Semi-power trails - appreciated in the UK

[+BethDaddyKaty]

Quick question. New to geocaching but absolutely love it, as does my four year old. However, at that age there is some appreciation of quantity as well as quality, which we can break down a bit by doing it on bike. However, it's often difficult to make a circular route without ending up with large gaps or doubling back on yourself.

 

I've just laid an English Civil War themed series of 22 caches over 8km, awaiting publication, which is along the lines of the US power trails. My idea was not to rigidly hide them every 0.1 miles simply to make it a numbers game, but to try and keep the distances less than 400 metres in a circular route so kids can move from cache to cache. 

 

I notice around here there aren't many similar caches - is it frowned upon in the UK? As a newbie I don't want to upset COs that put a lot of work to make the high D/T caches, but obviously these would be aimed primarily at younger children on top of GCs wanting their daily fix

 

Thanks in advance for tolerating my paranoia!

 

Chris

[+colleda]

Sounds to me like it could be a fun series.

[+Max and 99]

7 hours ago, daddybeth said:

Quick question. New to geocaching but absolutely love it, as does my four year old. However, at that age there is some appreciation of quantity as well as quality, which we can break down a bit by doing it on bike. However, it's often difficult to make a circular route without ending up with large gaps or doubling back on yourself.

 

I've just laid an English Civil War themed series of 22 caches over 8km, awaiting publication, which is along the lines of the US power trails. My idea was not to rigidly hide them every 0.1 miles simply to make it a numbers game, but to try and keep the distances less than 400 metres in a circular route so kids can move from cache to cache. 

 

I notice around here there aren't many similar caches - is it frowned upon in the UK? As a newbie I don't want to upset COs that put a lot of work to make the high D/T caches, but obviously these would be aimed primarily at younger children on top of GCs wanting their daily fix

 

Thanks in advance for tolerating my paranoia!

 

Chris

I'm curious how you are making an English Civil War themed series that's aimed for younger children. Sounds really interesting!

[+BethDaddyKaty]

Thanks for your replies

 

Its kid themed because each cache is double ended (two sided war) . One contains the log book, the other contains postage stamp sized stickers each with a different flag from a civil war regiment. If you find all caches then you complete the sticker sheet found at the first cache. 

 

sheet - http://tinyurl.com/daddybeth

 

i was also going to include a kid friendly civil war fact in each one but in the end the cache design didn't allow that so may include on description page. 

 

cache - https://ibb.co/z2wZwzB

 

So not really a heavy history lesson, more just a nod to the fact the location is peaceful now but was once the epicenter of a war. 

Edited September 17, 2019 by daddybeth

[+colleda]

1 hour ago, daddybeth said:

Thanks for your replies

 

Its kid themed because each cache is double ended (two sided war) . One contains the log book, the other contains postage stamp sized stickers each with a different flag from a civil war regiment. If you find all caches then you complete the sticker sheet found at the first cache. 

 

sheet - http://tinyurl.com/daddybeth

 

i was also going to include a kid friendly civil war fact in each one but in the end the cache design didn't allow that so may include on description page. 

 

cache - https://ibb.co/z2wZwzB

 

So not really a heavy history lesson, more just a nod to the fact the location is peaceful now but was once the epicenter of a war. 

By coincidence, I'm watching a civil war docco on TV at this very minute featuring the role of Oxford. May have to visit next time I'm over.

[+VAVAPAM]

I'm not in the UK, but think it's splendid how you've created a little nod to history and at the same time created caches aimed at kids. Well thought-out and nice art-work, too!

I've never met a kid who didn't like stickers!

[+mellers]

Don’t worry... circular themed trails are more common than you may think. There are loads within a 40-mile radius of my home co-ords and  I think a trail of caches is a great way to spend a morning. Also, I for one, much prefer a circular route to a linear one. It takes you back to the car afterwards without a boring cache-free trudge at the end! 

 

As with anything like this, there will always be those cachers who get precious about the old days and insist every cache should be an ammo can  at least a mile from the nearest place to park and from any other hide... and there will be others who much prefer lots of closely-placed micros on a circuit. You’ll never please everyone so don’t even try. Just place the sort of caches YOU would want to find in places YOU would want to visit and you won’t go far wrong.

[+BethDaddyKaty]

1 hour ago, mellers said:

Don’t worry... circular themed trails are more common than you may think. There are loads within a 40-mile radius of my home co-ords and  I think a trail of caches is a great way to spend a morning. Also, I for one, much prefer a circular route to a linear one. It takes you back to the car afterwards without a boring cache-free trudge at the end! 

 

As with anything like this, there will always be those cachers who get precious about the old days and insist every cache should be an ammo can  at least a mile from the nearest place to park and from any other hide... and there will be others who much prefer lots of closely-placed micros on a circuit. You’ll never please everyone so don’t even try. Just place the sort of caches YOU would want to find in places YOU would want to visit and you won’t go far wrong.

Good advice, thank you

 

For what it's worth this is a map of mine now they've been published. If anyone is nearby and fancies being a FTF, then you can search GCo2H, which they all have in the title. Really looking forward to seeing the American version of this!

 

[+colleda]

3 hours ago, daddybeth said:

Good advice, thank you

 

For what it's worth this is a map of mine now they've been published. If anyone is nearby and fancies being a FTF, then you can search GCo2H, which they all have in the title. Really looking forward to seeing the American version of this!

 

Congratulations. Looks like you've found a good spot that others have not noticed or have avoided for one reason or another. It's also a bonus that it brings one back to the start. I reckon that now's  the time when a CO gets anxious, after the FTF rush, then  all the locals have a go in dribs and drabs, then after that things really quieten down. Well that's what it's like here but with a greater population there it may not be the same.

[+cerberus1]

On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:25 AM, mellers said:

 Also, I for one, much prefer a circular route to a linear one. It takes you back to the car afterwards without a boring cache-free trudge at the end! 

 

Same here.  We've noticed it's also the best for families, where kids may need to stay busy. 

 - Though we have at times hit every-other one on the way up n back, when we're sure it's a straight run.  

[+Bear and Ragged]

On 9/16/2019 at 11:53 PM, daddybeth said:

I notice around here there aren't many similar caches - is it frowned upon in the UK? As a newbie I don't want to upset COs that put a lot of work to make the high D/T caches, but obviously these would be aimed primarily at younger children on top of GCs wanting their daily fix

 

 

They are out there!

Maybe not as closely placed as the one in the US, but they are there.

 

Nice to see there's a theme.

 

I like out and back, if you cant find the cache on the way out, you get a chance for another look on the way back!

[+BethDaddyKaty]

4 hours ago, Bear and Ragged said:

 

They are out there!

Maybe not as closely placed as the one in the US, but they are there.

 

Nice to see there's a theme.

 

I like out and back, if you cant find the cache on the way out, you get a chance for another look on the way back!

I like the idea, but we have a habit of doing just one more, so if we left ones to do on the way back we'd never get home! 

[+Oxford Stone]

daddybeth you need to go SW to the Berkshire Downs (Lambourn / Uffington area) where Longpod, Pebbles & Co and others have put out loads of caches. 

We enjoyed your series, glad to see you taking feedback from me and others on board and overcoming some teething issues (we all get them...)