Making a cache; Public Access Land, Permissions, UK

[+Foxyflame]

Newbie here. We have a couple of Public Access Land areas near up where I wanted to set a couple of caches:

- The first is Haugh Woods, a large woodland, I think under the forestry commission.

- The second is Broadmoor Common, a small area of common land, I am unsure who owns it.

- The third is Hampton Meadows, a nature reserve with foot and bridlepaths across, I think it's under hereford wildlife trust

My questions for both are as follows:

- If they are public access, do I need to still seek permission to place a cache? (I only ask as I have tried multiple times to contact various people but without any response)

- And if so, who do I contact. I have already attempted to contact the forestry commission for the first, and the local parish council for the second, and hereford wildlife trust for the third. None have received any replies. 

Does anyone have any tips of helpful advice for this. I'm walking in the areas most days and I would love to place some caches. 

[+hzoi]

The rule for placing geocaches is not necessarily to get written permission in triplicate for each cache, but to ensure that there is adequate permission.

 

For example, I just hid a series of 10 caches on areas adjacent to paths in Germany.  The fields are not fenced, and the paths are used to bicycle from town to town.  Such places are considered in the public domain, so I did not have to find out who the landowner was and ask permission.

 

That said, if you don't know, it's better to ask: so you're taking the right approach here.

 

I recommend you start by checking the UK regional policies wiki.  If that doesn't have specific information to these areas, you could ask other local geocachers, but the more definitive answers are going to come from your local reviewers.  Just bear in mind that they can get busy and might not get back to you straight away.

[+IceColdUK]

You may want to checkout the section on Land Permissions on the GAGB (Geocaching Association of Great Britain) website: http://www.gagb.org.uk/.

[+hal-an-tow]

The vast majority of cachers on this forum are in the USA and don't understand the English right of way setup , or our access laws and local customs.

My best advice would be do as Ice ColdUK suggests, but also drop  an e-mail or message to an active local cache setter whose caches you've enjoyed, and are set in the sorts of spots you are contemplating. This works particularly well if you have written appreciative logs for their caches , or met them at an event so already have a link.

 

They are best placed to give some advice.

The wildlife trust area could be an SSSI, in which case you would need specific permission from that trust for the reviewer to allow publication, check the 'magic map' in the resources list on the page Hzoi quoted, that is what the reviewer uses to see if an area is excluded from cache setting.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Separate issue, but one that often trips up newbies.  Are there other existing caches close by?  Caches aren't allowed closer than 161m / 528' apart, and the volunteer reviewers on this site often have to reject new caches for that reason.  I don't envy them.

 

Look up the "saturation" rule in the guidelines; I don't have a link handy but it should be findable.  Good luck.

[+Foxyflame]

Thank you so much, these links are exactly what I wanted  

[Blue Square Thing]

3 hours ago, Foxyflame said:

Thank you so much, these links are exactly what I wanted  

 

The other thing you should do is use the MagicMap. This is a government tool that allows you to see if the area you're interested in is an SSSI or similar.

 

The map itself can be accessed via http://benchmarks.org.uk/magicmapit.php - just put your coordinates in to the box and hit the button. You can then click the i button at the top of the map and click on the map and it will show you what permissions/land ownership etc... may be relevant. The link there will just show you the ones relevant to geocaching. Not all the shading is a problem by the way - you need to check it with the i button. It will also show, for example, Forestry Commission land as well as stuff you need to avoid like scheduled monuments.

 

The documentation that goes into it in a bit more detail can be found at: https://wiki.Groundspeak.com/display/GEO/MAGIC%2BMap

 

Looks like you may have an issue with SSSI land for both of the first two at least. Nothing that can't, with permission and thought, be overcome, but it makes life harder! Haugh Woods looks like a decent place though - if I'm ever in that part of the world...

[+southlandicebergs]

What is the rules for placing caches on electrical transformer boxes on the footpath (sidewalk) or in public car parks. I know some cachers don't like them as they hum. Another said they pose a potential electrical hazard.   Surely if they are there and can be touched by anyone they are relatively just as safe as placing on a roadside barrier.  I need to know as a reviewer has rejected one of mine.

There is the rule of needing permission to place caches on public utilities. But does this really apply?

The same could be said for placing caches on bus stop structures. Is permission needed?

[+cerberus1]

20 minutes ago, southlandicebergs said:

There is the rule of needing permission to place caches on public utilities. But does this really apply?

The same could be said for placing caches on bus stop structures. Is permission needed?

 

Sure.   "Public utilities" may be where you're a little confused. 

You can pass by, even touch it if you really feel like it,  but the "utility box" doesn't belong to you or anyone but the power company. 

Similarly, bus structures are open to the public, but someone owns them.  You need to ask for permission. 

We've asked permission on every cache placed.  Some taking months for approval by the landowner.

[+southlandicebergs]

I got feed back from reviewer and it is not the permission angle that was objectionable. It was that is was magnetic  on a transformer box that may have official stickers with electric shock warning.  So reviewer was ok for it to be placed behind the box but not on it. I know of many caches magnetic ones that are attached to transformer boxes. Reviewer was ok for caches on power poles as they don't have any warning signs on them. I know that many do have warning signs on them even the concrete ones.

So this may be a new interpretation of rules or maybe this reviewer is pedantic about electricity. After all they are in the public and able to be touches lent on climbed on anytime of the day.

Personally it is more dangerous to cross the road than these boxes. They are more prone to explode or go on fire than cause any electric shocks.