Geocaching is a worldwide treasure hunt where players look for ‘caches’ hidden by players in a wide variety of locations. Geocaches are small containers which usually contain a logbook and some small trinkets, their locations are available on the geocaching app and can be found using GPS coordinates. If you’re new to geocaching, check out our top 10 tips for geocaching beginners.
Image courtesy of Geocaching.com, Groundspeak Inc.
- Sign up for a free account at the geocaching website and download the free app. With a free account you can search for geocaches, log finds, activate travel bugs and hide and publish your own geocaches.
- Take the weather into account before you set off. Heavy rain will make your first experience a great deal harder and may put you off! Stick to clear, sunny days but remember to pack appropriately just in case the weather turns.
- Don’t take risks, especially if you are geocaching alone. Some geocaches may be in tricky positions so always exercise caution when retrieving or hiding geocaches. When you’re starting out, it’s advisable to look for caches with a lower difficulty rating.
- Make sure you bring a pen or pencil with you in case the cache is missing a pen. All caches will contain a logbook for you to write down your name, the date and the time that you found the cache.
- Some caches will contain small collectibles that you can trade. If you want to trade make sure you replace the item you take with something of equal or greater value.
- Whilst looking for geocaches, stay aware of your surroundings make sure you don’t take any risks whilst trying to retrieve caches.
- Once you’ve found the cache, make sure you place it back exactly where you found it.
- Once you’ve found the cache, write a clue or about your experiences on the geocaching website to help others find the cache.
- Familarise yourself with some of the abbreviated words that other geocachers might use on the websites and in logbooks. Here is a list of the most commonly used acronyms:
- DNF – Did not find
- GRC – Guard rail cache (a clue to where it may be hidden)
- LN – Left nothing
- LPC – Lamp post cache
- P&G – Park and grab (cache is easy to find, and close to a parking space)
- PLC – parking lot cache (a clue to where it may be hidden)
- TN – Took nothing
- UFO – Unnatural formation of objects (odd looking pile of material, most likely a hiding spot for a cache)
- UPS – Unnatural pile of sticks
