City Centre caches

[+Mark+Karen]

I've noticed that in some cities the density of caches in the city centre seems to vary markedly.

I don't know if this due to the suitability of the location to hold caches or the number of geocachers living in the area - probably both!

 

Just some random examples. York has tonnes of caches, as does Newcastle. Whereas Sheffield and Cardiff have very few.

 

If we exclude London (which is always wise ) which cities are the hotspots for caches and which are cache deserts?

[+Alibags]

Caches breed cachers breed caches. If there are lots of caches to find locally you are more likely to get hooked as a newbie and then you are likely to then go on and set some of your own. My own area was pretty cache rich when I started, although there was only 1 cache in my own town (there's a few more now, cough cough), and so when I started caching, there were enough to keep me going, doing a cache here and a cache there, for weeks.

[+Gushoneybun]

Cache density varies all over, a PQ of my local area for say 500 caches will give a radius of 15 miles or so. In a part of East Anglia I visit this will be nearer 30 miles.

 

 

Manchester has a decent number, Liverpool until fairly recently was pretty barren but the numbers are building up there now.

[+The Other Stu]

Cache density varies all over, a PQ of my local area for say 500 caches will give a radius of 15 miles or so. In a part of East Anglia I visit this will be nearer 30 miles.

 

 

I'd love to know where you go caching in East Anglia

 

I reckon there are barely 500 in the whole area! Once you get to Newmarket / Bury and go East, you hit upon a cache every 10 miles it seems.

 

I was staying in Bury last week and I did a quick zoom around.

For a fairly sized Market town (that supports a large area) it's pretty rubbish.

 

35,000 people can produce just this many caches?

 

 

As opposed to where I now live. admittedly, I own half the caches but even so....

 

You can do similar comparisons with Ipswich / Milton Keynes etc.

 

Norwich is OK, but all the areas around are barely touched.

 

It's a shame - East Anglia has few hills and suits the casual walker. It's mainly agricultural so isn't full of urban sprawl.

Edited September 13, 2010 by The Other Stu

[+Lovejoy and Tinker]

Looks like I might be needed back home

 

LOVEJOY

[+The Other Stu]

Looks like I might be needed back home

 

LOVEJOY

 

Funny that, I used to love watching Lovejoy to see if I could spot my old house, my mates house or any buildings that I knew well*

 

*for those that don't know, Lovejoy was mostly filmed in Suffolk, around Bury, Long Melford, Lavenham, Sudbury and surrounding villages

[+stanolli]

Bury had some very nice caches a year ago when I was there (GC1NF7R Urby(n) St Edmunds - Inner Glow for one), but at least 10 have been targeted by muggle(s). A great shame to lose a lot of hard work by nick.

[+Jacaru & Wemnog]

Nottingham city centre has a fair few, there is even an Earthcache http://coord.info/GC27063 Being such a small city they can easily be done in a few hours.

[Copepod]

Cache density varies all over, a PQ of my local area for say 500 caches will give a radius of 15 miles or so. In a part of East Anglia I visit this will be nearer 30 miles.

 

 

I'd love to know where you go caching in East Anglia

 

I reckon there are barely 500 in the whole area! Once you get to Newmarket / Bury and go East, you hit upon a cache every 10 miles it seems.

 

I was staying in Bury last week and I did a quick zoom around.

For a fairly sized Market town (that supports a large area) it's pretty rubbish.

 

35,000 people can produce just this many caches?

 

 

As opposed to where I now live. admittedly, I own half the caches but even so....

 

You can do similar comparisons with Ipswich / Milton Keynes etc.

 

Norwich is OK, but all the areas around are barely touched.

 

It's a shame - East Anglia has few hills and suits the casual walker. It's mainly agricultural so isn't full of urban sprawl.

 

If you count Cambridge as being in East Anglia, there are lots around here, both in the city and in surrounding villages, Roman Roads etc. I used to work in Coventry (similar sized city to Cambridge) once or twice a week, and downloaded a few there, but only had time to search for a couple, when midday breaks were long enough.

[+Geocass&Andy750x]

If we exclude London (which is always wise ) which cities are the hotspots for caches and which are cache deserts?

 

Excluding London? Wise? I love London, we had such an awesome time caching there on Saturday. It was soooooo quiet! I know what you mean though, you would expect lots of caches in the cities/large towns. I love a bit of urban caching as the hides can be quite inventive. Brighton was good fun when we were down there. Lots scattered here and there. I went to Cambridge a month or so ago (Despite working very close I rarely go there due to the palava of getting into the centre!) and tried to grab a couple of caches there, but didn't find very much... *SIGH*

[+MartyBartfast]

Portsmouth is pretty well served, with well over a hundred on the island, and just as many just off the island. While there has recently been a spate of caches that seem to be poorly thought out and just there 'for the numbers', there are also some good ones to be found.

[Brac20]

Nottingham seems pretty good, I am a geo-n00b but there are plenty around. Grabbed one last night on the way back to the car from the steak house. I live about 15 minutes walk from the very centre and there are loads within 1km of me.

[+The Fruitloops]

I think we must be lucky in Swindon, a search from my home co-ords gives me 713 caches within 10 miles

Edited September 15, 2010 by The Fruitloops

[+Mark+Karen]

I think we must be lucky in Swindon, a search from my home co-ords gives me 713 caches within 10 miles

 

10 mile radius is a long way however. I was considering more like if you were in a city / town centre had an hour or so to spare, and wanted to walk to nearby caches.

[+Jacaru & Wemnog]

Nottingham seems pretty good, I am a geo-n00b but there are plenty around. Grabbed one last night on the way back to the car from the steak house. I live about 15 minutes walk from the very centre and there are loads within 1km of me.

 

Hi Brac20, Veering slightly on to another topic, as a new member, if you need any help or a caching buddy, let me know as I am only in Carlton, and can usually fit some caching in.

 

Now back to topic.

[+currykev]

 

If we exclude London (which is always wise )

 

If you do you may miss one of the world's greatest of walks and vistas, heading either N or S over Waterloo Bridge. (best on a balmy Summer's evening, just before dusk).

Majestic views both E and W as you traverse. You cannot beat it.

And some good caches nearby too.

 

PS...just ignore the beggars and winos and you'll be right.

[+Mark+Karen]

If you do you may miss one of the world's greatest of walks and vistas, heading either N or S over Waterloo Bridge. (best on a balmy Summer's evening, just before dusk).

Majestic views both E and W as you traverse. You cannot beat it.

And some good caches nearby too.

 

Having done exactly that both at dawn, dusk and night back in February I would certainly concur

[+drsolly]

I like to go to London on a Sunday, when parking is a lot easier, and traffic relatively light. I park the car, then whizz around on the bike. Lunch at one of a zillionplaces to eat, most shops seem to be open and I always have a great day out.

 

But London isn't just one place. There's dozens. A couple f days ag I went to Bexley, and did the Shooters Hill series, and then others nearby.

[Ephemeral Moment]

Well after a day in York yesterday, I would say that York is pretty well served with micros - a good series around the wall and quite a few in the city centre - about 50 in that area, though some are fiendish puzzles, which I didn't realise and had to come home to work on them

 

I think it's the most cache rich city/town around me

[+20DollarDude]

Norwich doesn't have many city centre ones (relative to it's size). I aim to rectify that.

[+The Other Stu]

Norwich doesn't have many city centre ones (relative to it's size). I aim to rectify that.

 

I look forward to it

[+perth pathfinders]

I like city centre caches, especially in places easily accessible by train (straight forward clues essential in muggle high places though).

 

Please set loads, it makes you look at the local architecture, plaques, hidden places you would normally miss.

 

One place where micros are acceptable although I am amazed at just how brave people are at hiding boxes in cities - excellent!!

[+perth pathfinders]

Only pet hate for city centre caches is - under a bench - there is always somebody sat there!!

[+The Other Stu]

Only pet hate for city centre caches is - under a bench - there is always somebody sat there!!

 

They don't tend to stay very long if the Tiger and I sit either side of them

[+Original A1]

Edinburgh has loads, and with newer cachers busy setting new caches, there's fresher hides going out all the time (I've only found about half of the "older" ones, so plenty for me, but presumably more interesting for the longer-lasting cachers).

 

Stirling and Perth also have heaps. I've not cached that much in Dundee and not at all in Glasgow or Inverness, so not so up-to-date there. Aberdeen could have more.

 

Was well-chuffed to clear out the grand metropolis of Weston Turville in one afternoon this week (thanks Alibags!), but feel that Chiltern Hundreds excluded, there's heaps more places in Bucks to add to the caches already out (if I lived there..., etc.).

 

Edited September 18, 2010 by Original A1

[+20DollarDude]

Norwich doesn't have many city centre ones (relative to it's size). I aim to rectify that.

 

I look forward to it

 

Cool. And they won't be those infuriating micro or nano caches either. I can never bloomin' find those!! :L

 

I'll make them a decent size so plenty of space for TBs and GCs. It's nice to help these things on their way...