Caches on Dartmoor

[+treaclefudge]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

Over the intervening years "letterboxers" have developed unwritten rules and tips about the siting of their boxes. They have found that boxes (caches) hidden near the tops of tors soon get stolen or vandalised. This is because these places act as targets to the casual walkers. Unfortunately there are groups of misguided people who think it is fun to destroy things that give others pleasure.

From a conservationist point of view, it is also more sensible to site a cache in a place were there is likely to be less wear and tear to the moorland, and away from any antiquity. There are certainly many thousands of suitable places on the moor!

Perhaps Geocachers should learn from these example when siting their caches.

 

treaclefudge (member of the Dartmoor 100 club and letterboxer for 25 years)

[+spannerman]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

Over the intervening years "letterboxers" have developed unwritten rules and tips about the siting of their boxes. They have found that boxes (caches) hidden near the tops of tors soon get stolen or vandalised. This is because these places act as targets to the casual walkers. Unfortunately there are groups of misguided people who think it is fun to destroy things that give others pleasure.

From a conservationist point of view, it is also more sensible to site a cache in a place were there is likely to be less wear and tear to the moorland, and away from any antiquity. There are certainly many thousands of suitable places on the moor!

Perhaps Geocachers should learn from these example when siting their caches.

 

treaclefudge (member of the Dartmoor 100 club and letterboxer for 25 years)

 

Hi treaclefudge,

 

not sure about letterboxers "unwritten" rules, if you look on the 100 club website you will find the code of conduct which most letterboxers (and geocachers) abide by.

 

I have found quite a few caches on Dartmoor and only one or two I felt were a bit suspect. If you have found any which you feel are sited inappropriately you should contact a reviewer who will sort it out.

 

I have also found a few letterboxes and without getting into a "us and them" conflict, I have to say I have found geocachers tend to be more sympathetic to the moor than many letterboxers, both in placing and searching for box/caches. There are good and bad on both sides but a quick note to a reviewer can get a bad cache archived very quickly while a bad letterbox stays in the catalogue for at least 6 months.

 

I hope you haven't come across any badly sited caches today, I had a found notification earlier today on one of my Dartmoor caches

 

spannerman (member of the Dartmoor 100 club and letterboxer for 20 years)

[+The Blorenges]

Welcome to this forum, treaclefudge.

 

When a geocacher submits a new geocache listing for review they are expected to follow the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines. In addition to this, here in UK, the Reviewers ask that cache setters also follow the Geocaching Association of Great Britain 'best practice' Guidelines and there you will see "3. No cache should be placed in such a way as to risk damage or disturbance to any Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM)."

 

If you are unhappy about the location of any geocache, in any respect, then you can bring it to the attention of one of the UK Reviewers by contacting them through their Profile.

 

MrsB

[+Alibags]

It is not entirely clear what point the OP was trying to make with their posting. Having found some letterboxes when I was looking for caches on Dartmoor, I would suggest that the hiding techniques of the latter were very similar indeed to the former.

[Jeremy]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

 

Sorry to derail the conversation but this comment is incorrect. The concept of geocaching was created independent of any knowledge of letterboxing. It is, in essence, a sister activity - but more in the Luke and Leia sense of the word. Neither knew they were related until Darth Vader told them.

[+mongoose39uk]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

Over the intervening years "letterboxers" have developed unwritten rules and tips about the siting of their boxes. They have found that boxes (caches) hidden near the tops of tors soon get stolen or vandalised. This is because these places act as targets to the casual walkers. Unfortunately there are groups of misguided people who think it is fun to destroy things that give others pleasure.

From a conservationist point of view, it is also more sensible to site a cache in a place were there is likely to be less wear and tear to the moorland, and away from any antiquity. There are certainly many thousands of suitable places on the moor!

Perhaps Geocachers should learn from these example when siting their caches.

 

treaclefudge (member of the Dartmoor 100 club and letterboxer for 25 years)

 

Not done much caching on Dartmoor, though from what I remember when looking for caches you tend to fall over multiple letterboxes within feet of them on the Tors. Pretty much hidden in the same way.

 

No big deal both can live quite happily together

[dragons puke]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

 

Sorry to derail the conversation but this comment is incorrect. The concept of geocaching was created independent of any knowledge of letterboxing. It is, in essence, a sister activity - but more in the Luke and Leia sense of the word. Neither knew they were related until Darth Vader told them.

 

Oh my word......he speaks!!!

[+The Cache Hoppers]

The sport of geocaching is derived from the activity of letterboxing on Dartmoor which was initiated in 1854.

 

Sorry to derail the conversation but this comment is incorrect. The concept of geocaching was created independent of any knowledge of letterboxing. It is, in essence, a sister activity - but more in the Luke and Leia sense of the word. Neither knew they were related until Darth Vader told them.

 

Oh my word......he speaks!!!

Yup, and he talks sense

[+treaclefudge]

Thanks for the responses. I was not meaning to imply criticism of Geocaching or Geocachers. Just trying to be helpful! I enjoy both letterboxing and Geocaching and feel frustrated when I come across sites that have been vandalised, as has happened quite a lot over the years in some parts of the moor.

Treaclefudge

[+Captain Gore-tex]

There are (were) quite a few differences when I was a letterboxer, including deeply buried boxes (Cut Hill a speciality), lots and lots of 'word of mouth' boxes, some which haven't ever been found, and no rules about density, more skill in the 'cutting' of stamps, and a more interesting (gulp) history of letterboxing to name but a few.

What they do have in common is a great deal of fun and both compliment each other. I hope both live long and prosper.

 

I managed 3000 letterboxes and hope to pass this one day with caches.

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Jeremy I seem to recall that you were very aware of letterboxing.

In fact was there not an attempt to take over letterboxing by you?

[+keehotee]

Jeremy I seem to recall that you were very aware of letterboxing.

In fact was there not an attempt to take over letterboxing by you?

 

That's a very sweeping statement......

I think there was an American website involved - rather than "an attempt to take over letterboxing".

You make it sound like he was setting up www.breathing.com, and then taking over respiration for the World.....

[SlytherinAlex]

It is, in essence, a sister activity - but more in the Luke and Leia sense of the word. Neither knew they were related until Darth Vader told them.

Darth Vader is a geocacher? COOL!!!!!

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

"Some moves were immediately controversial. Early on, when geocaching was still smaller than the older hobby of Letterboxing, Irish made an attempt to absorb Letterboxing into the geocaching.com Web site. The move was resisted by other members of the gpsstash mailing list. Eventually, Irish gave up trying to take over Web services for Letterboxing. "

Sweeping statement? Think not.

[+mongoose39uk]

"Some moves were immediately controversial. Early on, when geocaching was still smaller than the older hobby of Letterboxing, Irish made an attempt to absorb Letterboxing into the geocaching.com Web site. The move was resisted by other members of the gpsstash mailing list. Eventually, Irish gave up trying to take over Web services for Letterboxing. "

Sweeping statement? Think not.

 

I thought your point was this was before he was aware of Letterboxing before what has now become geocaching?

[+keehotee]

"Some moves were immediately controversial. Early on, when geocaching was still smaller than the older hobby of Letterboxing, Irish made an attempt to absorb Letterboxing into the geocaching.com Web site. The move was resisted by other members of the gpsstash mailing list. Eventually, Irish gave up trying to take over Web services for Letterboxing. "

Sweeping statement? Think not.

 

My mistake - I didn't realise there was a centralised website governing letterboxing.

Silly old me's just been doing it off my own back and word of mouth for the last 30 years.. D'oh.

 

Edited to add - and I think the "Letterboxing" (with a capital L) was an informal website to do with letterboxing in the US........

Edited October 5, 2008 by keehotee

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Ooh arent we all touchy!

And am I bothered? well actually not one bit.

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Ooh arent we all touchy!

And am I bothered? well actually not one bit.

[+kernow krawlers]

We started Letterboxing back in 1985, but, having moved, we could no longer get to Dartmoor easily and were thrilled to find Geocaching. I have personally seen both sides look down on the other and I just don't get it. There is plenty of room for both hobbies, although personally, I would not hide a chache on Dartmoor because of the vandalism.

 

Treacle what is your Letterboxing name? We use the same name for caching and letterboxing.

[+treaclefudge]

K-K

My letterbox stamp is a seahorse. I would have liked to use it for geocaching but apparently the name was already in use.

Further to this forum, I did not intend to start all the hassle about letterboxing v. geocaching, I too, think the two activities can run in paralell. My original statement about the origin of the sport came from something I read many years ago (on the letterboxing website, I think). It was written by someone who had started a "letterboxing" type of activity in a small area of the USA, around his home town. He claimed that he had first got the idea whilst on a trip to Dartmoor duing a visit to the UK. I assumed it all took off from that and subsequently spread through the world including the UK.

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Hi Treaclefudge we think we may have come across your stamp once or twice- Four Winds? Yellowmeade farm? perhaps?

[+treaclefudge]

Hi, Hungry Caterpillars

I last 'did' Yellowmeade farm area in July 2005. Its an interesting area. Didn't happen to find my hat here did you? I put it down to write up a box and then forgot it!

treaclefudge

[+Stimpy Goat]

Well, I just opened this thread as I’m hopefully going caching on Dartmoor in December (work permitting!)

 

Not wishing to get into Geocache/Letterboxing politics........anyone recommend any caches on the moor?

[+drdick&vick]

Scorhill Circle GC12JQZ and Buttern Hill GC12JQT

A couple of others that are not actually on the moor but are well worth a look are the two on Bovey Tracey Heath GC19XQA and GCPQ4W.

There is also Ivy Tor GCBC1D, Esses Ten 7's GC13KJ7 and this one GC12GT6 although it can be a litle boggy if the weather is wet.

[+Stuey]

Not wishing to get into Geocache/Letterboxing politics........anyone recommend any caches on the moor?

 

The High Chair is one my most enjoyable Dartmoor caches from recent months.

 

There are lots of caches around Meldon Reservoir that make a nice walk, and any remote caches in the middle of the moor (Cut Hill, Fur Tor) give you the proper "Dartmoor" experience.

 

If you want to do any more extreme caches there are quite a few that are best suited to cachers wearing waders and head torches which are great fun!

[+Team Sieni]

Scorhill Circle GC12JQZ and Buttern Hill GC12JQT

I don't claim to be an expert, but I've done a handful on Dartmoor, and I can second the selection of those two. We had a great walk that day.

[+drdick&vick]

Was a little awkward the day we went there as a group of druid types were sat around the circle. We tried to hang around and one came over and said "hi, if you are here to do some letterboxong or caching don't mind us as one of our friends is out there hunting now." SO we discreetly found the Scorhill cache and left for Buttern Hill.

[+Team Sieni]

don't mind us as one of our friends is out there hunting now.

I have a vision of a Gandalf-like druid producing a shiny Garmin 60CSX from beneath his robe! (and maybe intoning sonorously EG-NOS, EG-NOS, G-SAK, G-SAK)

[+The Blorenges]

don't mind us as one of our friends is out there hunting now.

I have a vision of a Gandalf-like druid producing a shiny Garmin 60CSX from beneath his robe! (and maybe intoning sonorously EG-NOS, EG-NOS, G-SAK, G-SAK)

 

...or maybe they use the more traditional druidic methods with hazel twigs, dowsing rods and pendulum, as this cacher did:

 

Who needs a GPS?

 

MrsB

[+drdick&vick]

Fond out later he was a letterboxer with a map and a compass, so no wiazardry. Sorry to spoil your images folks!!