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Permission for caches to be placed.


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I have not been caching for long but I am really loving it and can see this is going to be a long term hobby. I am at the stage now where I have thought about placing some caches of my own, I have bought the stuff and am keen to get them out there but I am struggling to understand whether ALL caches require permission or not, I have read lots about obtaining permission from various Trusts etc, but what if you want to place one say at the base of a tree down a country lane, does that require permission? and from whom? would it be the council or a landowner if the tree was in the hedge? or a public footpath beside a field? I am confused!

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Most ground is owned or managed by someone. If its on the street, the town or city council needs to give permission. In woods, it's the rangers and so on. Reviewers are supposedly well-versed in this local stuff, so if you have a place in mind, you could ask them who you'd need to contact for that particular spot.

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Most ground is owned or managed by someone. If its on the street, the town or city council needs to give permission. In woods, it's the rangers and so on. Reviewers are supposedly well-versed in this local stuff, so if you have a place in mind, you could ask them who you'd need to contact for that particular spot.

Reviewers do a sterling job but in almost all cases, will not be able to direct a cacher on who to contact before setting a cache. The OP will have to Conduct his/her own research via (internet/papers/local council offices/asking around) to request permission for a cache.

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Oh, so maybe I had better put my 8 containers and all the swag into a more sensible place than the middle of my bedroom floor then, sounds like an impossible task! I already asked for permission for 2 at some lakes near me as I knew they would definitely need the official nod, I was told they would get back to me on Monday and I am still waiting.

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Just a few thoughts from someone who's placed well over a hundred (or 200?) caches (most are now adopted).

 

Sometimes permission is granted quickly, other times it can take weeks/months/years. You have to put caches on a back burner for a while sometimes and place one or two that were easy to get permission for. But you can move things along with a gentle reminder by polite e-mail or letter. Although I have a cache or two that I've given up on after a couple of years of no replies.

 

If it's a "base of a tree down a country lane" type of cache then the main problem is that it'll be an obvious hide that people passing by a likely to spot. After a week or two there'll be a prominent path leading to a suspicious pile of rocks or twigs. The landowner will very likely live hundreds of miles away but the local farmer might spot it (unless it's already been muggled by then) and might take umbrage at not being asked.

 

Sometimes it's not practical to get permission details, and then it's up to your own judgement what to do. Examples include land where no-one knows who it belongs to, or places where the months of effort in obtaining permission are out of proportion to the chances that anyone will be offended by the hide. But I'd say that the latter are hard to judge unless you've found hundreds of caches in various parts of the country, and are aware of the hidden pitfalls (AKA experience).

 

As well as permission you might check the suitability of the cache hide, and whether the area is as nice at all times of the day (go back late evening and see who's hanging around, for instance). Also, what's hidden behind a patch of grass and nettles today might be in the middle of bare ground by January; or vice versa if you place a cache in winter. Plus, people tend to replace caches without much care and after a while your careful camouflage is all gone.

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Just a few thoughts from someone who's placed well over a hundred (or 200?) caches (most are now adopted).

 

Sometimes permission is granted quickly, other times it can take weeks/months/years. You have to put caches on a back burner for a while sometimes and place one or two that were easy to get permission for. But you can move things along with a gentle reminder by polite e-mail or letter. Although I have a cache or two that I've given up on after a couple of years of no replies.

 

If it's a "base of a tree down a country lane" type of cache then the main problem is that it'll be an obvious hide that people passing by a likely to spot. After a week or two there'll be a prominent path leading to a suspicious pile of rocks or twigs. The landowner will very likely live hundreds of miles away but the local farmer might spot it (unless it's already been muggled by then) and might take umbrage at not being asked.

 

Sometimes it's not practical to get permission details, and then it's up to your own judgement what to do. Examples include land where no-one knows who it belongs to, or places where the months of effort in obtaining permission are out of proportion to the chances that anyone will be offended by the hide. But I'd say that the latter are hard to judge unless you've found hundreds of caches in various parts of the country, and are aware of the hidden pitfalls (AKA experience).

 

As well as permission you might check the suitability of the cache hide, and whether the area is as nice at all times of the day (go back late evening and see who's hanging around, for instance). Also, what's hidden behind a patch of grass and nettles today might be in the middle of bare ground by January; or vice versa if you place a cache in winter. Plus, people tend to replace caches without much care and after a while your careful camouflage is all gone.

 

Thank you for this, the "base of a tree" thing was just an example with regard to getting permission, the area I live in is rural and I realise that changes can effect the cache site, farmers are some of the most observant people I know (said it politely!) but nobody has really answered my question fully.

 

Do ALL caches require permission? If you dont submit evidence of permission will the cache be refused?

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GAGB Database, http://www.gagb.co.uk/gagb/glad/index.php

 

Shows blanket permissions (and sometimes bans) for large areas, national parks, Forestry Commission etc. Each of these may have additional requirements (FC Peninsular = No micros for example. Dartmoor NP = Not in walls, ruins and shouldn't be in a metal box. (Live firing on parts of the moor, not a good idea to train people to pounce on metal objects...)

 

IME, most people don't ask permission for roadside/pathside caches, and if you don't need to leave the road or path there'll be no cacher's path. (Base of sign, magnetics, under stiles). Where there is a clear right of way and your cache won't cause obvious damage or alarm/distrust the unspoken rule (and some will argue this) is to place it. Think how cachers will look when searching for it; I won't attempt any cache near a school or playground because I'm well aware of what an ugly and chubby middle age man looks like when he's acting furtive in those circumstances...

 

Reviewers tend to require more proof if the area is shown on the MAGIC Map (Follow the Arrow site already linked for a link to that) of a specific agreement and it's often taken on trust. When it's not, copies of emails, names of people spoken to and their position may do.

 

Email has been the best approach for me, but sometimes your request goes around the houses A LOT before somebody will respond. One took two months before it got responded to (A local Nature Reservatio). Another (South west lakes trust) took five minutes. Both gave permission.

 

Obviously be polite and don't queer the pitch for the rest of us by getting us a bad name :)

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Do ALL caches require permission? If you dont submit evidence of permission will the cache be refused?

You only need to submit evidence of permission in certain cases. Normally not. The pinned topic above ("Resources for Geocachers in the UK and Ireland ") has more details, specifically on the page:

 

http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/permish.html

 

I agree this is a good reference.

 

Where explicit permission is not required - the key is the word "adequate" permission. That is left to your judgement. If for example it is on council land and the council has a policy allowing geocaches (with no permit needed etc) then it is easy. If it accessible from a public footpath (but on private land) - as dartymoor said the "unspoken rule" is often applied - though it would be best to get permission (even just verbal) from the landowner if possible.

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