martlakes

Was out using the iPhone4 today in woodland and it performed excellently! From experience I'd say it was better than my Garmin Venture under the trees. Managed to find a tricky micro that's proved hard for several folk. Only had a the phone a while and I'm very impressed with it. Much much better than my old 3G.

Sundial?

Bump! oops double bump!

Bump!

Some natural scenes, all closer shots celebrating textures, colour and wildlife: I love the different textures of the water here - http://coord.info/GC2CKWB Two butterflies sat still and posed for the camera - http://coord.info/GC1RXV7 A final one of a rock creature! http://coord.info/GC20KWB Ps. all shots taken on an iPhone4 - the camera is much improved.

Coniston sounds right - the slate/copper mines in Copper Mines Valley would no doubt be the ones. Very near the Cumbrian Little Quest cache http://coord.info/GC170HY if you want to locate the area. As for large letters carved in the rock, hmmmm. I don't recall any really big obvious ones. No doubt there are several bits of graffiti in various spots around the slate and copper mines. However, if you went up the Old Man, you probably went up the main tourist route from the village, via Low Water. Could well be in the slate mines which the path goes up through. I don't usually go up that way, preferring the Brim Fell route http://coord.info/GC1HKZG HTH

Aye. That's the one I was thinking of! I love the Google sat view - the texture of the young forests looks like the landscape is knitted! The 'circles' are also amazing. Think we'll have to go have a look!

That's interesting - sounds a lot. Just done a quick test and I've downloaded 5 cache pages, inc one with a large pic as part of the page, and the total usage showing in the stats is now 861kb, = 172 per page. Most were loading at 90-130kb per page but the one with the pic bumped the average up. Wifi is unlimited so it's only via the phone sig that it counts towards 500MB I rarely visit the Geocaching website when in the field because I'm using the iPhone Geocaching App, which if I'm using a PQ, already has the info and can be used in 'Airplane' mode using no data if required. Out in the wilds and some corners of towns then you don't have a signal anyway! As I said, I don't think the data limit will be a huge problem unless you try and watch videos on the go!

Referee!! Looks like a 70's album cover! Great spot.

I've recently updated to an iPhone 4, which is much improved on the 3G I had before. It's pretty good for caching and the new Groundspeak app is also much improved. Walking along with Google sat maps rolling under a small blue dot, showing your position exactly to the nearest bush or tree is an amazing experience! Things are easiest with a phone signal, however, you can download PQs to the phone while you have a signal (or Wifi at McDs or at home etc) so you have the cache details with you when no signal. I'm not a blinkered Apple fan, but I'm also not much of a techno wizard. The reason Apple are successful is they make products that are easy to use. For eg, I tried my partners work Blackberry the other day and trying to send an email was a mysterious and hard process! Those who don't seem to like Apple will point to various devices which already do what the iPhone does and more, and I'm sure they do. But why haven't they been as successful? 6 Billion customers (or whatever the numbers are!) probably aren't wrong. (Like me they might be stupid, but now they've got an easily usable device). Anyway, re: tariffs. The cheapest option I worked out was to buy the phone myself and I'm now on an O2 Simplicity contract of £15 a month - unlimited texts, 300 mins of calls, std 500mb of data (which is a fair size and I don't anticipate getting anywhere near that limit). PAYG is a real bad idea with an iPhone as the data would eat up your limits even if you topped up at £15/month, so the Simplicity deal is much better. The GPS in the new iphone is much more responsive and just as accurate as my Garmin Legend - we were using both today and they each were giving the same numbers as we neared the cache. The camera is also much much better, only distant views are not great. Closer shots are pretty good. Battery life is also much better. I still like the absolute simplicity, and dedicated function of the Garmin Legend plus having a back-up to the phone is useful. I haven't tried setting a cache with the iPhone - the 3G wasn't good enough at all, but the new one might be. Certainly the accuracy today was very good. I think I'd still prefer to have a simple GPS around and especially if I was setting a cache. Hope that helps. I certainly enjoy using my iPhone for caching and all the other things it can do. Do email me direct if you've got any more questions.

Not much in the way of scenery this month, but here's a couple of different shots: Serious sized ice cream!! My dad 'caching' near Morecambe, http://coord.info/GC23FNC The better half doing her groovy biker chic pose! First time on the back of a bike for 25yrs! Quick spin around some caches in Galloway. http://coord.info/GC1EQ6J

As I understand it, it's the landowner you need to ask. If they have any concerns about their responsibilities as a landowner of an SSSI, and whether a geocache might be a problem, they could check with Nat England. If the landowner is happy that it won't cause a problem then there is no need to ask Nat England. Indeed, trying to identify who owns some remote hillside is not at all easy. In these days of data protection I doubt Nat England would give you details of landowners, without their permission. Yorkshire Dales Nat Park certainly wouldn't in relation to one of my caches. Nat England were perfectly happy with several caches I know about and one or two of mine, but they did say you'd still need to ask the landowner. So theoretically, it's probably best to start with the landowner as they have the 'final say'. Only if they want to make sure allowing a geocache wouldn't create any sort of contravention of the SSSI regs would they/you need to ask Nat Eng. RE; the OP. I'm surprised that reviwers have time to check every co-ordinate move - no wonder more are needed! There also seems a certain illogical aspect to grandfathering all the caches in SSSIs that are out there without permission, but if someone moves their co-ords by 10 ft, now it does. Hey ho. It would also be good if Groundspeak and the reviewers were more open about informing us about changes to rules and regs before they are implemented. Maybe, heaven forbid, even discuss them beforehand. There seem to be a lot of changes being imposed 'out of the blue' recently which only come to light when an individual does something with their cache.

I think it would be helpful to be clear whether you are talking pleasant walks as trails (circular or otherwise) or if you mean powertrails: tedious micros every 200metres, ruining a good walk! I would have thought Cornwall was a good place for the former, however, .... Come to the Lakes - best caching in the country!! Not a great place if you want powertrails, (thank goodness!) but lots of circuits, either intentionally or easily put together by looking at the map. Always marvelous scenery and some excellent pubs! Whatever you fancy: easy valley walks, glorious oak woodlands, open fresh moors, mountain summits and tarns, even urban mysteries. Caching on foot, by ferry, bike, or bus, as well as those new fangled automobiles! Lots of caches to take you off the beaten track to quiet and spectacular places. (Not that I'm biased or anything!) Cheers Martlakes

How stands the One Degree of Separation project - the ultimate in seed caches! Are these now banned? Re: the Curse series, I would have thought the impact was fairly minimal as the 'requirement' (suggestion) only applies to the FTF, so not an ongoing requirement on all finders, so not a huge disincentive etc. etc. It's a shame Groundspeak don't discuss these changes before they arbitrarily implement them. And when they do make them, they seem to still be open to interpretation and there's confusion of what is allowed by the new rules and what isn't. When is a requirement an invitation, or a suggestion, or a requirement? I guess we won't know unless you try and submit a cache. Maybe the new feedback site thing will help, but why not start a forum thread now and again with ideas they are considering? No shortage of opinions!

Several on Flipflopnick's bookmark list of island caches. Some can be walked to at low tide but others would definitely need a boat. Island Caches Swallows & Amazons on Coniston is a classic. GCN9GA

Hey, are they the ones that were around a couple of years ago? You know, the ones with the TB tag on! Can't see the tag in the pics! Are you hiding them so you can't log them from the photo? The lighthouse must be quite small!!

A nice tarn we had a walk around: Ghyll Head Hunt

Well you just missed a fine (if small) event! Devil Rides Out You could always organise one down south.

Yep, see HERE

Thanks Garry - so good to have the pics back!

Guess where the nano cache is! Stone Jetty Morecambe yesterday.

Changes? As a finder: Now so many choices (and having found 1000+), the lure of rushing out when new caches are published is less, unless it's a great looking cache, but even then I'm happy to take my time over it these days. Save it for a good day. When visiting places, almost guarantee having caches to show us around and keep us busy. Look through the descriptions and do the ones that sound interesting. Still acts as an excellent 'tour guide' if you look for a well written cache page. Caching can still take you to the best spots. Tried a 'power-trail' down south last year, 30 caches in a few miles. Spent so much time juggling iPhone, GPS, info, maps, pens, finding boxes, etc that it got in the way of enjoying a very nice walk. There's a limit to how many caches you need or it spoils the walk. Sure, if you just want numbers, every 160m along a canal is great, but I probably won't do them - rather look at the swans! Good that there's so many caches and a lot of variety. Never short of a cache for that finding fix if you need it. Rather than go somewhere specific for a cache, you can now go somewhere and then check out the local caches. Certainly down south, pretty much guarantee to find something nearby that you like If you don't - just walk/drive on by. The vital thing is to realise that you don't have to do a cache, not even if it's near home. If you don't like it, don't do it. As a hider: I try and hide good caches, obviously helped by living in a great area. I like doing walks, either long or short, usually with Safie. Most of our caches reflect this. I also like to show people interesting corners that they might not know. I also like variety and don't mind giving people what they want - so we have some drive-bys, including our very own A-road series. All the caches are in places with nice views or interesting corners, and have a variety of hides. Also have some urban ones for the fun of the challenge, or just to be able to do some caching in town. I know that if I hide an easy accessible cache it will get lots of finds. If it's up a hill, less. Same with a micro or puzzle, as many visitors don't want anything but trads. So once the locals have visited, the cache gets very few visits. Finders have changed, so my hides have changed: We have a really great cache on a small hill above Sedbergh but it hasn't been found in over 12 months. It might get one or two visits this year, or maybe none at all. Where are all these 'old timers' who really love long walks up hills? If a cache doesn't get visits, what's the point in leaving it out there? I archived a few of ours and reset a series cos they weren't being found after the locals had been. It changed for me when I realised many people don't bother reading the cache page. One of ours, the Scream Point, has a really interesting bit of history and is marked on the OS map. Cachers were asked to mention one of their favourite scream views, but many folk didn't bother. They still wrote nice comments, but it was obvious they hadn't read the page. It was just a drive-by in a layby. Just another box, no connection made, no shared experience, probably didn't even notice the view much! Things that haven't helped - trads have to be just the co-ords, so there is no 'need' to read the page - a request much in demand from early paperless cachers whizzing around following the arrow and stopping when Tom beeps. (I appreciate more folk go paperless now.) Also, removing ALRs, which kills off some degree of creativity and involvement. Sure ban the silly ALRs, but just asking people to take a picture of the view or similar? Swaps: I'm afraid I've nearly given up with them. Why bother when after a dozen or two visits all the good stuff will have gone and only rubbish remains. If cachers don't 'play the game' why should I pay money for stuff that's just going to disappear? Also not helped by hiding a large number of caches! I recently had a look at our list of caches. We've hidden 31 micros (15%) all of which are 'justified' I believe, 104 smalls (50%), 51 regulars (25%), 4 large, 4 unspecified, 2 events, 2 earthcaches. Couple of folk recently did our Haweswater series, 11miles, 11 caches. Cut and paste on all the logs. Final one had extra comment - "Great walk and a great series but it should have had about 10 more caches." My thoughts: Sometimes less is more? You still get to do the walk. Why would I bother putting more out when you can't be ar*ed writing anything in your logs! Remember, as 'finders' you tend to get the caches you deserve. If most people want trads that they can just turn up and find, why put lots of effort into the cache page? If many people just cut&paste logs, why make the cache special - how can you tell what they like? If people often don't rehide the cache in the same place or so its well hidden, why risk doing something extraordinary? If very few people go up hills in remote corners, if many like easy to find caches - then that's what hiders are likely to hide. Not saying this is our attitude, but that seems to be how quite a few finders act now. Maybe it's just a 'dealing with the public' syndrome - some folk really can't be bothered with anything except themselves. As someone said, common sense isn't very common at all. Most cachers are great but as it goes more mainstream and gets more popular, the sheer numbers mean not everyone sees things the same way. It's not infrequent now that we stand and look at one of our caches and say "how could someone leave it like that?" Ways to improve the future * Implement more 'types' of caches ie split up Trads into different flavours based on purpose. As I've described before, it's a cache rating system but based on the hiders intended purpose for why they've hidden the cache. This is just a number hide on a powertrail; this is an excellent viewpoint; this is just for the joy of a sneaky hide - or whatever categories would best fit. Finders 'rate' the cache by simply agreeing or disagreeing that it met its purpose. You can then search for caches that meet a purpose you like. Excluding caches based on pure size is very shortsighted and misses some excellent micros. It's naff caches of the sort you don't like that you want to exclude, not just cos the 'box' is some particular size. * Bring back reasonable ALRs * Make sure you are a good 'finder' to encourage hiders to hide good caches. * Carry on enjoying the type of caching that you like and worry less about the ones you don't! * Come up north for really great caches, either in the Lakes or Scotland where caching is still about beautiful locations, good hides and pleasant walks of all variety.

Or: If you're looking at a cache page, with all the logs listed below the details, and can see a log from the person you want to contact, just click on their name. That will take you to their profile. If you're trying to find people near to you to say hi, look at who has hidden caches around your area and click on their name.

Very well done. Re: debate (endless) on cache quality, I'm pleased that you have reached 30,000 published, so will now be able to go FIND your 6th cache!! I know these min numbers can be a pain but you're getting there! Won't be long before no. 7 will be available. Good luck! Keep up the good work!

How about the Lakes? Wordsworth, Wainwright, tea shops etc etc. Loads of history, ferries, beautiful scenery, endless hotels to choose from (although not particularly cheap). Loads of caches. Keswick would be excellent for a tour base and for caching, by foot or by ferry, or hire a bike. I know coach tours do call into the Lakes, sometimes on the way to Scotland (UK in a weekend!)