Women Geocaching Alone

[+scaw]

Do any of you ladies out there go geocaching alone?

I am a bit paranoid about being on my own, i usually take one of the dogs with me. The other day i was walking in the rain it was boggy and i was slipping all over and i thought if i fall no one will know where i am. My friend who intruduced me to geocahing came with me once and it was really good to have some company. Hubby came with me on Sunday but he hasn't got patients and the gps signal was terrible and to be honest it was like having a stroppy teenager with me although when we got home he did say he had enjoyed it. I can see i am going to be caching on my own though so i think i will be sticking to ones in "public" areas

what do you other ladies do?

[Helen in Mustardland]

I often cache alone and have never felt scared doing so. I have a mobile with which to summon help if I need it (not been anywhere so remote it wouldn't work) and I usually (ok not always) let someone know where I'm going as well.

[+The Blorenges]

Do any of you ladies out there go geocaching alone?

I am a bit paranoid about being on my own, i usually take one of the dogs with me. The other day i was walking in the rain it was boggy and i was slipping all over and i thought if i fall no one will know where i am. areas

what do you other ladies do?

Hmmmmm, I understand your problem....perhaps if you let folks know your locality some other cachers in your area might get in touch to team up with you occasionally Mrs B

[+Skippy and Pingu]

I go occasionally on my own. Own felt uncomfortable once. Was in work clothes in a wood with lots of teenages closeby. I think anyone in my situation then would have felt conspicuous.

I always take my mobile and let someone know where I'm going.

[+HazelS]

I've never cached alone... it's never been a problem as caching was always something Phill and I did together - spending quality time together doing something we both enjoy.

 

However... there is an elusive cache (well, ellusive to us!!) about 5 minutes drive form my office, and it's in woodland, in a not so great area.

 

I've so far not gathered the guts to go find the cache alone yet... although I AM building up to it!

 

I just think we hear so many times about women who were walking alone though footpaths / woods / rural areas who have been mugged, raped or murdered... I know I'm probably over reacting, but it DOES worry me!!

[+Skippy and Pingu]

I've never cached alone... it's never been a problem as caching was always something Phill and I did together - spending quality time together doing something we both enjoy.

 

However... there is an elusive cache (well, ellusive to us!!) about 5 minutes drive form my office, and it's in woodland, in a not so great area.

 

I've so far not gathered the guts to go find the cache alone yet... although I AM building up to it!

 

I just think we hear so many times about women who were walking alone though footpaths / woods / rural areas who have been mugged, raped or murdered... I know I'm probably over reacting, but it DOES worry me!!

Let me know when you are going. Then maybe we could be 2 lone women in the woods!

[+Tyrolean Maid]

I have been out caching on my own occasionally in local areas I know well. I always let my family know where I am and carry my mobile. Not too sure if I would feel comfortable on my own in areas I am not familiar with.

[+Moote]

There are more women than men in the UK, but statistically if you are a man you are more likely to be a victim of a violent crime than a woman.

 

Milton (aka Moote)

[+HazelS]

Let me know when you are going. Then maybe we could be 2 lone women in the woods!

oh no.... that might look even more suspicious... oh, just thought... YES!!! YOU know where the cache is!!!!

 

(Skippy might shout though - you're supposed to be resting!!)

[+Alibags]

I frequently go caching on my own. I cannot say it especially bothers me, but I will not go into very dodgy areas or thick dark woods by myself at night... much as I would not chose to walk home alone through the centre of town at chucking out time.

 

I think as long as you have your wits about you you should be okay. If in doubt, just don't do it, come back another time. It's only a tupperware box after all.

 

I would be more worried about breaking my leg alone in a remote area then I would be about mad attackers on the prowl. As Moote says, the group of the population who are most likely to be the victims of violent crime are men aged between 17 and 25 years old.

 

My other half is just not interested. I do enjoy caching in the company of others so I will go out with various other local cachers, but if none are available, I will go by myself.

 

Some people might consider meeting up with other cachers after only 'meeting' on the internet to be a highly dodgy thing to do, however I have only ever been pleasantly suprised at how nice all the other cachers are. Mrs Geoki kindly left her axe at home the time I met her! LOL!!

[+HazelS]

Yes, I was actually suprised that Skippy and Pingu are in fact real people, not a penguin and a kangaroo, like I had suspected!

[+adambro]

There are more women than men in the UK, but statistically if you are a man you are more likely to be a victim of a violent crime than a woman.

Ahh great! Maybe I shouldn't cache alone all the time then! 95% of mine are done alone.

[+The Blorenges]

Ahh great! Maybe I shouldn't cache alone all the time then! 95% of mine are done alone.

"Would you come out geocaching with me?....statistically, I shouldn't go alone as it might be risky for me...."

Sounds like a good chat-up line to me! Mrs B

[+adambro]

Lol, I'm actually trying to convince someone I like to come out caching at the moment.

[+The Blorenges]

You see...I'm full of useful ideas! Mrs B

[+Firth of Forth]

I cached on my own for over two years (except for forays as part of the Edinburgh Cache Gang), events and a few other occasions when I teamed up with another cacher. I found hundred of caches on my own. Going out caching alone is no different to going out generally on one's own. You need to be sensible and have a means to contact someone in an emergency (having said that I was often in places with no mobile phone coverage!). I had to deal with some minor disasters such as dropping my GPSr in a river, skidding into a hedge on an icy country road and so on. But it's a lot more fun than staying in the house.

 

I'm very fortunate now in having a wonderful partner to go geocaching with: indeed I met him through geocaching. So for any single ladies out there, my advice is to keep at it!

Edited November 16, 2005 by Firth of Forth

[+Haggis Hunter]

I go caching on my own nearly all the time, except when part of the Edinburgh Cache Gang, and the odd occassions that my family are with me, hang on a minute what am I talking about, I'm a bloke, we obviously don't come across the same dangers as women??

[+scaw]

Im a bit of a wuss in everyday life also i suppose really i am just nervous about everything in life i suppose thats why i take the dogs with me when i go walking.

[+Moote]

Lol, I'm actually trying to convince someone I like to come out caching at the moment.

Maybe if you have not convinced this person to come caching already then maybe that is the problem! Convince them to go for a pint in your local that might be seen as more the norm!

 

Milton (aka Moote)

[+The Blorenges]

Maybe if you have not convinced this person to come caching already then maybe that is the problem! Convince them to go for a pint in your local that might be seen as more the norm!

 

Milton (aka Moote)

Looking at the situation from a female's perspective, I'll concede that "Would you like to go for a drink one evening?" sounds a better prospect for a first date than, "Would you like to come out and do some groping around in the bushes?"

 

But on the other hand, I guess it depends on how adventurous she is

 

Mrs B

[+The Golem]

Go girls!!

 

 

Just be careful....

[+Haggis Hunter]

Im a bit of a wuss in everyday life also i suppose really i am just nervous about everything in life i suppose thats why i take the dogs with me when i go walking.

I'm sure your not a wuss in everyday life. Take the dogs with you when you go caching, they will certainly stop you from doing anything silly, as you will need to keep an eye on them. There are loads of people take their dogs with them, and enjoy the experience.

[+adambro]

Looking at the situation from a female's perspective, I'll concede that "Would you like to go for a drink one evening?" sounds a better prospect for a first date than, "Would you like to come out and do some groping around in the bushes?"

 

Funnily enough, she did accept the offer of lunch...

[+t.a.folk]

Do any of you ladies out there go geocaching alone?

Yes ,and don't have dogs to take with me .

I feel I could just as easily fall down the stairs at home as i could fall over something while out . At least when out I have mobile phone to hand.I wouldn't be able to reach the fixed phones at home from halfway down the stairs .

A few years ago I got told more men and male teenagers get attacked than women and female teenagers ,but the attacks on females are more likely to get media attention .

 

Mobile coverage not good in places ,but that's another matter .

[+Kitty Hawk]

From what I gather the chances of something bad happening are no worse than they've ever been and the chances of a stranger being the culprit are vanishingly small, although the subsequent media attention would make you think so.

 

I often cache on my own, I have never had a scary experience that wasn't of my own making but I do often have the reverse experience - people who look at me - single bloke, no dog - as if I might have nefarious intentions. It makes me very sad that you can't even offer a cheery hello sometimes.

 

I would say, go out and do the caches and enjoy the countryside. If it makes you feel better give someone an expected time of return, take a mobile and an alarm wear a decent coat and proper shoes and take a bottle of water.

 

That'll cover 99% of everything that could happen, although I'm sure other less carefree folk will have more suggestions.

 

The way I see it more bad things happen at home or in the car, once you step out of the car and into the countryside you are leaving the dangerous places and entering a place of relative safety.

 

Good luck

[+t.a.folk]

makes me very sad that you can't even offer a cheery hello sometimes.

 

I do say hello to the sometimes uneasy looking lone man who is walking towards me with a fixed straight ahead stare .

Seems to make most lone men look less uncomfortable with the situation .

 

But a man walking in a businness suite in a countryside landscape does make me wonder . Like why are they there if not walking a dog .

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

Some years ago - I met a man in a Dark Suit, in the middle of Dartmoor - "Can you yell me the way to Moorhaven"? Was all he said... Then he ran off down the middle of a stream.....

 

Shortly afterwards a helicopter came over low.... I suspect that it was full of men in White Coats....

[+Queeny]

Apart from when I take Princess Freya and Lewy out with me, I do 95 % of all caches by myself! AND I have exciting adventures getting lost in the dark ;-) If I dont go out alone...I dont get to cache! Simple! Would be nice having a caching partner...but I am not going to miss out whilst waiting for one to pop along, LOL! And I feel I have bebefitted by all these new life experiences that I have forced myself into...map reading and driving being two huge steps forward for me. I used to let my exH do all of that and I didnt have the confidence to drive to Tescos! Now I drive all over Britain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Cachers!

[nobby.nobbs]

to be fair the stats on men being most likely victims of violent crime is not really relavant. it's seriously skewed as most of them occur on fri and sat nights outside nightclubs.

 

the actual chances of you being somewhere at the same time as mr. psycho nutter are very small. do not let the fear prevent you from enjoying life.

 

take the normal precautions. have mobile with you, pref let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. if you don't feel happy with a given situation then turn around and go home.

 

people respond better to someone shouting fire fire than help help. seriously.

 

you're much more likely to fall and injure yourself than be attacked and you're much more likely to fall and injure yourself at home than outside.....

 

so get out and cache, fresh air, exercise and less likely to end up in hospital!!!

[+Roving Rangies]

As much as Nobby is a good cyber friend, I certainly DO NOT go into strange terriory alone anymore.

 

I have been attacked by a stranger on a motorbike, who tried to rape me on a fairly quite country lane whilst I was riding my bike.

That was over 13 years ago, and even today I still have my eyes out on stalks looking at what everyone does, even when I am in a crowded place like a supermarket.

Please consider how you would feel if someone tried to attack you!

Do try to take a freind and a dog with you. You will be less of a target..honest!

[+Haggis Hunter]

I have been attacked by a stranger on a motorbike, who tried to rape me on a fairly quite country lane whilst I was riding my bike.

That was over 13 years ago, and even today I still have my eyes out on stalks looking at what everyone does, even when I am in a crowded place like a supermarket.

Please consider how you would feel if someone tried to attack you!

That is terrible news to hear, but it doesn't mean that it is going to happen to everyone who goes out.

People are attacked on a daily basis, men get raped as women do, they tend not to report it though.

I would say that you were seriously unfortunate to have been at that location the same time as your attacker.

 

When I was 18, whilst walking home from work, I got mugged by 3 large men. I got punched about a bit and had my jacket, wallet, watch and a few other things stolen.

 

I took precautions from then on, crossing the road as an example, but I never allowed it to stop me from living, because if you do, you are letting them win.

 

I think what a lot of people are trying to say is take precautions, and get out there and enjoy yourself. You're more likely to get attacked by someone you know anyway?

[NickPick]

But a man walking in a business suit in a countryside landscape does make me wonder . Like why are they there if not walking a dog .

Oh, dear. That'll be me. I'm caching.

 

Although in winter, I'll usually have waterproofs on over the suit.

[+scooby scrappy and mp]

Well that's two of us paranoid and i also take the dog, i agree Scaw completly.

I'm a WUSS

[+t.a.folk]

But a man walking in a business suit in a countryside landscape does make me wonder . Like why are they there if not walking a dog . 

 

Oh, dear. That'll be me. I'm caching. 

If you haven't gone "paperless" I'll be alright .

 

Many yearsago walking on Dartmoor with husband we came across a business suit ....the owner was sunbatheing naked nearby in a hollow .

[+Alibags]

Like HH, I have also been a victim of crime in the past. That does not mean that I have let it affect me and I will still go about my normal life. It does mean, however, that I am a bit more savvy (and I think sensible) than I was before. Okay, easy to say and I truly sympathise with Roving Rangies after their horrible experience.

[+sTeamTraen]

But a man walking in a businness suite in a countryside landscape does make me wonder . Like why are they there if not walking a dog .

That's me, lunchtime caching! I may or may not have walking boots on, and in winter maybe my coat hides my tie, but I'm quite often wandering around the Black Forest looking like I got lost on the way to the canteen!

[+Rose_Thorn]

I have always gone walking, running and cycling alone, even in the dark, ever since being in my teens, as it is usually the best way to watch wildlife and appreciate the scenery. Now I have a dog which I walk every day, and geocaching has been tacked on to the dog walks mostly, though on holiday my family members accompany more often than not.

 

My trouble is that I can't keep my mouth shut, and will tell people off if I come across them doing illegal things, like riding motorbikes on public footpaths and shooting air rifles in parks. I nearly got run down by a Suzuki 4x4 once, when I challenged him and told him he was driving illegally, as it wasn't a byway or county road but just a footpath. When I went to clear the mud off his number plate to write down the index number, he drove forward and I had to jump out of the way sharpish with the dog! Yes, when I see red I can be foolhardy

 

I have met some nice people on my walks and enjoy stopping for a chat when out in the countryside. I feel much less safe in urban settings though and in "dodgy" urban fringe places, where you can encounter druggies and the like; common sense dictates to stay away from known trouble spots, and yes, always take a phone, but don't flash that or your GPSr around or you may get mugged for them!

[+Geoki]

This post is quite timely for me. I had a weekend away from the family and went caching. I really enjoyed the fact that for the two whole days I was just me, [although the hotel that I stayed in was holding a 'Body art' weekend! Yep if it wasn't tattooed it was pierced the local cachers that I met that weekend INSISTED on walking me back after our meal ]. The only thing that kind of spolt it was this incident,

 

"8/13 [3.00]

For the first time whilst caching felt distinctly uncomfortable. On the way to this cache there were two lads with a dirt bike and another motorbike on the path. They made some comment that I didn't quite catch although they did mention 'bag'. Not sure if it was my rucksack or me they were talking about! I disappeared up one of the tracks as they started their engines up. I was relieved when I spotted where the cache was as there was no way, even with the dirt bike they would have got near. Dropped off the TB and a hanging pen , took the glowing earrings for Marnie.

On the way back to the car i emptied my bag of GPS, phone, purse keys and pda so that if there was trouble I could hand over a rucksack of swaps! Thankfully they had gone so carried on to the next cache."

 

This is the Only time I have felt uneasy whilst being out and about. Being 6ft, NOT slight and an ex-store detective I have always maintained that if anyone tried to have a go at me they would get a surprise, but this pair really put me on edge. Would it stop me caching alone again? No! I will continue to trust my instincts and if feel like that again will, if necessary, find a different way back to my car.

Edited November 17, 2005 by geoki

[+BedlingtonDuo]

I have done a few caches on my own but usually on the way back from meetings or in my lunch break is it is usually daylight. The more caches I do on my own the more confident I feel about doing the next one. It’s just a case of what you are used too.

 

I always let someone know where I'm going i.e. which cache I'm trying to find so at least they know where to come looking if I don't call in to say I’ve found it or not as the case maybe.

 

Mrs Bedlington Duo

[+FuzzyBears]

We were on holiday doing some great caches but I decided to do one final one after my husband had done enough (bad back).I set a waypoint for where he dropped me off and I headed down a footpath and into the woods. I walked for quite a way zig-zagging down the various tracks but then my route was blocked and my GPS signal vanished. After backtracking a bit I headed in the what I thought was the right general direction hoping to regain signal but then only got confused readings due to the trees. I had only worn t-shirt and shorts as it was a fine day but by now my legs and arms were getting scratched as I fought my way through brambles. However as the GPS started to give more and more wierd readings I began to panic as I had lost my sense of direction which is normally good. So finding a clearing I switched back to my start waypoint but there was no path in that direction. Panic mounting I made my own route straight back through brambles and nettles. My husband picked me up bloodied and bruised fifteen minutes later. I had a mobile phone and a "ham" radio hand-held but neither were much use in that predicament other than having someone to talk to and give me hope that I would get out....It is the last time I believe a cache description that says just off the path and the LAST time I go caching under trees alone. On getting home we downloaded my track and found I had managed to walk round three sides of a square and in various circles none of which came within a stones throw of the cache. Will do this cache but next time from the opposite end of the path and with company.

Sue

Edited November 19, 2005 by fuzzybears

[+Team Incredible]

I've never geocached by myself, but i do regulary go out hunting when my other half is at work and it is just me and the kids, aged 8 & 10. There was only one occasion when I was really scared. We were in woods near Auchterarder when someone was shooting in the woods and me and the boys were on a lonely path with no one else around for miles and miles. I had to be the responsible adult at this time, we found the cache but got out quick, not that the boys were worried.

 

Besides that we look after each other, well think they really look after me

 

Carol

x

[+AriExplorer]

I like company but I don't mind caching alone.. Though it was creepy out this morning in the mist, I thought I was being watched. It turns out I was being watched. - other cachers waiting for me to vacate the area so they could replace the cache

Edited November 20, 2005 by AriExplorer

[+Capt Slog]

As well as being a Geocacher, I've always been a keen angler. This has seen me wading alone in Welsh rivers at 2am (yes, really!) and usually a long way from any help. I never worried until the day I found a man with a broken leg, making his slow way back to civilisation.

 

These days I carry a mobile phone, but back in the pre-mobile days I attached a whistle to my angling bag so that I could summon help.

 

It's still there, as it will never need batteries, never looses coverage, and helps searchers pinpoint your position.

[+Flyfishermanbob]

Women caching alone ?! ....what a terrifying thought ..... that means ...... they will drive there

 

Now that is taking chances .....

[+allieballie]

Can sympathise with scaw because my partner sounds like her husband - gets fed up if we haven't found it after 5mins searching, whereas I would normally search for at least an hour if I couldn't find it! As a result of that, plus the fact that he works shifts, including at weekends, I usually go out caching myself with my 5 year old. If my partner is around but not keen to go out, then I will go out on my own. I don't worry about it - just keep alert and ever watchful.

 

I think I have only ever felt really uncomfortable once, when I was wandering around a city centre garden and there were a group of teenage lads hanging about being loud and obnoxious. Although it didn't seem to be directed at me, I felt sure that if I were to walk past them, something would happen - whether verbal or physical. So I just slinked off in another direction and got out of their line of sight. Hid round the corner for a wee while until they'd gone. Use your instinct - if it doesn't feel right, or if the area looks dodgy just leave.

 

We have recently acquired a wee dog and she accompanies me on caches now, but I doubt she'd be much good at defending me! I always carry a small aerosol of hairspray though - the idea being that I would theoretically squirt it in the eyes of anyone who tried to attack me. Mind you, I'd have to try and get it out of the rucksack pocket first!

 

I would be much more scared of meeting a stag whilst out caching - I did a cache last week where there was some sort of large mammal in the woods close to me - I could hear it bellowing! Now that was frightening - knowing that there was something in there which may have been watching me, and not knowing what it might do! My heart was thudding and adrenalin racing as I tried to get out of there quickly without letting wee man know why we had to scarper fast - didn't want to panic or alarm him!