Any help available

[fourlegsandtwo]

I started out by finding a cache by accident and didn't know what it was.

I then found a few more from details on the site. As I haven't got GPS I

bought an O/S map . I found one cache from map co-ords but the last two, no joy.

Is there anyway of contacting a local cacher for some help?

I've just posted this on the USA page (see, no hope), and been directed

here. Lancs

[+MBFace]

I started out by finding a cache by accident and didn't know what it was.

I then found a few more from details on the site. As I haven't got GPS I

bought an O/S map . I found one cache from map co-ords but the last two, no joy.

Is there anyway of contacting a local cacher for some help?

I've just posted this on the USA page (see, no hope), and been directed

here. Lancs

You'll probably have more success asking on the NW forum.

[+Cushie Butterfield]

Do you have a smartphone? There are apps you can download for geocaching

[Stompy]

Is there anyway of contacting a local cacher for some help?

 

Sure there is but, please explain what help you are looking for so we can advise better.

[fourlegsandtwo]

Good morning,

Well I fix the point using the co-ordinates , and I'm sure they're correct, but when I get to the area nothing seems

obvious as to where to even begin. I check on the map, and recheck on the listed maps on the site when I log in at home.

So wondered if I could get more clues from somewhere, until I get the hang of it. Right I'm off to re-try for VTT 1 and 12

Leyland.

[+MartyBartfast]

A couple of things to think about

 

Caches come in various sizes, denoted at the top of the cache page, from micro to large, try sticking with larger caches until you get the hang of it.

 

They also come with levels of terrain and difficulty, again shown at the top of the cache page. Obviuously caches with a low difficulty should be easier to find so stick to D 1 or 1.5 to start with.

 

If there's an encrypted hint on the cache page, use it.

 

It can also be useful to read some recent logs from other cachers as there are often clues in there too.

 

Look out for an event cache near you, and go along to meet some cachers.

[team tisri]

One other thing is to make sure you're looking for a cache that is actually at the posted coordinates. I know that might sound obvious, but a friend of mine who decided to try and find a cache solo so set off with his Android phone. He hunted high and low and couldn't find the cache. It turned out he'd gone to the posted coordinates of a puzzle, not realising that "puzzle cache" means "not at posted coordinates".

 

If you're looking for something like a nano on a metal fence there are so many places it could be that a lot of the time even experienced geocachers move along because such repetitive searches can be seriously boring.

 

To start out look for caches with a low difficulty and terrain rating, and look for something that's Regular or Large sized as there aren't so many places to hide a larger cache.

[+MartyBartfast]

Right I'm off to re-try for VTT 1 and 12

Leyland.

 

Well both of those seem to have fairly clear hints so shouldn't be too much trouble, except VTT1 is a micro so could be very small (35mm film can or smaller), which could make it tricky even with the hint.

Edited March 22, 2012 by MartyBartfast

[+Mark+Karen]

Problem with OS maps is that it brings you to just too large an area compared with a GPS unit or smartphone, when usually it'll be within a few metres.

Edited March 22, 2012 by Mark+Karen

[+FFloss]

Your best bet for advice would be to turn up to an event - there's one coming up not far away

 

GC313V7 Yankee Night - April NWCMM

 

People there will be only too glad the help.

 

In the meantime, although there are lots of caches that you would really struggle to find without a GPS,there are quite a few you can do without.

Ideally you need to pick ones on a distinct feature - a stile or a phone box for example. Almost every ruin up on the moors has a cache and finding them without a GPS is not too difficult - you just need to pick the ones with really explicit hints.

[+Mark+Karen]

Of course to go Geocaching properly you really do need a GPS unit. Chances are your phone will already have one.

[fourlegsandtwo]

Thanks, all the tips were helpful.

[+Graculus]

Are you on Facebook? There are a lot of very active groups for UK geocachers.

I've a list of some on my resource website.

If you want to know more about GPS and guidance on how they work (simply!) and the features they support you'll find a page about them too.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[elfre]

I've been caching for nearly a year without a gps (313 finds including a healthy proportion of puzzles and multis). I suspect it was more difficult as a complete beginner than it would have been with a gps but I've seen many logs from beginners who have gps and still struggle with their first few finds. The good advice you've been given in this thread about choosing caches suitable for beginners would be sensible for any new cacher.

 

If you decide caching is fun and you want to keep going then you can think about which aspects you find especially fun. People who primarily want another find to add to their list are probably better off with gps. If you're caching primarily for other reasons then a gps is probably less important. Although you will have to put up with tech-obsessives telling you that you're not a "proper" cacher and you're not doing it "properly", hee!

[+dartymoor]

Knowing how much I rely on my Oregon, I'm amazed at those who can regularly achieve finds going by map only!

 

Although - using the maps (especially the greasemonkey script for geocaching.com which gives OS maps and returns the satellite maps) - you could get much more useful mapping by printing off a zoomed-in view of the cache with an aerial picture.

[fourlegsandtwo]

I'm not on facebook (graculus), but will go on the sites you've advised me to check out. Elfre, I'm dopey with direction and maps anyway so this is pretty challenging, at least I'm not heading up the M6 north when I should be going south, I even got completely lost twice using a satnav!!! I thought caching would add an extra interest to my long dog walks(they're certainly taking me longer at the moment). Dartymoor, I don't understand about the aerial map thingy. Anyway I'm not for giving up!

Thankyou all for your replies .