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Paying for caches


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I was just wondering what others think of paying to get a cache.

I recently paid three pounds to park then charged three poundsfifty to get onto the site.

To be fair the cache did say about payment as it's on national trust property but I was wondering how others felt about this practise, and if there is a most expensive cache?

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Some of our caches you have to pay to park and 1 you have to pay to enter. Personally I don't really see a problem with it as long as it is obvious on the cache description and the cache is not commercial.

 

There are quite a few caches where you have to pay to park but you could always walk to them icon_smile.gif

It would be kind of difficult to do any of the central london caches without paying to park or paying the congestion charge or paying the tube/bus/train/dlr/riverboat fare. Of course you could do them on a bike.

 

People are free to choose which caches they do and do not do - so where is the problem? To paraphrase JeremyP: the nearest cache list is not a jobs to do list.

 

Bear rescues a speciality!

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

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quote:
Originally posted by Chris n Maria:

People are free to choose which caches they do and do not do - so where is the problem? To paraphrase JeremyP: the nearest cache list is not a jobs to do list.


There's one cache close to me that has been on top of my 'nearest' list for weeks but there's a £6 entrance fee so I've chosen not to do it.

I had to pay £2.50 for half an hour's parking to do a cache in Norfolk at the week end. That's just about my limit when it comes to paying for caches.

 

John

 

Age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

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I had always wanted to go to Bletchly Park and this cache gave me the motivation to actually go there after many years of thinking about it. As was stated previously, these caches should be treated as a bonus - pay for a day out, get a cache for free!

 

Whilst I don't like being forced to pay for something that is in effect free, I won't let my principles spoil the fun of finding caches.

 

This also raises another question. If you are having to pay to find a cache, then the cache is probably on private land. I don't suppose too many cache owners check that they have permission to place a cache on private property before doing so. Is this checked when they are approved?

 

Nobby

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While we're discussing Bletchley Park... I've just taken my first real look at the encrypted text and cracked it in less than ten minutes...

'Spect I'll actually have to go and do it now icon_biggrin.gif

 

John

 

Age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

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Just a quick note to point out about commercialism.

 

Commercial cachers are, and have been banned from GC.com since there was a major issue with it about 18 months ago. I guess it's true that some do still slip through.

 

We recently raised the question about commercialism and asked "What constitutes a commercial cache". We were also thinking about parking charges at places like National Trust.

 

Essentially, clarification seems to be along the following lines :

 

If the location is a not for profit organisation like National Trust or English Heritage, then it should not be determined as commercial. However, a cache at a privately owned location like Chessington of "Freeda's Cafe", would be.

 

The cache in question (we think) is NT, and is the one which prompted our question before we approved it.

 

The plus side of this is when we approach NT about caching on their land they will see it as a way of encouraging visitors, and perhaps we are beginning to set a precedent with them.

 

BUT ! it is very important that cache placers point out when charges apply.

 

Tim & June (Winchester)

 

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

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The last time I was in Ayrshire (about 1954, I was 8) my dad took me to see.....

 

A long white cottage in Ayrshire, Scotland

 

......do you write poetry about little mice in your off geocaching time?????

 

dodgydaved

 

I'm NOT lost, I know exactly where I am, I'm here!

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I'm all with Chris & Maria here. Aslong as I know well in advance that I have to pay, I have the choice to do it or not. I have the same feelings about opening times. Pooter said 'What worries me is that "pay to enter" also means limited access times.' but if I knew that the place was open at certain times and not at others I could again make my own mind up.

 

If caches where you had to pay anything got totally banned, a lot of great locations would be lost, it's up to you if you do them or not.

 

Its just a hunt for a lunch box, why be so serious!?! badgerslayer.gif

 

Dan Wilson - www.Buckscaching.co.uk

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Sorry Golddust whats your point??.....is that really the topic?

 

I wouldnt mind paying for entry toa cache- I wouldnt pay alot to get in for one though- only if I really wanted to visit the place. Like Bletchly Park----- never have wanted to go, and probably never will want to go there so that makes paying for this cache pointless.

 

Ben

 

--------------------------------------------------------

I'm Bad, I'm Bad you know it you know! mikejackson1-vi.gif

 

www.buckscaching.co.uk

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quote:
Originally posted by Ben Pid:

Sorry Golddust whats your point??.....is that really the topic?

 

I wouldnt mind paying for entry toa cache- I wouldnt pay alot to get in for one though- only if I really wanted to visit the place. Like Bletchly Park----- never have wanted to go, and probably never will want to go there so that makes paying for this cache pointless.

 

Ben

 

--------------------------------------------------------

I'm Bad, I'm Bad you know it you know! http://images2.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/55364/231450/mikejackson1-vi.gif

 

http://www.buckscaching.co.uk

 

Sorry my fault. I made a little joke about 'lunchbox' (mens privates) but got a bit misunderstood.....sorry

 

Bob....

http://www.bobh.co.uk

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My nearest caches are in fact those at Kew. I know that it's probably £6 plus to get in but at least I know I have two to do there plus a locationles cache so I guess that's not so bad. I would however be more willing to pay the NT or Kew £6 than, £2 say, for off street parking to the local council.

 

Then again, I'm a Yorkshireman, and paying money to anybody is a bit of a wrench! icon_biggrin.gif

 

Finding your caches - Losing my marbles.

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As someone who lives practically on top of Bletchley Park, and who has been there at least five times, (although not to do the cache, that pleasure still awaits me) I can honestly say that if they charged three times the price to get in it would still be worth it and I would pay it.

 

No trees were harmed during the production of this posting, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced....

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I’ve been following this thread with interest, although it has fallen of bottom of list. We have a couple of caches in the planning stages. One in particular is at one of the UK’s Millennium Science Centre. We have already obtained permission from the powers that be, who where genuinely interested in the whole idea. (not just for the few extra entry tickets that may get sold, lets face it I don’t think it will make a big difference to them). The cache will be a traditional cache / multicache, I think it has an appropriate theme and was inspired by a travel bug that we recently picked up. There will be an entry fee and obviously limited opening hours, which we would make clear on the posting. I think it falls into the ‘but I wouldn't regard doing it as a "caching trip" rather a day out to somewhere interesting with the added bonus of a cache attached!’ to quote Chris n Maria. I have also been watching several US caches with interest for the same reason. There are several Virtual’s in San Diego one at the Zoo (GC2175) and another at SeaWorld (GC88DD) and even DisneyLand (GC1980) just up the road. All of which are definitely not cheap to go into but all have had good feedback are well visited, although not as often, not unsurprisingly, as other nearby caches. I think location we have in mind is cool and it would be a shame to miss opportunity of placing a cache there with co-operation of the owners, but being sensitive to the concerns of ‘commercial’ aspect in UK caching I would much appreciate views from other cachers. Thanks Zcat.

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Tim and June, having read your posting are you saying that there is already negotiated some kind of cache guidelines with NT.I ask as I am unaware of any and I thought it would not be allowed by NT icon_confused.gif.As I live very close to a local beauty spot owned by the NT(of which I am a long term member)I would be very interested as it would save me a lot of time trying to get permission myself.As for paying the cost of parking here it is 2 quid but for members it costs nothing.Where it may be a real problem for paying to get onto a cache site is if you are afamily and there is a charge per person. icon_smile.gificon_smile.giffrog.gif

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I think its a goverment thingy, although I'm not the expert in the family. The centre we have in mind is one of then Millennium Commission Lottery funded project of which for example the Eden Project (in Cornwall) is one (www.edenproject.com). P.S. This is not our intended site, I was wanting to keep that a suprise.

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quote:
Originally posted by The Hungry Caterpillars:

Tim and June, having read your posting are you saying that there is already negotiated some kind of cache guidelines with NT.I ask as I am unaware of any and I thought it would not be allowed by NT icon_confused.gif


I'm not sure you'll get a reply from T&J. I don't think they visit the forums anymore icon_frown.gif

 

Anyway, what they said was:

quote:
when we approach NT about caching on their land they will see it as a way of encouraging visitors, and perhaps we are beginning to set a precedent with them.

I read this as "We've not yet approached the NT but there have been caches on NT sites for some time, none of which have proved to be a nuisance. The HCC liaison and resultant guidelines will be useful when we do approach the NT formally."

 

But that's all relatively acedemic now icon_frown.gif

 

=====

There's no such thing as a free lunchbox!

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Here's my opinion:

 

1-I am at about 230 caches and have paid for parking at a good few caches. I do not object to it if I am forewarned of the cost in the cache description.

 

2-I am already paying for petrol to get to the caches which is probably the biggest outlay so the odd few caches that you have to pay parking/entrance to are OK in my opinion as long as point 1 is adhered to.

 

3- Caches in places you have to pay to enter should have the permission of the landowner and the Cache placer should be prepared to pay the costs of entry to check up on the cache from time to time. If the cache placer is not prepared to do that then they should not place the cache.

 

4- The pay for entry location should be somewhere worth visiting.

 

5- As long as the cache placer has not got a vested interest in the place where the cache is placed then I cannot see how it could be deemed commercial.

 

6- As far as site entry fees are concenred I have not yet payed an entrance fee to get to a cache. I think it is not a good idea if there are places in the area cache can be hidden without this cost. Exceptions have to be made for caches placed in cities as it is very difficult to find appropriate sites for caches.

 

Thanks

 

Chris

 

LASSITUDE- (noun) Tiredness and apathy: a state of weariness accompanied by listlessness or apathy[15th century. Via French from Latin lassitudo , from lassus 'weary'.]

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In agreement with the wise words of Lassitude, I would add that Caching is my hobby (or one of 'em icon_wink.gif ) and I don't expect doing my hobby to cost me nothing. Petrol, parking etc. are all part of the game (with the usual proviso that unusually high parking fees should be in the cache text so they don't come as a surprise).

 

I'd probably not visit a cache in an 'entry fee' location unless I was interested in the location itself (e.g. I'd go to Bletchley Park but not Kew), but that's my choice. IMHO, to get annoyed about caches being in entry fee locations is like getting annoyed because your local cinema is showing a film you don't want to see...

 

Cache on...

 

Paul

 

I came, I cached, I fell over in the mud

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quote:
Originally posted by Paul G0TLG:

IMHO, to get annoyed about caches being in entry fee locations is like getting annoyed because your local cinema is showing a film you don't want to see...


Just love that quote icon_smile.gif

I would have no problem with a cache like the one described. Though at the end of the day it is up to the Admins interpretation of the rules.

 

Luckily we have one surviving Admin (Moss Trooper) for the UK. So I assume the final decision would be up to Moss da Boss. You might want to check it out with him.

 

Chris

 

If only life had an undo button....

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

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I wouldn't worry too much about this.

 

Take a look at the number of caches there are inside Disney property in the States. No one seems to mind. They still get approved and they still get hunted.

 

My view is that if you are going there anyway, why not have a few caches to find.

 

Alex.

 

---------------------------------------------------

Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout.....

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Has there been a major bout of amnesia on this message board, or have some people been on holiday and missed this thread?

 

Have a look at this thread

 

http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=6616058331&m=5616051&r=2026051#2026051

 

A cache in a pay to enter site is a commercial cache and is (or so I was told at the time) no longer acceptable. It was also pointed out that the EPCOT and other themepark caches were some sort of "Historical abberations" which slipped through the net but wouldn't be allowed today, they therefore wouldn't be a precedent for future caches.

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quote:
Originally posted by 101325:

Has there been a major bout of amnesia on this message board, or have some people been on holiday and missed this thread?

 

Have a look at this thread

 

http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=6616058331&m=5616051&r=2026051#2026051

 

A cache in a pay to enter site is a commercial cache and is (or so I was told at the time) no longer acceptable. It was also pointed out that the EPCOT and other themepark caches were some sort of "Historical abberations" which slipped through the net but wouldn't be allowed today, they therefore wouldn't be a precedent for future caches.


 

Here are the actual guidelines:

 

quote:

What is a commercial cache? A commercial use of the web site cache reporting tool is an direct or indirect (either intentional or non-intentional) attempt to solicit customers through a geocaching.com listing. Examples include for-profit locations that require an entrance fee, or locations that sell products or services.


To me that would exclude caches at profit making locations (e.g. Disney theme parks) but not at non-profit locations (e.g. National Trust sites). The historical thing is that the Disney caches were placed before this guideline was written and most of the guidelines are not applied retrospectively.

 

-------

jeremyp

The second ten million caches were the worst too.

http://www.gagb.org.uk

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The car parking at the place we're planning to put our first cache is a whopping 25p..... *if* the visitors centre is open *and* the Ranger is there.

 

We asked him if we needed a sticker or anything and he shrugged and said "I can give you the till receipt if you really want it" .

 

In general I wouldn't mind paying a couple of pounds for parking, as long as I know in advance so we I can make sure I bring change if needed. Parking fees tend to be a pittance compared to filing the tank before a days caching icon_mad.gif

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