How many caches does it take you to get out of bed?

[+Jango & Boba Fett]

Having previously been based in an expanding GeoCaching area (Norfolk) and then an area with lots of active cachers (Dorset/Somerset) I'm about to relocate to a relative cache desert, which in another thread has raised the question of how many caches does it take before folks will make the effort to go caching in a relatively remote area. There are still lots of bare patches on the UK GC map, which even when a new cache does appear may takes weeks before there is a FTF (eg Scottish Borders) even though they can be no more than a couple of hours from very popular areas. I was surprised for instance to find that after 6 months I am still the last visitor to an excellent series of caches set by Team Lourie near Inverbervie which are only a short detour from the main road north to Aberdeen. So to repost from the other thread:

 

... Arran is gorgeous and I'm sure you'll want to stay forever.....If you look at the finders of the caches on Arran,(and some of the placers) a pattern emerges .....by and large they are cachers on holiday....

I know you can access most of the caches from the bus , though this might require quite a bit of "hanging around" but the main reason Arran isn't well visited is the cost of taking your car on the ferry...last time I was there ...about 3 years ago it was £57 for car + driver....(currently just over £50 but the summer prices are steeper)

 

Similarly with Kintyre, a cache on Kintyre shows as 32 miles from me ....this is actually a drive of over 110 miles....and yes the cache density is proportional to the number of cachers.( i.e.....Team Balibeg.... who have 60 miles of peninsular to themselves )

 

Ps take plenty of Advantix for the dog, Arran does have a large deer population, and unless treated, dogs will be infested with Ticks......

oh ....and don't drink too much "Arran Blonde"

FlyFishermanbob raises an interesting point, how many caches do you need to have before people will go and visit an area. I have ruminated a little previously on the subject of cache lift off and how many caches need to be placed in a concentrated to jump start caching activity. If you consider the Isle of Bute there are around 25 caches ranging from cache & dash trads to more complex series. What do people think would be needed to attract folks to Kintyre or Arran.

 

It looks like most folks who go to Bute expect to visit around a dozen caches, and certainly I can remember being advised that Norfolk needed needed some cache clusters so that it would be possible to find 15 to 20 caches in one outing before we would get more out of county visitors.

 

So short of tempting the Perth Pathfinders, Team Clova or snaik to move west what mix of cache types and number of caches would temp folks to spend £50 on a day trip to a hebridean island/peninsula?

[+Team Incredible]

 

So short of tempting the Perth Pathfinders, Team Clova or snaik to move west what mix of cache types and number of caches would temp folks to spend £50 on a day trip to a hebridean island/peninsula?

 

Lots of long challenging walks, we can force the boys to do. Preferably some up hills / mountains, something with a bit of a challenge where we have to put in a bit of effort to reach the cache. If there is a view along the way, even better. Don't like micro's. just don't appeal to us Like it when we can get away from everything and everyone Makes us sound completely anti-social , we're not really.

 

We regulary drive over an hour to do caches with a decent walk, wouldn't go that far for cache and dashes, not a fan of them. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth are only about half an hour away from our home, but wouldn't venture into them purely to go caching either. Think it all depends on how people play the game and what they want from a cache / day out.

 

The penninsulas and the Scottish Borders are close to us on paper and we probably could get to them within a couple of hours. It's easier though to stay with the destinations that are closer to the main roads, for time reasons. Often to go a few miles as the crow flies takes twice as long when you have to follow the road

 

Time is of the essence on the islands as well, some of the herbidean islands, that have caches, take several hours to get to, leaving little time for caching when you get there. Ferries can be limited, even in the height of summer, forcing an overnight stay, which when there is 4 of you works out expensive.

 

Just my opinions, for what they're worth, but for us the walk wins everytime

 

Carol

x

Edited December 21, 2006 by Team Incredible

[nobby.nobbs]

a good walk and good views or a reason to be there, rare wildlife etc that i've a good chance of seeing.

 

a good place to warm up after goes down well of course!!

[+Just Roger]

In holiday areas - especially 'Day trip' ones like the remoter isles - I would think it wise to avoid Multies, Series and Puzzles and stick to Trads. Also give time estimates for the round trip to the cache and back for those involving walks. This would enable people to plan their day for the maximum benefit according to what they are after. Numbers, views or ???

Edited December 22, 2006 by Just Roger

[+The HERB5]

I use Travel Bugs.

Instead of taking a TB and dropping it at the next cache I ALWAYS try and help it with it's goal.

I then pluck all nearby caches to the TB goal cache.

 

Alternatively, I use puzzle caches in a similar way.

[SNAKEBITER]

To be honest I try to plan one at a time when going locally.

When I go anywhere or plan to go anywhere I will look for any caches within that area and try to aim for one.

For me (with all af 5 finds!) it is about fitting it around family commitments and the low boredom threshold of my wife and daughter.

If it was upto me I'd walk the dog all day in pursuit of the cahe but I have to be careful!

If I was in an area and there were 5 caches I would not feel obliged to do all 5. I would go for the one I liked the look of best and make the most of that.

As far as actually travelling in pursuit of a cahce or a cluster of cahes that is a little immaterial at the moment as there are plenty to do in my area still. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

[+ayepee]

 

When I go anywhere or plan to go anywhere I will look for any caches within that area and try to aim for one.

For me (with all af 5 finds!) it is about fitting it around family commitments and the low boredom threshold of my wife and daughter.

 

I agree with Snakebiter on this one. The ability to do a cache when with the family is a bonus, so if visiting an area I try to find caches that fit in with everyone else (particularly if visiting an area for the first time).

 

The only time I would consider doing several caches in one raid is if can can get enough time to myself.

 

Also if trying to attract people to an area I would go for traditional caches as with limited time I tend to ignore multis (even if they are quick to do) and definately puzzle caches

 

Tony

[+HazelS]

There has to be about 4 or 5 in an area for me to make it worth my while...

 

On saying that - now that I've virtually cleared the 115 in Wirral, one new cache will suffice for a trip out!

[+t.a.folk]

For a meaty multi in a scenic area it just takes one cache to make an 75minute drive worth getting out of the house for ...getting out of bed is the difficult bit .

[+Jango & Boba Fett]

For a meaty multi in a scenic area it just takes one cache to make an 75minute drive worth getting out of the house for ...getting out of bed is the difficult bit .

Ah thanks for the reminder, Bonus Cache is on the way

[+t.a.folk]

Look forward to it , but not today ,it's too cold !

[+Longfram Kev]

Almost the same but.

 

I went out at 21:30 the other night to a cache. Very frosty night, close to the sea and to a cache I'd already done.

Mind you there was a Green Jeep TB in it.

[+*mouse*]

It depends why I'm out and about. If I'm specifically going caching, then there is a definate link between distance and numbers. One cache will suffice to get me out of bed if it's local, further afield, I like to see at least five. If I'm going somewhere for another reason, such as a holiday or day trip, then the number of hides doesn't matter. The caches are a bonus.

 

I nealy always avoid multis, micros and puzzles if I'm driving a long way. They're not really my thing, so I definately wont go out of my way for them - but that's just me......

 

I'm don't think that the the number of visitors really matters. If a cache is worth hiding then hide it - some of my favorites have been caches that only get a few visits a year.

[+skinnymalinky]

Just one cache would do it.

 

If there was a nice hill and a good view with a pub at the bottom great. I remember before I was a cacher I was a hillwalker and did go to the strangest places, often just to say I had been there.

 

Malinky