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Need help to find a suitable cache!


diggerpol

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I have had a simple bison tube hanging on the back of a display board for the past few years ... a couple have been dislodged by interested sheep but in general all has been good. 

But,  that board has been replaced and I am not allowed to add a cache to the new one.  However, I have been allowed to place a cache on a brand new, nearby wooden signpost ( traditional type.. 5/6 ft tall round pole with 2 wooden 'hands' at the top ) 

My dilemma is how to hide a cache?!

A bison tube will be too obvious, and I don't want to put anything at the base as it will get disturbed by sheep and visitors. 

 

I was wondering about asking permission to drill a small hole and place a nano tube with a bolt or something on the end. But I don't want to make it too hard as I want people to find it, but equally, I don't want muggles to find it! 

 

Any other suggestions ? 

 

Thank you ?

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16 hours ago, diggerpol said:

 But I don't want to make it too hard as I want people to find it, but equally, I don't want muggles to find it!

?

Hello diggerpol,

I like your opinion. In that cases a good cache description or a spoiler foto can help.

If you have photos from the area arround, let us know. Maybe someone have a nice idea.

Best regards Johannis10

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16 hours ago, diggerpol said:

I was wondering about asking permission to drill a small hole and place a nano tube with a bolt or something on the end. But I don't want to make it too hard as I want people to find it, but equally, I don't want muggles to find it! 

 

 

I love questions like this, gets the creative juices going!  I would ask and show a picture if you can find one so they will see how harmless the hole will be. It's worth a try. I have a couple of pictures that might help you. Also a fence post cap would be cool, place a rock on the ground for them to step up on, or if all else fails...the good old electrical outlet (photo below). lol Good luck! 

 

 

electrical.jpg

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18 hours ago, diggerpol said:

drill a small hole

 

My personal goal with Geocaches is to "Leave No Trace".   I challenge myself to design a cache placement where there's no evidence of damage or "holes" when I eventually remove my cache.  So I can't really advise you on that. But I'd guess you arrive with a drill, ask the property manager where it's OK, and drill the hole. One problem with that is "monkey see, monkey do", where now finders see your way cool idea, and they go all out with drills and holes.  And you get the credit.  Cache descriptions might even say "Hidden diggerpol style" (where they cut a nook to place a box into into the side of an old church or something.  Awesome). B)

 

Are you saying there are "signs" on the post?  A picture would help.  I've placed Micros between signs, and although they create new challenges, they weren't too bad.  But if muggles and mugglesheep are drawn to a sign post, look for a nearby quieter spot and place a nice big cache there instead. :cute:

 

I once had one in a very muggly spot (see the photo below, and click the link for the cache story).  It was an old existing rope hole in the last remaining such post in a county park.  I capped one end of the hole, and had a bison tube in the other end.  The main issue was that if not replaced flush by finders, it was more obvious.  So it required my attention.  But it went surprisingly unmuggled.

 

 

Untitled-3b_jpg_bfa4353a41b6c7ba73898d93dfcdfdcf.jpg

Edited by kunarion
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16 minutes ago, HunterandSamuel said:

the good old electrical outlet

 

electrical.jpg

 

One day I hope to place mine.  It's roomy inside, even with its hinged door with a fake "outlet" inside.  How to hide it so that people don't freak out about "The Electrical Hazards"?  Aye, there's the rub.  :cute:

 

Edited by kunarion
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3 minutes ago, kunarion said:

 

One day I hope to place mine.  It's roomy inside, even with its hinged door with a fake "outlet" inside.  How to hide it so that people don't freak out about "The Electrical Hazards"?  Aye, there's the rub.  :cute:

 

 

I think hiding it in a spot that obviously doesn't have electricity running to it is cool! The middle of the woods, etc. lol 

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1 minute ago, HunterandSamuel said:

 

I think hiding it in a spot that obviously doesn't have electricity running to it is cool! The middle of the woods, etc. lol 

 

Yeah, it has to be a very unique spot, if people automatically know it's safe.  That kinda detracts from the purpose of fooling muggles, but what ya gonna do.  :cute:

 

The main issue I have with that plan is, I get into the middle of the woods, and I no longer want to place a Micro.  I can put a "Large" there! :)

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1 minute ago, HunterandSamuel said:

I'm still looking for the photos on my cell. One was a deliberate hole drilled into a pole, the other a hole was already there (a bolt was already drilled into the pole when installed). You can see if a hole is already drilled and attach a magnetic cache inside. We did that with a nano cache. 

 

If the OP is placing a magnetic "blinky-style" Nano, it might stick to any bolt holding a sign.  Paint the Nano to match the sign or the bolt.

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8 minutes ago, kunarion said:

Yeah, it has to be a very unique spot, if people automatically know it's safe.  That kinda detracts from the purpose of fooling muggles, but what ya gonna do.

 

I honestly do not think muggles will even notice it. lol Someone once said... Ignore the muggles and they will ignore you. Same can be said about an electrical box in the middle of nowhere. lol But I could be wrong. 

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3 minutes ago, HunterandSamuel said:

Picture # 1 & 2: A hole already drilled during installation of the fence. Someone placed a magnet cache inside onto the bolt already there. Picture # 3 is our nano (top hole). #4 is a hole that a cacher drilled into a pole. 

 

 

holes.jpg

IMG_20180514_115110.jpg

IMG_20191016_144657.jpg

IMG_20180626_162512.jpg

 

I see those likely spots frequently. But as a Finder I hate to find those soaking wet full logs, and as a CO I hate to impose that on Finders. So on my Micros I perform the extra maintenance to keep the cache viable. It has to be a Micro that goes way above and beyond, to warrant all the extra work.

 

I arrive at a spot like one of these, and “Cool!! I wonder if I could put a Micro in that hole!”... and I immediately see several candidate spots for a small lock-n-lock in or around that exact place. So I set a lock-n-lock and maybe I'll use that Micro eventually...

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18 hours ago, diggerpol said:

I have had a simple bison tube hanging on the back of a display board for the past few years ... a couple have been dislodged by interested sheep but in general all has been good. 

But,  that board has been replaced and I am not allowed to add a cache to the new one.  However, I have been allowed to place a cache on a brand new, nearby wooden signpost ( traditional type.. 5/6 ft tall round pole with 2 wooden 'hands' at the top ) 

My dilemma is how to hide a cache?!

A bison tube will be too obvious, and I don't want to put anything at the base as it will get disturbed by sheep and visitors. 

 

I was wondering about asking permission to drill a small hole and place a nano tube with a bolt or something on the end. But I don't want to make it too hard as I want people to find it, but equally, I don't want muggles to find it! 

 

Any other suggestions ? 

 

Thank you ?

Hmm, I had a look at the cache - N.  York moors, rural,  roadside, drive by,  tourist muggle heavy location !

 

I'll assume that as you mention sheep any grass will be grazed down to the point where there's no 'hide it in the vegetation' scope for anything , otherwise I might suggest a screw eye or metal spring clip fixed low (probably more acceptable to the authority than drilling a hole for a container which they may well see as more damaging, and also setting a precedent for other cachers to go drilling holes in stuff) to anchor the container at the post base.

 

But as there is no cover for that, how about a camo container .  This GZ is by a disused railway line,  I guess there may be plenty of smallish lumps of rock lying around, not just the natural  local stuff but also possibly ballast brought there for the railway line  ... could you find one with a cavity to glue a bison into , or even drill a hole for one ? (if it's limestone it will be a swine to drill, mind , and if millstone grit probably even worse !) You could always go for a fake rock ( loads on amazon etc, from £2 to £10 , google 'key rock' ) altho' they are so commonly used around here we can spot the thousands of identical clones of that  poor grey lump a mile off : they got incredibly popular  a few years back when they could be got from £ shops ! If you go down the fake key holder rock route, it needs a bison tube or similar inside the key compartment, otherwise there is little protection from water, but the resin the things are made from is reasonably weighty so it won't blow away ... If there are other small rocks around the post base , such a rock cache might be overlooked by muggles.

 

Another thought : if you are allowed to screw something to the post , how about adding a screw on the very top and making some kind of easily unnoticed 'post cap' cache which can be held on to the screw head by a strong magnet ? If that's permissible and you can find or make something that blends in well, and there is no stile nearby to raise muggle eyesight in line with it, then average height cachers (with a nice clear hint to help them on the cache page) should be able to reach it if as you say the post is around 6' tall. Ought to be safe from the sheep too (unless one of them is Shaun )

 

If the direction pointing fingers have ferrous metal fixings there may be scope for a mag, nano. on there, but to my mind that's a bit of a let down for a rural container. If (reading between the lines, may be the case here) the authority are inflexible, and you are limited to a micro at the finger post, that really cuts down on the possibilities .

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21 minutes ago, HunterandSamuel said:

Well, you are a seasoned cacher! I have only 200 + finds. These finds are still exciting for me. lol 

 

I pretty much see cache spots all over the place!  :P

 

I see a tiny metal bolt and think "I could put a Nano right there", and next see the space between those two structures and "I'm sure I could put a whole ammo box right there, if I attach a bracket to the box... and make camo that matches that section there..." :)

 

 

Edited by kunarion
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3 hours ago, hal-an-tow said:

Hmm, I had a look at the cache - N.  York moors, rural,  roadside, drive by,  tourist muggle heavy location !

 

I'll assume that as you mention sheep any grass will be grazed down to the point where there's no 'hide it in the vegetation' scope for anything , otherwise I might suggest a screw eye or metal spring clip fixed low (probably more acceptable to the authority than drilling a hole for a container which they may well see as more damaging, and also setting a precedent for other cachers to go drilling holes in stuff) to anchor the container at the post base.

 

But as there is no cover for that, how about a camo container .  This GZ is by a disused railway line,  I guess there may be plenty of smallish lumps of rock lying around, not just the natural  local stuff but also possibly ballast brought there for the railway line  ... could you find one with a cavity to glue a bison into , or even drill a hole for one ? (if it's limestone it will be a swine to drill, mind , and if millstone grit probably even worse !) You could always go for a fake rock ( loads on amazon etc, from £2 to £10 , google 'key rock' ) altho' they are so commonly used around here we can spot the thousands of identical clones of that  poor grey lump a mile off : they got incredibly popular  a few years back when they could be got from £ shops ! If you go down the fake key holder rock route, it needs a bison tube or similar inside the key compartment, otherwise there is little protection from water, but the resin the things are made from is reasonably weighty so it won't blow away ... If there are other small rocks around the post base , such a rock cache might be overlooked by muggles.

 

Another thought : if you are allowed to screw something to the post , how about adding a screw on the very top and making some kind of easily unnoticed 'post cap' cache which can be held on to the screw head by a strong magnet ? If that's permissible and you can find or make something that blends in well, and there is no stile nearby to raise muggle eyesight in line with it, then average height cachers (with a nice clear hint to help them on the cache page) should be able to reach it if as you say the post is around 6' tall. Ought to be safe from the sheep too (unless one of them is Shaun )

 

If the direction pointing fingers have ferrous metal fixings there may be scope for a mag, nano. on there, but to my mind that's a bit of a let down for a rural container. If (reading between the lines, may be the case here) the authority are inflexible, and you are limited to a micro at the finger post, that really cuts down on the possibilities .

 

Thanks to everyone,  I love some of the ideas ... might have to find some new places to put caches to implement them.  ?   especially the electrical socket in the middle of nowhere! ?

 

I am very restricted in what I can place where, as National Park only have permission for the carpark and their own signs. The old railway and actual landscape doesn't quite come under their control ... i can't remember actual details but it's complicated! So I can't use a fake rock or anything! 

 

I was thinking about a fence post cap type cache, but have been speaking to my contact who is happy with a small hole being drilled around/ under a finger post and a bolt style nano being inserted.  ... it's a purely wooden sign post! Probably already in great use as a sheep scratching post!?

 

Now to get out there and surreptitiously drill a hole. At least there are less muggles at this time of year! 

 

Thanks again,  everyone. 

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5 hours ago, HunterandSamuel said:

Picture # 1 & 2: A hole already drilled during installation of the fence. Someone placed a magnet cache inside onto the bolt already there. Picture # 3 is our nano (top hole). #4 is a hole that a cacher drilled into a pole. 

 

 

holes.jpg

IMG_20180514_115110.jpg

IMG_20191016_144657.jpg

IMG_20180626_162512.jpg

Is #4 a "legal" cache? I once found a film canister pushed into a drilled hole of a utility pole very similar to the photo. I thought it was pretty cool but the geocacher who found it after me didn't. He ripped into the CO for damaging property and that was the end of that cache. Another similar cache was also archived for the same reason but the hole in that pole looked as though it had been there for awhile.

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41 minutes ago, luvvinbird said:

Is #4 a "legal" cache? I once found a film canister pushed into a drilled hole of a utility pole very similar to the photo. I thought it was pretty cool but the geocacher who found it after me didn't. He ripped into the CO for damaging property and that was the end of that cache. Another similar cache was also archived for the same reason but the hole in that pole looked as though it had been there for awhile.

 

I found this cache a few years ago. Freshly drilled into a hydro electric pole. It's wrong to do this.  

 

image.thumb.png.233b4c8e252860059c48edc3bd037869.png .   image.thumb.png.99ca2fa0d66a83e329b0f240dbb18b5f.png

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17 hours ago, hal-an-tow said:

You could always go for a fake rock ( loads on amazon etc, from £2 to £10 , google 'key rock' )

If you like handicraft work, you can use orignal rocks.

This cache for example was made with an easy bearing inside, to rotate the head to get the box.

Stonemade caches are a little more work to built, but they are duarable like a dinosaur if you take big enough stones ;).

Best regards Johannis10

 

work.jpg.37a958128aeebe3fce62f405d9272f69.jpgDino_zu.thumb.jpg.2c7b5b8f667a13d0b6ac593c0d28dd5f.jpgDSC01281.JPG.a54f9ca72c125def23614518eae6ba05.JPG

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14 hours ago, luvvinbird said:

Is #4 a "legal" cache? I once found a film canister pushed into a drilled hole of a utility pole very similar to the photo. I thought it was pretty cool but the geocacher who found it after me didn't. He ripped into the CO for damaging property and that was the end of that cache. Another similar cache was also archived for the same reason but the hole in that pole looked as though it had been there for awhile.

 

I have no idea. 

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1 hour ago, Johannis10 said:

If you like handicraft work, you can use orignal rocks.

This cache for example was made with an easy bearing inside, to rotate the head to get the box.

Stonemade caches are a little more work to built, but they are duarable like a dinosaur if you take big enough stones ;).

Best regards Johannis10

 

work.jpg.37a958128aeebe3fce62f405d9272f69.jpgDino_zu.thumb.jpg.2c7b5b8f667a13d0b6ac593c0d28dd5f.jpgDSC01281.JPG.a54f9ca72c125def23614518eae6ba05.JPG

 

So cool!  We found a real rock with a hole drilled into it where a capsule cache was placed. The funny thing that kept happening to it is cachers would place it in the rock pile next to the bench it was hidden under. We walked by it several times a week so would place it back. The owner eventually archived it because the capsule kept disappearing. 

 

 

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16 hours ago, diggerpol said:

but have been speaking to my contact who is happy with a small hole being drilled around/ under a finger post and a bolt style nano being inserted.  ... it's a purely wooden sign post! Probably already in great use as a sheep scratching post!?

 

Now to get out there and surreptitiously drill a hole. At least there are less muggles at this time of year! 

 

Thanks again,  everyone. 

 

 

Yay! That sounds perfect! I'm so glad you figured out what to do. We bought a handmade bolt on Etsy that we a got a few compliments on because it looks so real. Cachers loved it, yours will be a huge hit and not too hard to find (I know you were worried about that). Good luck! 

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16 hours ago, diggerpol said:

Thanks to everyone,  I love some of the ideas ... might have to find some new places to put caches to implement them.  ?   especially the electrical socket in the middle of nowhere! ?

 

 I would love to find something like that geocaching in the woods. Glad you like the idea!  It would give us a few hearty laughs and would get a favorite point.  Even a faucet.  Can you imagine coming across a fallen log or tree on the ground and seeing this? lol Or in a stone wall?

 

 

 

facet.jpg

Edited by HunterandSamuel
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14 hours ago, luvvinbird said:

Is #4 a "legal" cache? I once found a film canister pushed into a drilled hole of a utility pole very similar to the photo. I thought it was pretty cool but the geocacher who found it after me didn't. He ripped into the CO for damaging property and that was the end of that cache. Another similar cache was also archived for the same reason but the hole in that pole looked as though it had been there for awhile.

 

This brings up a question I have. Can you stick a piece of velcro on a tree and then place a cache on it that also has velcro taped to it?  Just curious. I don't know how well it would hold up though in the outdoors weather. 

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18 hours ago, luvvinbird said:

Is #4 a "legal" cache? I once found a film canister pushed into a drilled hole of a utility pole very similar to the photo.

I thought it was pretty cool but the geocacher who found it after me didn't. He ripped into the CO for damaging property and that was the end of that cache. Another similar cache was also archived for the same reason but the hole in that pole looked as though it had been there for awhile.

17 hours ago, L0ne.R said:

I found this cache a few years ago. Freshly drilled into a hydro electric pole. It's wrong to do this.   

 

To add a bit to confusion... 

Just last week the electric company  "tested" older posts along the road to decide their longevity.

They explained that that's done when poles start to look weathered, leaning, or if a new project that requires more weight is under consideration

 

They bored holes in them to do that. 

Some had replaced plugs or bungs hammered in,  but a few were either missed or left empty for some reason.  

If I was to allow someone to trespass on my right-of-way to place a cache, I'd assume they found one that wasn't filled.  :)

Being honest with the Reviewer (about permission from the property/pole's owner)  is important here. 

We're so surprised by how few really ask for permission. 

One park that took us months to get permission had people placing caches in areas requested to not be bothered.   

 - Those people were assuming the park was now fair game.    There's none there now, and we were blamed at the time...

I don't think any power company would allow a cache on an active utility pole, people get fined here for staples and nails if caught.

 - But if the CO did happen to get permission, and it was originally there, they should have said so to their Reviewer. 

If the Reviewer got an NA on a permitted cache ,  then the cacher that "ripped into the CO" would have been mistaken.    

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4 hours ago, HunterandSamuel said:

 

 I would love to find something like that geocaching in the woods. Glad you like the idea!  It would give us a few hearty laughs and would get a favorite point.  Even a faucet.  Can you imagine coming across a fallen log or tree on the ground and seeing this? lol Or in a stone wall?

 

 

 

facet.jpg

 

I've considered attaching a faucet to the side of an ammo can which would lay flat.  In the clearing behind the Water Department.  :cute:

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5 hours ago, HunterandSamuel said:

I would love to find something like that geocaching in the woods. Glad you like the idea!  It would give us a few hearty laughs and would get a favorite point.  Even a faucet.  Can you imagine coming across a fallen log or tree on the ground and seeing this? lol Or in a stone wall?

 

facet.jpg

 

Our old property had an artesian well, and a pipe that was sticking out of the property's stone wall (facing the road).

There's a lot of spring pipes like that here.   :)

We were gonna cap n remove it because it made a huge mosquito-magnet puddle out front, but noticed that road bikers used it to "top off" their water bottles.

I put a faucet there, and the other 2/3rds told the first batch there why it's like that, and still okay.  They get their water.  We have less skeeters. 

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22 hours ago, diggerpol said:

 

Thanks to everyone,  I love some of the ideas ... might have to find some new places to put caches to implement them.  ?   especially the electrical socket in the middle of nowhere! ?

 

I am very restricted in what I can place where, as National Park only have permission for the carpark and their own signs. The old railway and actual landscape doesn't quite come under their control ... i can't remember actual details but it's complicated! So I can't use a fake rock or anything! 

 

I was thinking about a fence post cap type cache, but have been speaking to my contact who is happy with a small hole being drilled around/ under a finger post and a bolt style nano being inserted.  ... it's a purely wooden sign post! Probably already in great use as a sheep scratching post!?

 

Now to get out there and surreptitiously drill a hole. At least there are less muggles at this time of year! 

 

Thanks again,  everyone. 

Yep, I was aware (from caching in the NP ) that there must be pretty strict limitations  imposed on hiders ...

If you have permission for a drilled hole that's great, you have plenty of options for camo. just keep it above sheep scratching height !

 

Or, no camo at all  ...  a few years ago I came across a first stage of a multi stage (and excellent ) puzzle cache, where the solved at home on-page puzzle took you to  a wooden sign post outside a very busy visitor centre for a popular country park : at first we thought we had made a mistake with the co-ords, as there was no metal anywhere nearby, and the hint told you it was magnetic, and the page obliquely mentioned being 'attractive' might somehow help to retrieve it  ... turned out to be a mag nano snugly hidden deep inside the drilled hole in the wood, magnet end towards the opening ...  That nano has lasted for 10 years without being muggled.

 

The park rangers (who know all about it, and from whom the CO had full permission) are regularly entertained by looking out of their office window and seeing confused folk stood at GZ  ...

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1 hour ago, cerberus1 said:

 

Our old property had an artesian well, and a pipe that was sticking out of the property's stone wall (facing the road).

There's a lot of spring pipes like that here.   :)

We were gonna cap n remove it because it made a huge mosquito-magnet puddle out front, but noticed that road bikers used it to "top off" their water bottles.

I put a faucet there, and the other 2/3rds told the first batch there why it's like that, and still okay.  They get their water.  We have less skeeters. 

Thank you.

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9 minutes ago, hal-an-tow said:

If you have permission for a drilled hole that's great

 

The one I placed had a horizontal post hole.  If I were to drill my own, it might have a slight angle down, so gravity assists it staying in place.  But I won't make anything for Geocaching that leaves a trace when I later remove the cache (makes some cache ideas tougher, sure), and I definitely won't ask to drill a hole, and I won't drill a hole in other people's property, for a host of reasons.  I'll leave the hole drilling to the experts.  B)

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2 hours ago, hal-an-tow said:

Yep, I was aware (from caching in the NP ) that there must be pretty strict limitations  imposed on hiders ...

If you have permission for a drilled hole that's great, you have plenty of options for camo. just keep it above sheep scratching height !

 

Or, no camo at all  ...  a few years ago I came across a first stage of a multi stage (and excellent ) puzzle cache, where the solved at home on-page puzzle took you to  a wooden sign post outside a very busy visitor centre for a popular country park : at first we thought we had made a mistake with the co-ords, as there was no metal anywhere nearby, and the hint told you it was magnetic, and the page obliquely mentioned being 'attractive' might somehow help to retrieve it  ... turned out to be a mag nano snugly hidden deep inside the drilled hole in the wood, magnet end towards the opening ...  That nano has lasted for 10 years without being muggled.

 

The park rangers (who know all about it, and from whom the CO had full permission) are regularly entertained by looking out of their office window and seeing confused folk stood at GZ  ...

Oooooo ... I love this idea ?.... but maybe somewhere else ... I would like the majority of geocachers to find this one !!!! 

 

I like placing caches to encourage people to visit somewhere they might not otherwise visit. 

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