Does this sound like a bad place to hide a cache?

[TaraMart]

Hi all

 

We are looking to hide our second ever cache. Our first was down south where one half of us lives, and has had lovely comments about being in a very nice place. Now we want to hide one up North where the other half of us lives, in Manchester.

 

The area in question is a public playing field, well that is, there are a few playing fields with some rough ground in between. Tha area is very popular with joggers and dog walkers and has an interesting history which is part of the reason for hiding there.

 

The site I am thinking of is actually in direct view of a football pitch (though by no means on it), but I have only ever seen games played there at weekends - but that's obviously not guaranteed.

 

Clearly stealth is required at quite a lot of cache sites in cities, so it's not that unusual, but do you guys think this sounds like an okay place? We take hiding quite seriously so would value your opinions

 

thanks!

 

Tara & Martin

[+Pharisee]

If you can swear that there will never, ever be children playing within a couple of hundred yards of the proposed cache location, you might, just, get the reviewer to publish it. If there's a chance that there will be kids playing, then it's a 'no go area' for geocaching, I'm afraid as you'll have every cache hunter being hounded as a pervert or worse and being chased off by a horde of angry parents, nosey do-gooders and over-active local plod...... At least, that's what the small minded, overly protective, politically correct brigade would have you believe.

Just go for it!!

[TaraMart]

Haha, I was about to reply "Oh well, fair enough, the search continues".. then read your last line.

 

Well see that was my worry - the few times I have seen matches going on there, it's the typical sunday morning under-18s affair with the parents spectating.

 

Having said that, today after work, at about 5.30pm, the whole place was deserted apart from a couple of joggers.

 

I'll see if any other seasoned cachers have an opinion before taking any action, but thank you very much Sir for yours!

Edited May 2, 2012 by TaraMart

[team tisri]

If there are kids playing any cacher with any sense will come back another time. I found a cache a while back that was within sight of a (fenced) school playground. As I started to look I heard the school bell and within moments the playground was teeming with children.

 

As it happened the children teemed for a short while before going on to what I assume was their next class. Had it been lunchtime I'd have left the cache, I don't need to be flagged as the man on his own acting strangely in the bushes near the children.

[+mellers]

Haha, I was about to reply "Oh well, fair enough, the search continues".. then read your last line.

 

Well see that was my worry - the few times I have seen matches going on there, it's the typical sunday morning under-18s affair with the parents spectating.

 

Having said that, today after work, at about 5.30pm, the whole place was deserted apart from a couple of joggers.

 

I'll see if any other seasoned cachers have an opinion before taking any action, but thank you very much Sir for yours!

Near a 'playing field' isn't quite the same kettle of fish as near a 'playground'. If this is truly an open piece of grassland where football etc is played (and which does not have swings, seesaws etc), I think you have less to worry about than if it's somewhere near where much younger children play. I think a cache near a playing field is fine but if you are at all worried that the reviewers or lone male cachers won't like it, why not include a small rider on your cache description. Something like

 

"This cache is sited near to a playing field where children may be playing. If you are a lone male cacher and would feel uncomfortable searching for a cache in this location alone, please consider taking some geocaching friends with you before you attempt this cache.

 

A further warning about "you'll find it easier if you avoid Sunday mornings", would also help.

[+perth pathfinders]

If you posted this then you must already have your doubts?

 

Sunday is probably the most popular day for caching.

 

How many cachers actually read the page unless its a multi/puzzle?

How many cachers actually look at the attributes either?

 

Go with your gut instinct and use your common sense if you think it is a viable spot.

 

There are guidelines about caches near the vicinity of children and their play areas, why not ask the advice of your local reviewer?

[TaraMart]

Thanks so much for all the replies guys!

 

No, there are no young kids to be found in the area, no swings or slides. In fact I have been back there several times since my first post and it's been clear every time. And the football pitch is further from the cache site than I initially remembered.

 

I'll give it a go! And I'll add the warning about Sunday mornings too

 

Thanks again!

[team tisri]

If you posted this then you must already have your doubts?

 

Sunday is probably the most popular day for caching.

 

How many cachers actually read the page unless its a multi/puzzle?

How many cachers actually look at the attributes either?

 

Go with your gut instinct and use your common sense if you think it is a viable spot.

 

There are guidelines about caches near the vicinity of children and their play areas, why not ask the advice of your local reviewer?

 

Sunday might be the most popular day for cachers but the Church Micro series is still pretty popular. I've seen a few cache pages that say you can park in the church's car park but it's worth avoiding Sunday mornings unless you want to be blocked in until after the service has finished.

 

If someone doesn't bother reading the cache page they can't really complain if they do encounter something that could have avoided by reading the page.

[+McDeHack]

All cachers should have a dog. No matter where you wander, with a dog you don't get those strange looks whilst looking for a lost ball maybe???