We have been aware of the term ‘geocaching’ for a while but it has only been recently that we have explored the concept a little bit more, and we have to say – we’re excited!
For those of you who haven’t heard of geocaching, let us explain a bit more.
Geocaching is basically treasure hunting. Similar to the 160-year-old game letterboxing, which uses clues and references embedded in stories, geocaching uses GPS to hide and seek containers, which hold ‘treasure’.
The first documented geocache was placed on May 3 2000 and since then the concept has seen a huge surge in popularity. This is probably because it appeals to so many people; walkers & hikers, families, historians all wanting to take part in a global treasure hunt.
There are currently 2,671,312 active geocaches and over 6 million geocachers worldwide, and plenty to discover here in Devon.
So how does it work? Well, to get involved the first thing to do is register with www.geocaching.com and create your account. Then download the app on your smartphone and search for geocaches near your location. It is really simple to follow, and then all you need to do is get your walking boots on and get hunting! Take a pen with you and a few treasures to swap (when you find the treasure you can take something but it needs to be replaced with something of similar value for the next discoverers.)
There are over 25,000 geocaches in Devon waiting to be found and many of them are in beautiful locations off the beaten track. It’s a walk made fun and so will appeal to the young children of the family who begrudge going on a hike, as the promise of an undiscovered treasure at the end is sure to tempt them all!
At each cache site there is usually a logbook to sign and you can discover who has been there before you. Plus you have the thrill of opening the box and finding out what is hidden inside! You can also log your discovery on the geocaching.com page and find out the story of the site. There are many fascinating tales including geo-coins that have travelled far and wide from Australia, the US and Europe.
Once you’ve become accustomed to the joys of geocaching you can then go on to start hiding your own, and that’s where it becomes really exciting! All the information can be found on the official geocaching site.
We’re itching to get going and so may drag the kids out this weekend – if you try it out be sure to let us know how you get on, and we will keep you updated on our adventures too!
For more information please visit any of the following sites…
www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/lots-to-do/geocaching-p1546443
www.geocaching.com