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Geocaching at Centerparcs


slimey

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We always go as a family for a weekend break at Centerparcs, just before Christmas. This week, we got the pre-booking and activities leaflets. I was very surprised to see...

Geo Cache

 

Test your navigational skills

on our high tech treasure hunt

 

Using a global positioning system (GPS) and

a map, you will have to navigate your way around

the Village collecting a password as you go.

 

There will be a prize for the first team

or individual to complete the course

 

Entry fee: £10.00

Per person or team (up to 4 in a team)

 

A £30 returnable deposit will

be payable for the use of the GPS

 

I wonder if they'll have any information about geocaching.com for those people who take part. We'll be doing it as a family - my son even sounds keen on doing it, which is better than normal :anitongue:

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We always go as a family for a weekend break at Centerparcs, just before Christmas. This week, we got the pre-booking and activities leaflets. I was very surprised to see...

Geo Cache

 

Test your navigational skills

on our high tech treasure hunt

 

Using a global positioning system (GPS) and

a map, you will have to navigate your way around

the Village collecting a password as you go.

 

There will be a prize for the first team

or individual to complete the course

 

Entry fee: £10.00

Per person or team (up to 4 in a team)

 

A £30 returnable deposit will

be payable for the use of the GPS

 

I wonder if they'll have any information about geocaching.com for those people who take part. We'll be doing it as a family - my son even sounds keen on doing it, which is better than normal :laughing:

 

£30 deposit?....Can you put me down for £300 worth.....Ebay here I come! :laughing::anitongue::laughing:

Edited by currykev
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Nothing to do with GC.com (AFIK)

 

Are there any Rules being broken then, they're using the geocache term and charging.... :laughing:

 

Sue for Copyright infringement. :rolleyes:

 

Given that Geo and cache are being used as two words not one, and they were words before Groundspeak used them I doubt it.

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Nothing to do with GC.com (AFIK)

 

Are there any Rules being broken then, they're using the geocache term and charging.... :unsure:

 

Sue for Copyright infringement. :blink:

 

I'm not aware of any copyright issues.

 

I know of a similar commercial activity taking place in Shropshire and I've personally spoken to several people on such a "paid for" hunt. They seemed surprised that there were a number of "free" geocaches in the vicinity. However, despite me giving them all the relevant details I never did see them log the caches online.

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Grumble grumble...

 

So, I turned up at the sports centre on Sunday morning, GPS in hand, and asked how I go about doing the Geo Cache. Puzzled look from staff, who can't find it on their computer screen, so grab the book listing all the activities. I quickly explain that it's not in the book yet, it's a new activity. 'Oh', they say, and pick up the phone to someone. "Where on the computer screen do I find Geo Catching?"

 

Anyway, it turns out they only do it on Saturdays. Bah humbug.

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That will be this one: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/discover.nsf/...025708B003328D7

 

I know that the caches at the discovery centre are going to be expanded a local cacher is going to place more and the centre are paying for them, when I don't know but it's all through geocaching.com, so we can all go and get them. :) And obviousley if you have your own gps you don't pay.

 

Edited to add link

Edited by The Washers
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Grumble grumble...

 

So, I turned up at the sports centre on Sunday morning, GPS in hand, and asked how I go about doing the Geo Cache. Puzzled look from staff, who can't find it on their computer screen, so grab the book listing all the activities. I quickly explain that it's not in the book yet, it's a new activity. 'Oh', they say, and pick up the phone to someone. "Where on the computer screen do I find Geo Catching?"

 

Anyway, it turns out they only do it on Saturdays. Bah humbug.

 

So, resurrecting an old thread of mine...

 

Last weekend we went to Centerparcs again, and I was pleased to see that the "Geo Cache" was still being offered as an activity, so I (based on the experience from last year) booked the activity on the Friday night. The lady doing the booking had to search around to find it on the computer, but eventually found it under Watersports - so I started to wonder what was in store :-)

 

Anyway, Saturday afternoon I turned up as the Adventure Golf kiosk, where they run the activity from. After a while, two other teams arrive (a couple, and a family), and the staff member starts running through the briefing. We're all issued with a Garmin Geko 201, which he then proceeds to instruct us in how to set waypoints on (if we forgot, there's a 30 step instruction card in the map carrier that we're also given). Quite why we were given an OS map of the area I don't know... Shortly afterwards, we're set on our way.

 

First thing of note is that they do did it all using OS Grid References, rather than Lat/Long (so I had to quickly reprogram my Legend that I'd taken with me). We were given the grid reference of the first waypoint, and a clue. We were to find a plaque at the waypoint location, with details of the next waypoint. In all, there was 6 waypoints to find around the village, with the final one being back at the starting point. At each waypoint was a laminated card giving the coordinates of the next waypoint, a clue ("Large brown post" or "Near the key bin"), and also a password to prove you'd visited the waypoint. According to my GPS, it was a circular walk of about 2.5 miles, which included a reasonable amount of altitude change (if you've been to Longleat Centerparcs, you'll know what I'm talking about!).

 

As per the original advert (above), there was a prize for the first team back (um, yeah, that'll be me then :-) ), which turned out to be a free round of Adventure Golf.

 

All in all, an enjoyable activity, and surprisingly close to proper geocaching. It was just a shame that there was no mention of or reference to geocaching.com

 

Simon

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