Move it or leave it?

[Stonemason]

If you found a cache that was hidden inside a dry stone wall that required you to remove a stone from the wall to gain access, what course of action would you take.

[+The Wombles]

I can't generalise about this because it depends on the circumstances. I know two caches in dry stone walls, one in a tumble-down pile of stones (one of our caches) and another in a natural hole which has been plugged by a smaller stone (someone else's).

 

Both of the above are fine in my opinion but I wouldn't endorse moving large stones or placing large caches in an otherwise perfect wall.

 

[This message was edited by The Wombles (previously Dave & Nicky) on November 04, 2002 at 01:38 PM.]

[+Nia]

Cant vote on this as i agree with the Wombles..

Depends on the wall.

 

Tech-no notice

[+John Stead]

I'm with the Wombles and Nia here - like so many things "It depends". But I certainly wouldn't like to think any geocacher would even move let alone remove a structural stone in a wall or a cairn or similar structure.

 

The next one will be better!

[Ben Pid]

Yes it does depend onthe wall really, if its an old ancient wall then it shouldnt be allowed for the simple heritage reason.

 

But if its a normal wall then maybe its ok if you sek permission from the wall owner.

 

Hang on a minute whilst I bash my head against the wall for talking about walls so much, whatever is this game coming to!

 

Oh I do love Ice Cream though....and sausages for that matter!

 

Pid

 

Ben Piddington http://www.buckscaching.co.uk

[+jeremyp]

I think you should generalise the question:

 

quote:

---

If you found a cache in a place that was illegal (within the geocaching rules) or where accessing it might cause damage to private property, would you....

---

 

My position would be that as I don't know how the cache owner would react to me messing about with his/her cache, I would leave it alone and inform the owner of the problem. Also, you might not be aware of the full picture:

 

me: "Hi I just did your cache today and I noticed it's hidden in a dry stone wall which might cause cachers to accidentally vandalise the wall.:

owner: "That's OK, it's my dry stone wall on my land."

me: "Oh, perhaps I shouldn't have trashed the cache and spread the contents all over the hillside in a fit of rage."

 

-------

jeremyp

The second ten million caches were the worst too.

http://www.jeremyp.net/geocaching

[+page28]

Definately not in a wall that is part of an active boundary.

but

Possibly in a wall that is no longer in active use and is in a state of high disrepair.

[+Tim & June]

Hi Stonemason,

 

I see that this is your first post to the forum, and your profile shows that you have not found or hidden any caches. Therfore I will assume that your question has been raised for a reason other than just a casual enquiry.

 

I believe that Geocachers are a very responsible bunch. They have respect for the countryside and other peoples land/walls etc.

 

When approaching the location of a cache, they usually look for something out of place because that is likely to be the hiding place. For example, some silver birch bark around the base of an oak tree, is probably not naturally occuring.

 

If the location of a cache is ajacent to a dry stone wall the hunt would begin with looking again, for something out of place. "Oh, why is that moss covered rock on top of that otherwise moss free wall ?" or that rock is a different colour to the rest. I dont believe that any cacher would intentionally do any damage to the wall or any other part of the environment.

 

There is a good reason for that, None of us want to draw attention to what we are doing. If the moderators or admin on Geocaching.com become aware of a situation where damage might occur, or complaints made we would archive the cache.

 

When a cache is submitted for approval, we take care to examine the impact it might have and Cachers have been asked to move a cache if there is any doubt.

 

If you or any other, has any particular worries, please contact a moderator, and we will be pleased to address any issues you have.

 

Tim & June (Winchester)

 

See June, I told you that sign which said 'Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles' was wrong !

[+Chris n Maria]

Just to say that it is a really bad idea to move a cache unless absolutly necesary. For example, if the cache has become visible due to foliage being cut back.

 

It is fairly likely that the clue will no longer match the location and people will hunt round trying to make the clue /cache description fit before they give up.

After all if the cache is in a wall most hunters will look for the out of place stone first. If it has been moved they will look under a lot more stones till they give up.

 

Leave it an inform the owner of your concerns is the best policy IMHO.

 

Chris

Bear rescues a speciality!

London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net

[ghost_inthe_machine]

I've visited a cache that's adjacent to a dry stone wall and I must admit that as I approached it, I did offer up a silent prayer that I hoped it wasn't "in the wall" because I wouldn't fancy removing a stone from a dry stone wall no matter how out of place it was.

 

Fortunately this particular cache used a nearby bush, a depression in the ground and an obviously out of place piece of patio slab to disguise itself.

 

I guess I was just brought up being told not to touch dry stone walls, even if they looked decrpit because unless you knew what you were doing, you were only doing harm. That's also why I was told you should never climb over one but always look for a gate, a breach to the ground or a style. (that's spelled differently isn't it?)

 

Roddy

[+Team Minim]

50 Caches on and I have never encountered a dry stone wall cache which required a stone to be moved. In tree stumps, in gaps in rock formations, in ferns, hedges, bridges all non damaging locations, even under water!

One cache was under a pile of stones on a mountain, but not a stone wall.

If stonemason did a few caches he/she would soon see that the hypothetical question is just that, unless Stonemason you know different?

In which case if there is a cache in an environmentaly sensitive area please report it and get the cache re-located.

 

Shares in Tupperware? Be a Geocacher!

[Stonemason]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Team Minim:

If stonemason did a few caches he/she would soon see that the hypothetical question is just that, unless Stonemason you know different?

In which case if there is a cache in an environmentaly sensitive area please report it and get the cache re-located.

---

Stonemason HAS done a few caches. Quite a few actually. I did not post using my own account as I did not think it fair to identify the cache in question. The owner of the cache was consulted and the cache has been re-located. I just wanted to gague the opinion of others on the forum.

 

The wall in question was a functional complete wall and on private land on which access to the public was granted by the landowner. I just thought that having a load of folks pulling chunks out of his wall could have had a detrimental effect on future access to his land.

[+Nia]

I did wonder at the coinsidence of someone called stonemason asking about stone walls, I now see this was a custom id just for this question.

 

You realise of course we will now all try and work out who you are, just for the challenge

 

Tech-no notice