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Given the limited hours of daylight at this time of year, I've attempted several caches in the dark recently, but haven't got anywhere with finding them. It obviously creates more of a challenge, and I reckon it could be a lot of fun, but thus far I've had no luck.

 

So...caching at night...any hints, tips and tricks you'd like to share? What extra stuff do you take? Any extra hazards I should be aware of?

 

Also, can you suggest some good after-dark caches? I'm in SW London so I'd prefer reasonably local ones, but I'm always up for travelling to some good ones. :unsure: I'll also be in Edinburgh for a weekend at the end of this month.

 

Lee

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So...caching at night...any hints, tips and tricks you'd like to share? What extra stuff do you take? Any extra hazards I should be aware of?

 

I'm in SW London so I'd prefer reasonably local ones,

 

I've done quite a few but they were all in deep countryside, a small torch (& spare set of batteries) was all I took, It helps if there's a full moon or a clear starlit sky in which case you'll be able to do without the torch until you get to the GZ.

 

Personally I wouldn't want to be out & about in an urban environment at night, and there are some places where you might get more than you bargained for if you're creeping around in the bushes in the dark (Clapham Common springs to mind).

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Personally I wouldn't want to be out & about in an urban environment at night, and there are some places where you might get more than you bargained for if you're creeping around in the bushes in the dark (Clapham Common springs to mind).

 

I have no particular issue with being out and about in towns at night, besides, it's dark by 4.30pm at this time of year...

 

I agree, though, that certain places are not good to be alone in at night. I was staying in Livingstone, Scotland, last summer, and walked through some woods alone on my way to the station in daylight. On my way back, in the dark, it was a pretty scary experience.

 

Lee

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I have no particular issue with being out and about in towns at night, besides, it's dark by 4.30pm at this time of year...

 

 

I was thinking more along the lines of if you're seen rummaging about in the dark in the town you might end up getting some unwanted assistance from the boys in blue, even more than during the daytime.

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I've done a few in the dark, with no more trouble than during the day. As someone said already, you're unlikely to be meet anyone in a rural area (especially if it's raining..) but you need to keep your wits about you to avoid scaring urban folks by creeping about the bushes at night.

 

Might seem like a daft point, but it's surprisingly dark in the country. :laughing:

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If your caching by torchlight, make sure you are not near any houses/buildings with security guards. The last thing you want is the police getting called out, frightening somebody - or the guard dogs getting let free.

 

If caching by torchlight, please make extra sure you re-cover the cache properly, and check from all angles.

 

Plenty of batteries, a bright torch, watch your footing and have fun!! :antenna::laughing:

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I'd want an overhead helicopter with a trillion candle power spotlight before I would even think about it, I'm frightened of the dark :antenna:

We had one of those here :laughing:

 

I've done quite a lot of night time caching, especially in the country and in woods, it's good for getting FTFs. One I particularly enjoyed was Spirit of the Teine Sith Near Berkhamsted, NW of London if it's not too far for you.

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I've been doing a lot of night caches recently; here's my take.

 

I'm not scared of the dark in the slightest, so that helps. Actually, I quite like the idea of being invisible!

 

Parking is easier. Muggles are fewer; stealth is a *lot* easier.

 

Walking down uneven footpaths is more difficult, but I use a 3 watt luxeon LED head torch, and the 4 AA batteries last a very long time. The beam is incredibly bright.. On more even ground, I use the low power setting on it to conserve battery

 

Finding a cache - I think that most caches are just as easy in the dark. My theory is, we don't actually have all--round vision, we only really see what's directly in front, and the brain fills in the rest from what you saw earlier. So, if you use your head torch to illuminate the direction you're looking (and you have a really bright one as per above) then you won't miss much that you would see in full daylight.

 

I was nervous about walking along roads at night, because maybe the cars can't see you. So I got a hi-vis waitcoat for a couple of pounds, and if a car has headlights, you'll definitely be seen. Plus, I have my head torch on.

 

I also have a very bright LED hand-torch; the beam is stronger and throws further than the head torch, and I use that to look a long way around, when I need to work out which route to take through the wood (for example) or to see across a field to aim at the waymark.

 

It's easy, once you go off-track in the woods, to lose where the track is. I've got a little red led flasher, that I can use to mark the track, so I can find my way back to it.

 

A stick is a great help for not falling over; also for poking around to find the cache, and to probe the depth of puddles.

 

I wear a leather flying helmet; this keeps my ears and cheeks warm, and also means that small twigs, holly and even brambles aren't going to hurt my head.

 

The batteries on my PDA last a lot longer, because I can switch the brightness down to minimum (and switch to night colours).

 

I carry a spare torch. I really don't want to find myself ithout light!

 

When the moon is good, I oten switch off all lights and walk by the light of the silvery moon, only using the torches for cache hunting.

 

You can whistle and sing as you walk along, there's no-one to hear you.

 

I wouldn't try anything a bit risky (like climb a tree) unless there was someone with me. Even a badly sprained ankle would be a lot worse if at night and alone, especally if the fall broke your PDA or GPS.

 

I was once stopped by the police and asked what I was doing; I explained about geocaching, showed them some printout, and they were happy - I was on a public right of way at the time, of course. Other muggles get a more limited explanation, "I'm on a treasure hunt, I'm looking for a clue", which is A) true and :laughing: sufficiently vague so they don't start looking for a box.

 

Overall - I like night caching, but ladysolly is less keen (but still does it).

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I've done a few at silly o'clock and would agree with all of the above - especially the spare torch bit! A head torch and a big hand Maglite work for me but you can't beat a frosty night and a decent moon when you might only need the torch to sign the log :antenna:

If you're going by moonlight then only check the PDA display with one eye - you'll keep night vision in the other that way, it can take a while to get enough back to watch your feet otherwise.

Keep all of your pockets zipped up - you'd hate to drop your car keys or anything else crouching down or climbing a stile etc and watch where you put things down at GZ, or preferably keep them on you.

Take the cache sheets even if you don't need them. I haven't met the boys in blue yet but I'm sure they'd be amused at someone with a silly reason but suspicious of someone who felt like a walk in the dark.

As above, Harry the mad axe man isn't going to be sitting in the middle of a wood waiting for custom. Having said that, if you're walking with the head torch lit and shining in his eyes then hopefully the big unlit Maglite in your hand would come as a surprise :antenna:

Watch your eyes. Low branches and thornbushes can be tricky in the dark. I've been known to wear clear cycling glasses in the woods at night after a couple of near misses.

Mrs Archer 4 always knows where I am going, a dropped phone and broken ankle in a wood in January wouldn't be much fun.

(I like the idea of a light to get you back on the path BTW)

Things scurry. You're bigger than them.

Take a change of underwear in case a Barn Owl kicks off as you pass its tree. Been there and it sounds like someone having their throat ripped out in the bushes behind you. Nearly brought a whole new meaning to marking a waypoint :laughing:

Edited by Archer4
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Watch your eyes. Low branches and thornbushes can be tricky in the dark. I've been known to wear clear cycling glasses in the woods at night after a couple of near misses.

Can't reinforce this enough - even more so at dusk. Thin branches can be dadgum near invisible even with torchlight. This is my nose, after an encounter with a bramble while skirting around a field in the dusk last week:

 

nose.jpg

 

Just 1 inch higher and 1 inch left or right and it could have been very nasty...

 

Things scurry. You're bigger than them.

Take a change of underwear in case a Barn Owl kicks off as you pass its tree. Been there and it sounds like someone having their throat ripped out in the bushes behind you. Nearly brought a whole new meaning to marking a waypoint :laughing:

Literal LOL!

 

Only other thing I'd point out about walking in the dark is that less defined footpaths can be harder to locate. So waypoint locations (sharp corners, junctions, etc) so you can find your way back on to the path should you lose it in the gloom...

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Watch your eyes. Low branches and thornbushes can be tricky in the dark. I've been known to wear clear cycling glasses in the woods at night after a couple of near misses.

Can't reinforce this enough - even more so at dusk. Thin branches can be dadgum near invisible even with torchlight. This is my nose, after an encounter with a bramble while skirting around a field in the dusk last week:

 

I wear glasses anyway, and have a pair which are small enough lensed, and close enough to me head that they'll not get knocked off.

 

What I've found particularly useful, especially for night caching is an 'Australian' style brimmed leather hat. It's thorn proof, the brim keeps the rain off, and it's a firm enpugh fit that it doesn't get blown off. I've resisted the temptation to add corks. The only problem is that I occasionally forget it's on, and have problems getting my GPSr lanyard over it without strangling myself.

 

As to night caching - I've done very little in the way of planned night caches, but plenty of FTF chasing around Coventry and Warwickshire. I've probably only failed to find twice because of night conditions, and I've had a lot of fun doing it.

 

There's also the fun on these unplanned evening FTF chases of spotting the LED-blue headlights, and traditional-bulb yellow torches approaching when you're searching aa GZ, and wondering of you can find (and if possible sign & replace) the cache before they get to you.

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Given the limited hours of daylight at this time of year, I've attempted several caches in the dark recently, but haven't got anywhere with finding them. It obviously creates more of a challenge, and I reckon it could be a lot of fun, but thus far I've had no luck.

 

So...caching at night...any hints, tips and tricks you'd like to share? What extra stuff do you take? Any extra hazards I should be aware of?

 

Also, can you suggest some good after-dark caches? I'm in SW London so I'd prefer reasonably local ones, but I'm always up for travelling to some good ones. :ph34r: I'll also be in Edinburgh for a weekend at the end of this month.

 

Lee

 

Get on your local forum and see if anyone is daft enough to want to come with you. My query tempted quite a few cachers and even a couple of muggles. It resulted in the North West Cachers dawn raid.

 

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d19f5990-55f2-423b-b198-3f3abe308f35.jpg

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I wear a leather flying helmet;

 

Had to laugh when I read this! :huh: Just to add to the madness of the hobby and to help convince the boys in blue that you're normal! :ph34r: Just need to add the goggles for eye protection and no one will think anything's strange at all!! :D

 

Vision of DrS in hi-viz vest over bomber jacket, flying helmet with head torch attached, goggles over eyes and carrying a GPS: "Well, officer, it's quite a normal hobby and lots of people do it at this time of night." :DB);)

 

Things scurry. You're bigger than them.

 

I can't remember where I saw this, maybe this forum or another, but someone's sig line had:

"Don't worry about noises in the dark, anything stalking you will be doing it silently!" ;)B)

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Personally,I would never attempt one deep in the countryside on my own.I have trouble in daylight let alone the darkness.Think safe!..City ones are a buzz!

 

I do almost all my caches alone, and I'm happy to go into the wilds on my own. People do tend to panic a bit about safety - go prepared adequately, and there's very little risk of anything terrible happening.

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I used to have a cache designed to be done at midnight called The Missing Cacher. In June 2004 The House of Boo used these forums to organise a trip to do it.

. Nightcaching can be very special, but as pointed out above, carries its own risks and challenges. Caching safely applies during the day too - I've probably hurt myself more and taken more risks in daylight than at night!
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I wear a leather flying helmet;

 

Had to laugh when I read this! ;) Just to add to the madness of the hobby and to help convince the boys in blue that you're normal! :D Just need to add the goggles for eye protection and no one will think anything's strange at all!! ;)

 

Vision of DrS in hi-viz vest over bomber jacket, flying helmet with head torch attached, goggles over eyes and carrying a GPS: "Well, officer, it's quite a normal hobby and lots of people do it at this time of night." :D;):D

 

 

Actually, I'm planning to buy a pair of goggles; when cycling, I find my eyes get teary in the cold wind, which obscures vision. Also, in the rain, my glasses get rainy and reduce my vision. I think goggles might help.

 

Did I mention I carry a stick? And various useful tooks in my shoulder bag?

 

I don't wear a bomber jacket; I usually wear a camouflage coat.

 

When we were stopped by the police, it was the middle of the night. I just explained what we were doing, they said they hadn't heard of it before, and that was that. I probably don't look like a criminal, I'm not in one of the categories of people who get stopped and searched.

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Personally,I would never attempt one deep in the countryside on my own.I have trouble in daylight let alone the darkness.Think safe!..City ones are a buzz!

 

Now I feel the opposite here. While walking a country path at might, I'm not going to encounter a mugger, indeed I rarely encounter even a muggle. Maybe I'm naive here, but what's dangerous in the countryside? Worst case, I fall over a bramble, get scratched, bruised and wet. Wolves and lions are pretty rare in Bucks.

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Personally,I would never attempt one deep in the countryside on my own.I have trouble in daylight let alone the darkness.Think safe!..City ones are a buzz!

 

Now I feel the opposite here. While walking a country path at might, I'm not going to encounter a mugger, indeed I rarely encounter even a muggle. Maybe I'm naive here, but what's dangerous in the countryside? Worst case, I fall over a bramble, get scratched, bruised and wet. Wolves and lions are pretty rare in Bucks.

 

Yeah,but what if you come across an unruly gang of badgers!...I hear they sometimes team up with foxes and even hedgehogs!.....I wouldn't stand a chance. ;)

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As others have said... take a good torch (or two!) - there's nothing worse than having your torch run out just as you reach the cache.

 

Me and Simply Paul managed to get a bucket of FTFs on a series of caches around Ashley Green near Berkhamsted, by going out at a ridiculous time of night. We didn't get back till 06:30!

 

I've just got a new head torch for my birthday - and I can fully recommend it. It's got LEDs and a xenon focusable bulb, so the best of both worlds!

 

http://en.petzl.com/petzl/LampesProduits?Produit=509

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Personally,I would never attempt one deep in the countryside on my own.I have trouble in daylight let alone the darkness.Think safe!..City ones are a buzz!

 

Now I feel the opposite here. While walking a country path at might, I'm not going to encounter a mugger, indeed I rarely encounter even a muggle. Maybe I'm naive here, but what's dangerous in the countryside? Worst case, I fall over a bramble, get scratched, bruised and wet. Wolves and lions are pretty rare in Bucks.

I've recently returned from Florida where I was tempted to do a few caches at night. The fun was enhanced by the possibility of meeting snakes and alligators, not to mention walking into a huge spiders web, which I actually did during the day! We've got it easy over here! :huh:

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I have done a few caches at night with some scouts but I did know where they were .... as they were mine anyway :)

 

I think I would prefer to night caches with others rather than on my own. You never know what might happen.

 

I've seen a few cache locations during daylight that have made the hairs on my neck rise let alone do them at night :huh:

 

:D

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Night caching is a lot of fun. It adds another dimension to the experience. The ECG (Edinburgh Cache Gang - Haggis Hunter, roolku, Jack Aubrey and myself) try to organise one once a year. We start at the first cache about 7pm, cache through the night and return home at dawn to sleep after watching the sunrise. Luckily around May there are only 4 or 5 hours of darkness up here.

 

A good head torch is an essential bit of equipment.

Edited by Firth of Forth
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I've done a few at silly o'clock and would agree with all of the above - especially the spare torch bit! A head torch and a big hand Maglite work for me but you can't beat a frosty night and a decent moon when you might only need the torch to sign the log :)

If you're going by moonlight then only check the PDA display with one eye - you'll keep night vision in the other that way, it can take a while to get enough back to watch your feet otherwise.

Keep all of your pockets zipped up - you'd hate to drop your car keys or anything else crouching down or climbing a stile etc and watch where you put things down at GZ, or preferably keep them on you.

Take the cache sheets even if you don't need them. I haven't met the boys in blue yet but I'm sure they'd be amused at someone with a silly reason but suspicious of someone who felt like a walk in the dark.

As above, Harry the mad axe man isn't going to be sitting in the middle of a wood waiting for custom. Having said that, if you're walking with the head torch lit and shining in his eyes then hopefully the big unlit Maglite in your hand would come as a surprise :o

Watch your eyes. Low branches and thornbushes can be tricky in the dark. I've been known to wear clear cycling glasses in the woods at night after a couple of near misses.

Mrs Archer 4 always knows where I am going, a dropped phone and broken ankle in a wood in January wouldn't be much fun.

(I like the idea of a light to get you back on the path BTW)

Things scurry. You're bigger than them.

Take a change of underwear in case a Barn Owl kicks off as you pass its tree. Been there and it sounds like someone having their throat ripped out in the bushes behind you. Nearly brought a whole new meaning to marking a waypoint :lol:

 

:unsure::unsure::):P:):D

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As others have said... take a good torch (or two!) - there's nothing worse than having your torch run out just as you reach the cache.

 

I've been doing some nightcaching recently as unfortunately for me a geocaching zeal has struck me right in the soggy depths of winter! I take a wind-up torch out with me as a backup to my headtorch, I would recommend this as an emergency measure.

 

Never had any problems caching at night, in fact my find rate is better in the dark! I even volunteered to join Foinavon on his epic night hike a couple of weeks back, I'm the one standing behind the camera... :)

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