Palujia

I remember a signpost cache in the High Street in Burford. We had only just started caching and were having trouble finding caches (even the ones with the large lit up signs saying "look here for the cache!!") The sign post in question was right outside the public toilets and it was quite difficult looking round without appearing to be some sort of Preeevert.It took a little while for the penny to drop and I was getting my story ready for when we were arrested !! Ah the joys of the new cacher - these days we look at the listings more carefully

We take our Border Terrier "flashy" with us - our other BT, Barney, AKA "Elderly Dog" can't walk far now. so if we are "city" caching, we have a special doggy push chair to take him in - He quite likes it now and causes a bit of a stir when people come up to look at the "baby" and get a very hairy surprise !!! Our caching friends the Beauchiefs take one of their golden retrievers with them - she is a mud magnet and this year with all the rain and muddy tracks has had a whale of a time when out caching

I have a bit of a problem with one of my caches - in that its in the crook of a tree, amongst other trees ! - It's location was carefully checked to place it exactly opposite the entrance of the location it's named after - It keeps moving ! - people move it when finding it and it gravitates towards other trees until I get either an aggrieved DNF or "co-ordinates are out" - GRRRR

Have come across lots of caches with unnatural "piles" of sticks not doing a good job of camoflaging the container - We now call it "Stickoflage"!!

We had spirited and sometimes heated debates over all matters caching - most recently over the GAGB elections - he certainly had strong views and the ability to put them across. Never met him in person but was looking forward to it at one of the megas this year.Sadly now not to be RIP SVEN paul b

Would be able to whiz down for an hour or so, as unfortunately it is a "working" night for me so couldn't stay long

As with all things - you get what you pay for - Brashers - waterproof, comfy and very long lasting (but over £100.00)- for summer walking I like my Merrells (jungle moc slip ons) again £70 -£100 I've worn out three pairs now !

We are confirmed camping event lovers - but now too old for tenting (Dr Dick notwithstanding)So have to use caravan and need electrics due to breathing pump ! As many have said - the whole experience is the thing - Beers and BBQs, meeting up with cachers who you only know from forum correspondence putting the world to rights. These things can only be enjoyed if you are prepared to stay - As has been suggested maybe a "flash mob" outside the event? But if the organisers go to the trouble of organising a site, even if it doesn't like day visitors, and it is Labled "Camping event" it should be just that !!Choice is the thing - If you don't want to stay Don't go !!

Argh! I think you'll find that Aargh is spelled thus. "Aargh!", surely?? The ! isn't part of the word, and don't call me surely. I normally spell Aargh "Aargh", not "thus". sorry...

They didn't have tupperwear boxes then either - they would have had to re-solder the tin after signeing the log !

Any one who has been to a mega event will tell you that you have to queue up to sign the logs in the caches local to the event. At this year's Mega Wales I joined a queue of about 30 people who passed the log down to sign ! The problem is that the last one to sign it doesn't know quite where to put it back !!! I must admit I wondered at the time what the local muggles must have thought with lines of people looking at strange looking electrical devices and pointing ! Strange hobby this caching business !

We have a pair of Border Terriers. One very elderly rescued dog (now 15 years old) who does not see, or hear or walk very well (but co-incidently can hear the unwrapping of a dog treat at 50 yards!!)The other is a completely untrainable 5 year old. He is still entire as we show him occasionally. They both stay on the lead as elderly dog would wander off and not realise it and young dog would mis-behave. He looks very sweet and is very "waggy" and very friendly (only two thoughts on his mind - if he can't S***g it he will try to eat it!) I also think he may be Glaswegian. Because he looks and acts friendly and is small, and always on a lead,lots of people come up to us to pet him - he "wiggles" up to them and, as they bend down to pet him he jumps up an "nuts" them. Giving them a "Glasgow kiss" as it is known. We keep telling people, and they keep on doing it and getting "nutted"! Seriously though I agree with most of the sentiments that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. We have a couple of really nasty staffies round our area and the owners send them out with the kids. A staffie is a powerful dog and really cannot be handled by a ten year old boy. One morning the kid could not control the dog and he pulled away from him and he attacked our younger dog (luckily not the older one) Flashy can at least defend himself. My wife had help from other dog walkers luckily and they managed to pull the staffie away. Needless to say no apology from the owners. He has since attacked several other dogs and the Police are now dealing with it. Because we are dog owners and always have them with us we obviously smell a bit "doggie" and when caching we are often approached by loose dogs no bad tales so far as we always stand still until the dog proves friendly and always carry a big stick (for caching down holes !) in case the dog does not !

One obvious thing to remember is to look at the map ! The number of times we have"followed" the arrow, forgetting that the compass is "as the crow flies" and found that we are the wrong side of the river, railway, gorge etc., or climbed up a near vertical slope and then finding that there was a nice wide path just round the side of the hill. So quick check of the terrain loading and if its less than 3 you are not going to have to scramble up a slope! then stop, look at the map and work out a sensible route. !Simples!!

As with all things - ya get wot you pays for:- stick with the Brasher hill masters - Waterproof and damned near indestrucible - lot of cach(£120-£140) but last for ever

We are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK - the Glorious Cotswolds near Burford. Virtually anywhere a cache is placed is either a good view, or historical interest or part of a good walk (or even a drive). Although there are many caches in the area there is no where near saturation. I can see the point if you live in a large town or city, with not much in the way of country walks or great views. It becomes difficult to place "interesting" caches and sometimes you end up with strings of micros on the back of traffic signs!As many of the above posts suggest - "filtering" is the key. Spend a little time researching before caching. Remember the "Ps" - Prior Preparation and Planning, Prevents P** Poor Performance. Really read the cache descriptions, check the size, terrain and difficulty. Read the logs - lots of "DNFs"? is it a really good well hidden and cunning cache or has it been muggled ? It can be satisfying to do a circular route with lots of easy caches (builds up the "numbers") Or walk to the top of Snowdon for the satisfaction of "getting" it because it's there! We walked all over the Great Orme in Llandudno with spectacular views and sore feet! for two caches - then along the flat Tissington trail doing an easy series with no trouble - It all makes for great caching memories. Our friends attended the Piratemania mega last year and fired us up with stories of the great series of caches - all within walking distance of the event ! So much so we are already "in" for next year's event - If you look at the map it's pretty well saturated ! But acccording to our friends, the caches were great, cunning and well thought out Happy caching paul b

Hi, if you put up GAGB Regional forums on Google, you will find two Welsh Regional forums. Both have contact details on them - contact them and they will no doubt help !! happy caching paul b

This could easily turn into another hot potato ! With the current news regarding the defacing and stealing of metal from memorials and the furore regarding Rules versus Guidelines. I personally like war memorials, and have visited lots - finding the names of relatives from the Great War in my ancestor research, and even just just quietly paying respects. The placing of caches within the vicinity often encourages people to look and remember - but again, with the current news, no doubt someone will call the Police, reporting an innocent cacher rooting around a memorial,and Geocaching will get more bad publicity. I don't intend to get arrested whilst searching for a cache, so will not be looking for any round memorials for a while. Again, this is my personal opinion, and not in any way associated with GAGB

I use a similar line to the GCHQ response :- (in a loud and "official" type voice) "How did you get this number ?" - "This is a secure line" Then partially muffled aside "I'll keep them talking while you start the trace" - then "Got it?" "Good - you can stop talking now as shortly there will be some armed officers calling on you to ascertain how you obtained a classified secure number" Then put the phone down. Seems to work !!!

my small hairy git - AKA "Flashy" my tireless Border Terrier - Not only keeps me company but brave as a lion and very ambitious when meeting lady dogs !!!

A tip I was given when my (official) GS android app was not too accurate, and very "spotty" in connecting, was to buy a cheap Bluetooth connecting GPS unit off Amazon (about £10.00) - down load a free bluetooth GPS app, turn off the in built GPS on phone and pair with the unit using the "mock GPS connection" - works a treat - accurate GPS as it uses at least as many satellites as my Garmin GPs and much better "reception"I have downloaded several apps from the android market - but the official GS app is best (although not free !!!)

I find the major problem with nanos is that - By the time you have managed to unwind the tiny strip of (quite often damp) paper THERE IS NO SPACE LEFT AT ALL TO TRY AND SIGN THE dadgum THING !!!and even if you manage to find somewhere to sign you have to try and wind it back up again - Although being fairly dumb I used to carefully wind up the strip and put it in the main body of the nano then try and screw the lid back on. A caching buddy then said - "why not wind it into the lid first then it will slip more easily into the body of the thing DOH ! And another thing !! All the "Off your trolly" caches seem to be magnetic micros placed on/in/round/under trolly corrals and you get very funny looks from people whilst you are lurking around (to plagarise a well known cacher's signature "That muggle looked at me funny" !!! Nanos are the spawn of the devil Although I have been given a few so I expect I shall have to put them out

A lot of coins are involved in "racing". The GAGB Coin in particular. The object is to have the coin which has done the most miles at the end of the year. So it "visits" each cache that we log - whether it is big enough to contain the coin or not !!

Our caching buddies the Beauchiefs gave us a good idea - once we had shelled out for a 3G phone and downloaded the GS and CGeo software. Every time we go anywhere, as soon as we park up I quickly fire up the phone and have a look to see if there are any local caches. Doesn't work every time due to reception problems but does save missing caches !!

Any one with an OS map, and a silva compass can find caches ! Remember orienteering ? We used to do this when young(er) and fitter - I've often thought that using a GPS would be cheating (but much easier) for it !!!

This has been re-iterated so many times now it is getting really beyond a joke! How many more times do some people, who appear to be stirring things up for the sake of it have to be told :- A. The GAGB don't make any laws - just try to help ALL UK cachers B. Guidlines are there to ASSIST everyone NOT to be slavishly followed BY ANYONE C. If you don't like the guidelines DON'T follow them (but if your cache gets blown up by the bomb disposal experts or you get arrested for acting suspiciously that's your problem) D. If this then leads to CURRENT anti-terrorism laws being rigourously enforced it could seriously jepodise the whole hobby. If that is your aim then, you will make a lot more people than the GAGB members seriously unhappy. E. If you want to change or even get rid of the GAGB guidelines then become a member, get elected to the committee - vote everyone out and make your own headaches.