Step Into Cheshire

[Lactodorum]

Normally cache advertising isn't allowed in the forums but as moderator of this one I'm making an exception for myself

 

I've been in contact with head of the Countryside Management division of the Cheshire County Council who has himself placed 3 new caches as part of Step Into Cheshire, an event on the 18/19th September designed to encourage people into the Cheshire countryside. The caches are here, here and here.

 

Not only that, but he has agreed that subject to the usual requirement for Eckington and I to run caches past them first, general permission has been granted to place caches on Cheshire County Council land. I quote from his e-mail to me:

 

We discovered geocaches on a number of our sites at the beginning of

this year and have been studying the logs as a useful source of

customer feedback. Unsolicited praise or criticism is worth noting and

acting upon. It also helps us to show how valued the sites are and thus

make a case for political support. In addition it has become apparent

how well geocaching works at encouraging people to explore places

they would not otherwise visit and to enjoy the great variety of

countryside in Britain.

 

and

 

One other point we have noticed is that the sport attracts a lot of

families with younger children. I believe that this is a wonderful way to

encourage young people to discover the countryside and the logs

show just how much enjoyment they gain from being out and about

seeking caches.

 

I couldn't have put it better myself!

 

So get out there and support this event and enjoy caching in Cheshire. Hopefully sometime in the future local geocachers can get together with Cheshire CC to organise a full blown geocaching event. I know there's support from the council side.

[+Cave Troll and Eeyore]

Great news Lactodorum

We will try and get into Cheshire on 19.9.04 ( if we survive the train ride up Snowdon on the 18th )and sample some of the events on offer .

[+The Wombles]

That's excellent news

[Deego]

Yep nice going

[+John Stead]

This is brilliant news - is it the first time a Countryside organization has actually placed caches? I know the Ranger Nigel placed Close Encounter a while ago.

The only galling bit for me is that I think I walked past the one at Dairyhouse Meadow this afternoon not having checked waht was new!

I must say we were reflecting on what a good job is done with the Cheshire Countryside sites - we had a splendid walk from Anderton Lift to Marbury Park on a lovely day.

[+Kelsborrow Wayfinders]

Just managed an FTF on the Whitegate Way cache tonight and can recommend it as a lovely walk. Amazed that we beat aRRKs to it. Are they ill? Has someone been round to check they are alright?

 

As a Cheshire resident its great news about the permissions. A neighbour of ours looks after the Sandstone Trail where we have placed some caches and he had made us aware that he was happy for them to be hidden as long as parking was taken into account and cars weren't an obstruction.

[+aRRKS]

Just managed an FTF on the Whitegate Way cache tonight and can recommend it as a lovely walk. Amazed that we beat aRRKs to it. Are they ill? Has someone been round to check they are alright?    

Was in Derbyshire on tuesday and didn't see these until it was too late

 

Excellent news, well done

[Cheshire Countryside]

Glad the Step Into Cheshire caches have attracted some interest. I would just like to clarify the impression that there was general agreement to caches on Cheshire County Council land. The agreement was for caches on Cheshire County Council countryside management sites which should be enough for anyone really.

 

I am looking at the guidelines that others apply to their land and will no doubt come back to the UK moderators with regard to this. The placing of geocaches on our countryside sites will require checking out by our staff to ensure that we are happy with regard to public safety and wildlife conservation issues. A brief look at the Forestry Commission guidelines seems to give a good steer as to what is required.

 

Hope that lots of you will visit Cheshire for our event on 18th and 19th September and have a good day out with a few caches on the way.

[+Cave Troll and Eeyore]

Stepped into Cheshire today to visit GCKE54 Dairyhouse Meadow & GCKE4D Whitegate Way caches

Good caches , well hidden in very nice locations.

[+DomHeknows]

well i'm glad that my cache (hopefully) helped as i've had loads of "didn't know this area was here" comments and familys too. the funny thing is most of those comments came from locals. Its a shame that the stepinto cheshire is the same day as the snowdon event but i'm looking forward to hopefully getting out on the Sunday to do some more caching.

Its also great to see CC active on the website AND in the forums. looking forward to seeing more caches and some finds too perhaps?

[+Bill D (wwh)]

This is really good news - well done to everyone concerned!

[+DomHeknows]

Had my first contact with the local ranger for my two new caches. Unfortunately she didn't sound happy about the cache placement and wants to speak to me - but she's away for the rest of the week :-(

So you congletonians and other keen cachers will have to wait.

[+MarcB]

Really good news, here's hoping other counties get involved.

MarcB

[+Cave Troll and Eeyore]

Don't forget today is the second day for Cheshire County Councils Step into Cheshire events

[+aRRKS]

We will be going this afternoon, a pleseant drive of only 15 mins from our house

 

Edited: Ooops missed the starting time for the walk....oh well plenty of stuff to choose from!

Edited September 19, 2004 by aRRKS

[+DomHeknows]

well one of my caches is now placed - i just need to fill in the leading up bits which included the other cache - which has been rejected. I was trying to make a cache physically deliberately hard to do unless you thought out-of-the-box and had it placed on the top of a 9 foot pole. The council weren't happy as people could climb the pole, fall off and sue the council (so why they aren't pulling all the conkers off the trees above 9 foot I'm not sure).

Anyway, it was nice to get a dialogue going, although a bit frustrating and I now have to find somewhere else to place the cache.....

Makes you wonder how all those caches which need climbing gear get approved :-)

[+John Stead]

on the top of a 9 foot pole

Hey - I found one in Wales earlier in the year which was inside the top of an 8ft signpost, only visible by a lanyard which suspended it and was tied to the arm at the top of the pole. Bit tough when you are on your own and only 5ft 3in and took some ingenuity to retrieve and replace safely as the plastic cap had to go back on the pole!

Good fun though.

[markandlynn]

Nice to see the possibilities of remote management being raised. We pushed this aspect with the wildlife trust in shropshire. They have limited resources and having email reports on issues at caches gives them and the site wardens valuable information. I can think of many caches i have visited or have read the logs for where this extra watching would of been usefull for the authorities. CITO helped as well though.

[markandlynn]

oops double post

Edited October 1, 2004 by markandlynn

[+DomHeknows]

Bit tough when you are on your own and only 5ft 3in and took some ingenuity to retrieve and replace safely as the plastic cap had to go back on the pole!

Good fun though.

thats why mine was called fishermans friend......

[+DomHeknows]

had contact back from another lady in Congleton Council (although I would have thought cheshire over-rides congleton?). She seems positive towards the idea - the questions she asked were as follows. (so that other people can be prepared for these type of questions - maybe a "faq for landowners" could be made?)

"I am the Park Co-ordinator for Congleton and Alistair has asked me to follow up your query. I have been into the web site to try and understand what a geocache is but could still do with some clarification ie

How big is it

What is it made of?

Is it buried?

Will it stay there indefinitely?

Will it be placed somewhere safe?

My initial view is that we would be interested in going ahead with it but could do with having a chat to find out a bit more, I will also need to clear it with Management etc who will want to know exactly what a geocache is, health and safety implications etc.

 

her contact details for any other cheshire cachers are as follows:-

Janet Richardson (Senior Park Services Co-ordinator)

Congleton Borough Council

Streetscape

Westfields

Middlewich Road, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 1HZ

 

Tel 01270 769232

Mobile Tel No 07876391796

Fax 01270 759917

Janet.Richardson@congleton.gov.uk

[+Team Vorvik]

That is really good news that the local council can see the actual benefits of geocaching, hope that more local authorities can be persuaded to allow similar activities on land owned or managed by them.

 

ANDI

[+Brenin Tegeingl]

(although I would have thought cheshire over-rides congleton?).

 

Local town/city councils have their own rules re land owned/ managed by them.

Dave

[+lordelph]

I've been dealing with North Hertfordshire District Council recently (see original topic for sample correspondence)

 

Initial response has been very favourable, from the initial letter I was put in touch with the right people and spent 15 minutes on the phone answering their initial questions - off the top of their heads, they had similar questions to the ones DomHeknows mentioned and I was able to set their minds at rest.

 

I'm still waiting for the final go-ahead, but the signs are good, and they've indicated that this could be a great idea for all NHDC land, so fingers crossed. I've also forwarded those great quotes from Cheshire County Council which Lactodorum posted earlier, which can't hurt either ;-)

[+harrogate hunters]

I had a meeting with Harrogate District Council yesterday (tourism department), so I have started the ball rolling with them and North Yorkshire County Council.

 

Watch this space.......