uktim

There is no reward for achievement apart from that warm inner glow you get at the end of a good walk

I agree. Why don't the filthy disgusting tourists wipe their feet before entering shops and restaurants

I think this post must be a wind up or this country has gone mad and I'm emigrating! I was joking about the plastic bags... how am i supposed to put 3kgs of horse muck in a bag in my pocket? I only pick up horse poo at home or if they do in front of someones house or on the pavement (yes i know you shouldn't ride on the pavement) - but on a bridlepath in the middle of nowhere - get real! What next - ban mud?!? I was on a footpath today (footpath = no horses) and had to step carefully to avoid the horse poo. You don't put 3kg of horse poo in a bag in your pocket; you could have a way for the horse to carry it until you get to a place where you can dispose of it properly. Like a saddlebag, maybe? This isn't an impossible proposition - I'm sure that police horses aren't allowed to leave poo all over the roads. No, I don't want to ban mud. Mud isn't poo. I'd just like the opportunity to walk along a footpath (and maybe even a bridleway) without having to step around the dog poo (already socially unacceptable) and horse poo (which for reasons I don't understand, hasn't become socially unacceptable yet). Here's the "Bun bag" http://www.bunbag.com/ It's chewed up grass. Jut step in it and get on with life you big wuss

I think you had better tell the riders that, the Camel Trail is a sustrans cycle path and footpath and you have to dodge the horses, the same goes for the trail where I left our Eden cache. I think you'd better check your facts the Camel Trail literature states that it is an "18 mile multi-use route available for walkers, cyclists and horse riders." A mere 2 minutes research suggests that the trail near the Eden Centre is the same!

Tetanus is found in the soil so I suggest avoiding all caches that are anywhere near any soil if it is such a concern to you

Don't be such a wuss, it's the countryside not a sterile town centre. Use the horse poo as a stepping stone

If it's a NUvi style device you're after and you already have Tom Tom for PPC, I'd recommend a Navigo V2. I've managed to get mine to run TomTom, Memory Map and Beeline GPS as well as playing MP3 and hands free bluetooth phone calls to the car radio via it's internal transmitter, all at the same time. For £57 it can't be beat IMO

It's about perception. Personally I think 4 out of your list of cool items are junk and another two are just plain boring. OTOH at least 3 of your junk items would thrill our 3 year old. It's all in the eye of the beholder, lighten up and enjoy the hunt

I keep on top of security thank you very much, the issue lies with FF. When FF can perform at a satisfactory level I may move until then no amount of geeks wittering on about security holes or standards adoption will persuade me to accept it's sub-standard performance. If FF want to lead the standards war they need to make their software work better I just don't understand the attitude of the FF evangelists, I can accept that you may like it but do you really need to convince everyone else that they're at risk to promote your chosen browser. I've used IE extensively for over 10 years with no problems, maybe it's not as full of security holes as you allege or maybe we all need to use some common sense regardless of our browser choice?

The issue here is not an uncontrolled dog though is it? As I understand it, the problem occurred because the dogs were under control. I can see both sides of this - it's the farmer's land and he can use it as he sees fit but is it OK to effectively block legal public access with dangerous animals (in this case cows with calves)? Maybe having a dog is like having a child there are some things that you have to give up? The path exists and can be walked, the restriction is caused by the individuals choice to take a dog on their walk as much as it is caused by the farmer. As for keeping dogs under control it doesn't have to mean that they are on a lead or under your feet, a good owner with a well trained dog should be able to maintain control of their dog from a safe distance as they cross a field of cows. It's not hard to train a dog to walk along 50 to 100 metres behind you or to range in front of you as you walk. If they can't maintain this control then surely the restriction is of their own making and maybe they aren't fit to take a dog into the countryside. The old saying that rights carry responsibilities seems very apt.

The comments are not facile they are intended to illustrate the need to learn about the environments that we choose to enter and equip ourselves to deal with the risks. Anyone who chooses to take a dog into the countryside ought to be able to control their dog both on and off the lead, including being able to send it away from them if the need arises. Why expect a farmer to have to alter their grazing patterns because dog walkers can't be bothered to train themslves and their dogs? If you buy a car you need learn how to drive, if you buy a dog you need to learn how to control it!

Are you sure that's the recommended fashion whilst crossing a field of cows? What? Keeping a dog under close control? Well, yes I would have thought you should do that whenever there is stock about. You are joking, right? When did the farmer deliberately allow the cows to harm the poor woman? No I'm not joking, what I was trying to say is that as a householder I have a duty of care to any visitors (and that included non-invited ones such as burglars ). The farmer allowed his cattle onto the public right of way crossing his land and therefore had a duty of care to members of the public legally using that right of way. Quite obviously he didn't encourage the cattle to attack the poor woman be he surely must have known they had a propensity to do so. Maybe he made the daft assumption that anyone using the path would possess a bit of common sense. You have to learn to cross the road safely if you visit busy towns and if you take dogs out in livestock country you should make the effort to learn how to keep yourself safe. The countryside isn't some idyllic safe haven for numpties it's a working environment!

Why do you find it scary that folks use IE. The alternative appears to be FF which is slow to load and has a tendency to hang your broadband connection. Why do the FF junkies keep on bringing this absurd discussion up, is it really so hard for them to accept that others have made a different choice ;(

There's a very simple answer to this. Us simple farmers have to learn how to cross the road and other basic survival tactics before we visit big scary towns. Maybe walkers should learn the corresponding skills before they venture into the countryside?

Who on earth would get bothered about this?

The second in a series of geocoins featuring reproductions of watercolour paintings of popular dog breeds. The back of each coin features the tracking number and the verse Thorns may hurt you Friends desert you Sunlight turn to fog But you're never friendless ever If you have a dog Size: 1 5/8" Thickness: 3mm Trackable at www.geocaching.com Available in gold or Nickel finishes. Shipping now from www.geogenus.co.uk.

Surely the simple concept of a bear holding a GPS was almost guaranteed to be a common design for Geocoins? I doubt you can copyright such a concept!

As I understand it the data being sold on the device is the Cache number (which is allocated by Groundspeak) and the cache co-ordinates (which are generated on a GPS as a universal way of defining the location of something that is most likely hidden on someone elses property.) I find it hard to see how either of these can be the copyright of the cache owner

I'm with you up to the point where you suggest that we need an alternative. The best way of describing other people is for what they are rather than what they aren't. I've seen walkers, cyclists, bird-watchers, gardeners, farmers, parents with their children and a whole host of other folks near caches, I've never seen a muggle ! Referring to someone as a mere muggle is as lazy and unimaginative as logging TNLN TFTC

I doubt it makes much difference how good the feature is. As people do more magazine, TV or radio features the problems will increase. We have a thriving and growing hobby, it's beyond me why some people feel a need to publicise it more widely

Our last incoming trade arrived today A big thank you to all involved.

All outgoing trades despatched on 19th February, shout if thy're not with you yet. Still awaiting our last incoming trade from Quigleyjones. Thanks for a great mission.

The sellers sets a price and the buyer decides whether or not to purchase at that price. We all make decisions like this every day. Why do you feel the need to tell us about your personal buying choices?

Any chance of a quick list of those who you haven't received lists from. That way we could all be confident that it wasn't our list that had gone AWOL.

No regrouping for us.