+Burgerhead Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Hello! I have just started geocaching recently and am eager to place my own cache. I've got some great ideas for a series of caches in the Lakes where my family lives, but that's going to take a little more experience and planning - for now I would just like to place one here in Durham if possible. I have found a lovely spot in a small wood near my house, on a really nice circular walk that has been a favourite from my doorstep for a while, and I would like to place an ammo can there for my first cache. I've had a good long read of all the guidelines etc etc, had a look at a lot of the info on the various UK resources such as follow the arrow and GAGB, and I have trawled through the forum here for useful info on permission. But to be honest I am still completely stumped as I just don't know who owns this piece of land. I have no doubt that whoever they are would have no problem with a cache being placed there - I have found a great spot just off a public footpath where it would be completely concealed and it is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. However I have absolutely no clue how to find out who the landowner is! Does 'adequate' permission encompass these kind of assumptions if the landowner is unknown? Of course I would happily remove it if later on it turned out to be a problem but that is hardly the best way to do things. 1. Any advice on how to find out who the landowner is would be much appreciated, though I get the impression it is often all but impossible. 2. Given that the proposed cache would otherwise meet with all of the other requirements, how vital is explicit permission in these circumstances? I don't want to ruffle any feathers, it's just this seems like a bit of a grey area and I imagine I would ruffle more feathers if I just went ahead and placed it and it turned out to be less of a grey area than I thought! I could just put a bit more time into finding another location with a more obvious landowner (park, nature reserve, NT etc) but that would be quite limiting, and this is a great spot (in my opinion!). It's just a little frustrating the only problem being not knowing who to ask! Thanks for your help, Will. Quote Link to comment
+keehotee Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I have found a great spot just off a public footpath where it would be completely concealed and it is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. However I have absolutely no clue how to find out who the landowner is! Welcome aboard.... If a public footpath crosses the land, the local authority's Rights of Way officers should know who the landowner is. Google for the area's "definitive map", and you'll (hopefully) find contact details for the right department Quote Link to comment
+The_Street_Searchers Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I know you said you looked at Follow the Arrow - did you use the MAGIC maps? Congrats on taking the time to do it right! rather than just plowing in and placing a micro outside your front door :-) Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 ... rather than just plowing in and placing a micro outside your front door :-) At least you know who to ask for permission! Quote Link to comment
+eusty Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 At least is a right of way which makes it a lot easier to find out who own the land...I had to resort of a 'goose chase' of asking local farmers ("try farm x".."not it's farm y" etc) who owned a bit of land!! Quote Link to comment
+Burgerhead Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Thanks for all the help so far! I had indeed checked MAGIC map which didn't help this time, but I did not know about 'definitive maps' - a quick google and I have now emailed my local Rights of Way Officer to see if they can help. It is indeed one of the council's footpaths and I have sent them all of the details so fingers crossed. I will let you know how it pans out. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment
jadenrich2101 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I was gonna suggest getting intouch with your local counctil...im pretty sure they would be able to help you find out...But be prepared to be on the phone for a good half hour BEFORE they answer the darn phone Quote Link to comment
+eusty Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I was gonna suggest getting intouch with your local counctil...im pretty sure they would be able to help you find out...But be prepared to be on the phone for a good half hour BEFORE they answer the darn phone They answer quickly at ours...the trouble is they don't know what happens there!! I had to ring 4 times and spoke to half a dozen people (not including the receptionists) for them to realise they didn't hold the Common Land Register!! Quote Link to comment
jadenrich2101 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 arr yeh once ive got through about my leaking window ive gone to - Plumblin, electrician, gardening and waste disposal........i only wanted some more of that white stuff in that gun thing sticking around my window grrrrrr Quote Link to comment
Deceangi Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 arr yeh once ive got through about my leaking window ive gone to - Plumblin, electrician, gardening and waste disposal........i only wanted some more of that white stuff in that gun thing sticking around my window grrrrrr Now your talking about the Council process there. Glazing is down to Plumbers (please don't ask me why, because this is something I've tried to fathom out since i fist went to work for a council,way back in the 70's) Electrician to insure that the Frame is not live, is not leaking on to any electrics, which would then have to be disconnected until the leak is resolved Ground Staff to check that the responding Plumber & Electrician are not at risk of harming any rare plants or at risk of acquiring Tetanus from a plant or unsuitable manure being used at the location. Waste Disposal due to the fact that the sealer might possibly be a controlled waste product, so that it requires disposing of in a special way (with ensuing paper work) or there is unsuitable manure at the location. Which again would need specialised removal and disposal I've always found Council Rangers to be a great source for who to contact within the council, if they don't know directly who to contact. They will usually put you on to someone else within the department who does know. So a local Ranger, will put you on to his/her boss. The other approach is to contact the Chairman of the Council directly, and they will pass the request down the chain of command. It will soon land on the desk of the appropriate person, as everyone gets rid of the hot potato as quick as possible Deci Note to all council staff, this is only a gentile leg pull. I worked for Manchester City Council for 13 years Quote Link to comment
+Us 4 and Jess Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Hiya Burgerhead As you have been finding quite a lot of our caches lately and from your write ups I presume you live on the opposite side of hill from us about 2 mile away :0) We have an event coming up in August and also the local cachers meet up once a month for a natter and a drink, you would be welcome to come along to either of these get togethers. They are a canny bunch of local yokels and a wealth of information can be gotten from them by arm twisting or pint buying :D Mandy Quote Link to comment
+Burgerhead Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Ah man, found out who the owner was yesterday - it actually turned out to be a lot easier in this instance than I thought it was going to be! Emailed them last night with my request and they replied this morning to say . . . no. Oh well guess I'll just have to start again! Hi Mandy! Yes I have indeed been finding a few of your caches (would be finding more of them if I didn't have so much work to do!) - thank you very much I'm having a lot of fun finding them! The event in August sounds like fun! I've actually got something else pencilled into the diary on the 20th in which case I will be away from Durham, but I am still waiting back to hear from someone about that so I might well be able to come along. I'll let you know when I do. Quote Link to comment
+uktim Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have found a great spot just off a public footpath where it would be completely concealed and it is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. However I have absolutely no clue how to find out who the landowner is! Welcome aboard.... If a public footpath crosses the land, the local authority's Rights of Way officers should know who the landowner is. Google for the area's "definitive map", and you'll (hopefully) find contact details for the right department They may know but I'd be more than a bit fed up if they handed my contact details out so easily! Quote Link to comment
+eusty Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Although one of the .gov.uk webites said they hold the landowners details they don't!! Rang up our council earlier and they only know the landowners name if there has been a dispute over the right of way. Quote Link to comment
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