy a heather bashing session.

Good going up, couldn't find a couple of caches - one because of muggles and just not getting the feel for being in the right place, despite having the full GR with me, the other because of too wide an area to search under shrubs with too many bees on the flowers! Another time. Onwards and upwards. Had a chat with a guy out for a walk with his dog - lived in the area 40yrs and this was only his 2nd time up the hill. Good on him for not letting the weather put him off. By now the sky was totally covered with grey cloud and a fair old breeze blowing. Then as the ground eased in steepness the rain started. Turning to glance south-westwards I could see the rain was set in and would get heavier. I decided to ditch the Dog Rock distance, probably only a kilometer, maybe less, short.  Having been chatting I'd not wandered over to collect one cache, which I easily retrieved on the way down. I was starting to get a little cold now having dropped over the edge and right into the full force of the wind - blowing maybe 25-30mph and bringing stinging cold rain drops with it in lashing sheets. With the cache found, signed and re-stashed I took shelter in the corner of the craggy rocks, mostly dry and out of the wind. Additional layer added, well, put under my soft shell to see how that combination worked.

The scenery, even with the harsh weather, was beautiful. I huddled in the corner and enjoyed a warming drink of hot ribena just taking in the view. Not much wildlife on show today. I did witness one small bird clinging on to a wire fench...on take off you could see it bracing against the wind, only to be overtaken by the power and swept off backwards with its wings tucked in tight. I spotted a few other birds though they were all staying low to the ground.

Heading home I soon discovered my knee was not happy. Perhaps I should have done some downhill before getting all the way to the top of Yellowslacks, just to test how it was. But hey, it felt fine, I had actually thought it felt really strong on the few bits of downhill I had done - in the scramble into Shitern Clough. But no. The knee was not happy. By the gate at the bottom I was wincing and far from happy. I contemplated which route home included the least elevation loss...plumping for round the west side of Shire Hill - short and steep ascent/descent and the shortest route home. And just back in time for the MotoGP. I'd only been out about 2 hours, a little more perhaps.

I'm pleased I went out; bagged 3 geocaches and got a little more familiar with the hills by spending time with the map out and working what is where.

Total distance - approx 8km
Elevation gain - 339m