+Luffness Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi fellow 'cachers, Just wondering if anyone is keen on helping to set up a Little Quest Wales, in the similar spirit to Little Quest England? Wales is, of course, perfect 'caching country. Little Quest England takes 'cachers on a tour of the Ceremonial Counties of England which depending on how you count them is 46 to 48; all leading to a final quest 'cache site - basically, it's a massive long term multicache. Sadly, I've only collected one, so have a very long way to go. The idea is to set up one 'cache per county, in a spot that is possibly historically, geographically, or symbolically special about that county. All these 'caches have a number or other clue pointing to a final 'cache location. So if we are to set it up, which counties do we choose? I think we have three options:- (1) Preserved Counties of Wales The preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty. They are based on the counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 and used for local government and other purposes between 1974 and 1996. Obviously, it'd the quickest to set up, easiest to manage and the dullest overall! There are only 8: Clwyd Dyfed Gwent Gwynedd Mid Glamorgan (Morgannwg Ganol) Powys South Glamorgan (De Morgannwg) West Glamorgan (Gorllewin Morgannwg) (2) Historic Counties of Wales The historic counties of Wales are sub-divisions of Wales. They were used for various functions for several hundred years, but have been largely superseded by contemporary sub-national divisions, some of which bear some limited similarity to the historic entities in name and extent. They are alternatively known as ancient counties. This is the nearest parallel to Little Quest England, and expands the list to 13 counties (still manageable):- Anglesey (Sir Fôn) Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog) Caernarfonshire (Sir Gaernarfon) Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi or Ceredigion) Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin or Sir Gâr) Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych) Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) Glamorganshire (Sir Forgannwg or Morgannwg) Merionethshire (Sir Feirionnydd or Meirionnydd) Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn) Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro) Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed). (3) Principal ares of Wales For local government purposes, Wales has since 1 April 1996 been divided into 22 single-tier principal areas. This is overstepping the mark I think, by including all the current local government areas in Wales. Sadly, it places the three historical counties of Brecon, Monty & Radnor in Powys; concentrating government in higher populated areas - thereby limiting some geographical choices in the entire challenge by concentrating them elsewhere. It expands the list up to 22 though, so a bigger challenge:- Blaenau Gwent Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) Caerphilly (Caerffili) Cardiff (Caerdydd) Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin) Ceredigion Conwy Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych) Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) Gwynedd Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tudful) Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) Neath Port Talbot (Castell-nedd Port Talbot) Newport (Casnewydd) Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro) Powys Rhondda Cynon Taf Swansea (Abertawe) Torfaen (Tor-faen) Vale of Glamorgan (Bro Morgannwg) Wrexham (Wrecsam) To be honest, I've not even set a 'cache myself yet, so am not necessarily putting myself up to lead the project. I'm really trying to spark ideas and interest. Geographically, I'd be up for Montgomeryshire/Powys. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 As a non Welsh cacher (but owner of a LQ cache, and I have cached, and do cache in Wales) I like the sound of the 2nd option, Historic Counties. Quote Link to comment
+Luffness Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 As a non Welsh cacher (but owner of a LQ cache, and I have cached, and do cache in Wales) I like the sound of the 2nd option, Historic Counties. Cheers Bear and Ragged, obviously as the owner of an LQ 'cache, you're certainly a good contact for ideas and inspiration! Agree, the historic counties would be the way to go. Quote Link to comment
+Browncadoc Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi all As a resident of Sir Fynwy this sounds a great idea to me and my vote would be for the 2nd option too - the historic counties of Wales. BC Quote Link to comment
+Griff Grof Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I like this idea too Quote Link to comment
+simplysup Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm currently 8 caches short of completing the Little Quest. As an exile, I'd love to see a Welsh equivalent that could then challenge me. My choice would also be the Historic Counties. I still wish I lived in one, so that I could set a leg Quote Link to comment
+Maple Leaf Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Definitely be interested ..... but I only finished colouring in my Welsh map last summer so means I will have to go around them all again If anyone is going to do a Scotland one, please can then do it soon. I'm going to Shetland in the summer .... to get that bit of my Scottish map coloured in so would be good to tick off a LQ at the same time Quote Link to comment
+Luffness Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 I think I'm getting a general consensus that the historic counties are the way to go. For those who've "coloured in their maps", I think most geocacher profiling software tends to only use the 8 "preserved counties". Doesn't matter one way or the other of course, the purpose of this thread is to garner interest. What I'm really after with this post now - do we have the man/woman/geopower to get this off (or on) the ground? I have limited HTML knowledge, but with help could organise things. What we need are dedicated cache setters for the 13 historic counties. Anyone in and ready to commit for:- Anglesey (Sir Fôn) Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog) Caernarfonshire (Sir Gaernarfon) Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi or Ceredigion) Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin or Sir Gâr) Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych) Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) Glamorganshire (Sir Forgannwg or Morgannwg) Merionethshire (Sir Feirionnydd or Meirionnydd) Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn) Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro) Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed)? Personally, I'd be happy to take Montgomeryshire as it's my home county Quote Link to comment
+L8HNB Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Go for it please! When we completed LQ England we asked if anyone was going to do one in Wales and Scotland but nothing happened. Its a great feeling to complete, and if you do it with the old counties I think it will be even better, and also to see others complete the challenge. We are lucky enough to have LQ Worcestershire and we still get a kick when folks say they are taking up the challenge even though we don't cache much these days. Might even get us going again if the caches look good. Good luck, L&H. Quote Link to comment
+Kelsborrow Wayfinders Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Having just completed LQ England I think LQ Wales is a great idea and agree that the historical counties is the best option. It would give me a good incentive to complete the counties in South Wales that I haven't done yet. Quote Link to comment
Deceangi Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 So as it's a consensus that Historic Welsh Counties are used. Does Flintshire get 2 It is unique in Wales and Possibly the UK. In that the Historic County is in two non contiguous parts . The majority covering the area currently designated as Flintshire today. However there is a small part separated by Denbighshire, located on the other side of Modern Day Wrexham You could call them Big Flintshire and Little Flintshire Deci Quote Link to comment
+simplysup Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_county_exclaves_in_England_and_Wales_1844_-_1974 Quote Link to comment
+welshsprite Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) I love the idea. I'm in Wild West Pembrokeshire and travel all over Wales to cache and I'd welcome a LQ series. I've only just started on the English one. (Happy to help down in this corner) Sian Edited March 15, 2013 by welshsprite Quote Link to comment
+Luffness Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Cheers to all for the positive messages of support. I'd really love this to work. So as it's a consensus that Historic Welsh Counties are used. Does Flintshire get 2 It is unique in Wales and Possibly the UK. In that the Historic County is in two non contiguous parts . The majority covering the area currently designated as Flintshire today. However there is a small part separated by Denbighshire, located on the other side of Modern Day Wrexham You could call them Big Flintshire and Little Flintshire Deci I really don't mind - though personally I think just combining as one would be enough. You could call the bit near Wrexham "Maelor" or similar if it helps. To be honest, the biggest sticking point I think we'll have with getting this off the ground is commitments from 13 'cachers to set them up in the counties as they are. I love the idea. I'm in Wild West Pembrokeshire and travel all over Wales to cache and I'd welcome a LQ series. I've only just started on the English one. (Happy to help down in this corner) Sian Big thanks to welshsprite Sian being the first to put her hand up for Pembrokeshire. So, am going to be bold enough to post up:- Anglesey (Sir Fôn) Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog) Caernarfonshire (Sir Gaernarfon) Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi or Ceredigion) Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin or Sir Gâr) Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych) Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) Glamorganshire (Sir Forgannwg or Morgannwg) Merionethshire (Sir Feirionnydd or Meirionnydd) Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn): Luffness Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro): welshsprite Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed) C'mon, put your hands up, you know you want to Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Not a lot of UK geocachers use this forum any more - Most of the daily geocaching online 'chat' takes place on regional geocaching groups on facebook so it might be worth your while joining one or two. There's a very active one here: South Wales geocachers MrsB Quote Link to comment
+martin&lindabryn Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 There’s also a North Wales facebook page that might be of help North Wales Geocaching Quote Link to comment
+Luffness Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Thanks for the prods from The Blorenges and martin&lindabryn. Signing up now. I've already had two offers for cache placement: Carmarthenshire and Bridgend (which would be Glamorganshire). My latest Facebook post on South Wales Geocachers:- Gulp! Cheers guys, I might have to follow this through now. Another quick point: was wondering on the choice of name. Little Quest Wales or something different? PopUpPirate (original LQ creator) obviously won't have copyright on the title per se. Would it be better to be LQW for familiarity and continuity, or should we have a new name referencing the Welsh nature? Taith Cymru? Quote Link to comment
+welshsprite Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I could do Ceredigion too if you're stuck..... conquering the Preseli hills is a regular occurance to cross the border Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Would be nice to see a few guidelines, cache size, distance to walk, etc., so people know what they are 'letting themselves in for' if they wish to place a cache. The LQ England were 'larger' sized caches, only those in London were micros (due to security) with the exception of the Final of course! The naming convention (LQ:Cachename) was also chosen to help search the Groundspeak cache database... Although some cache names seem to have slipped! Quote Link to comment
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