Frequency Of Finds

September 7, 2004

Excluding caches in cities, or other built-up areas, how many visits (per month, say) would the most popular cache sites get?

The question relates only to the British Isles, and there is a good and valid reason for my asking it.

September 7, 2004

The ones I have hidden in nice areas seem to get hit about four or five times a month, more in high season. I think it has much to do with location and proximity of other caches. The ones I have that are near others get hit more often because Cachers can do a double from one parking location.

September 7, 2004

You probably need to find out what the most popular caches in Britain are and do a month by month count up yourself - I believe it's one in London that has the most amount of hits. I'm sure there's a top ten type list of Uk caches .. somewhere.

Based on ours they got the most amount of hits in the first couple months - 17 on one - and then the numbers slow down. One appears to have gone back up again as the area around it becomes more cache dense.

September 7, 2004

I believe it's one in London that has the most amount of hits.

What this is all about, is...

The question was asked during permission negotiations. The area under discussion is rural, but I still have to give them some kind of sensible answer...

At one of these meetings, when you describe geocaching as an activity - no matter how presented - the landowner or manager immediately visualises an endless horde of GPS-wielding lunatics arriving to look for little boxes.

It's understandable. They are concerned (among other things) with the impact on the site - and so am I. THAT'S why we are going in with a properly researched, and properly documented proposal. Any help from this forum will be appreciated and acknowledged.

September 7, 2004

I have had the same problem with landowners, and I have a spreadsheet with all mine in, per month, per cache, which I include in a small pack I give to each landowner.

I have currently 30 caches, and all are rural location around Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Based upon my caches, the only trend is that despite popular oppinion there is no real serge at the beginning, just a 4-5 visit every month since the cache is placed.

If you want a copy of my excel spreadsheet for numbers, please let me have your e-mail address, and I shall be only too happy to provide.

2.9k · September 7, 2004

I worked this out once too and agree 4 to 5 visits per month is the arround about average for mine. Good weather bumps up the figures but across the year it averages out at 4- 5 the Wildlife trust asked the same question. They also wanted to know how many people did CITO to which i answered i dont know but i did state that cachers don't bring rubbish in to a cache area as it spoils it and that the owner on maintainance visits cleans up the area as well. It is also a possible free management tool for them as they dont need to visit to be told of problem they just need to watch the web page. Good luck. The brochure done by Mancunian also helped i got mine bound at work and sent it in to them.

September 7, 2004

An average of 4-5 visits per month is about right for our 30 caches too, with greater activity a couple of weeks after a cache is hidden.

September 7, 2004

Yes it cuts both ways.

If we say it will benefit them by increasing the number of visitors by 1 a week on average it looks pathetic.

If we say it will really boost their numbers then they get all twitchy about damage etc.

I have a watch set on many of the local caches I have found. 'Countryside' on edge of London. Most get about 3 hits a month. Some have had only 1 in the last 3 months, while another in a similar location about a mile away had 6 hits last month.

There seems to be a cut off point around here, 30 or so from local people and then it really slows down until some one makes a day of it and does a sweep of the area.

September 8, 2004

On average a UK cache can expect to be visited about 1.9 times per month, over its entire lifetime. (This data is for all currently available caches and includes all types of log. I've excluded virtuals, events etc, but have included urban caches).

But, as has been pointed out, there's often a peak of traffic just after the cache has been set, as all the locals go to bag it. In its first month, the average UK cache can expect 6.0 visits, whereas in it's third month of life, that figure falls to 2.8.

But the most popular caches are often well above these averages. Here's a list of the top 20 number of finds caches have received in their first month (criteria as above)...

| Visits | Cache

| 43 | GCGFFG CRABWOOD (hampshire) |

| 36 | GCJ6KA Forest View - Environmental Cache |

| 35 | GCJ6BD The Farley Mount Highwayman! |

| 28 | GCHCXF Meon Valley Mud Bath |

| 27 | GCJEY1 Speybank |

| 27 | GCE0B1 Cache, Dash, Stash the Cash (RED NOSE) |

| 26 | GCG1JH Meet You at the Crossroads |

| 26 | GCG1JG The Ivy League |

| 25 | GCFC42 Up the Creek 1 (Hampshire) |

| 25 | GCHRH0 Forth 2 North TB motel |

| 24 | GCJEZY Sluggan Bridge |