Today’s adventure took us across the river into deepest Dumbartonshire. Geocaching.
I’ve been passingly interested in geocaching since my brother – a cartography nerd – suggested it years ago. That was long before you could get an app for anything, let alone one that encorporates navigation, photography and a social network.
So when Fionaoutdoors suggested a wee jaunt I rounded up the big Boys and headed for the rendezvous. The Boys were decidedly tepid about the whole thing, but then I could suggest a trip to Disneyland in a space rocket staffed by trained monkeys and they’d roll their eyes and say: “Do I have to?”
However, it didn’t take long, peering at our target on the phone and plotting the route for them to forget about how comfy they’d been on the sofa.
Geocaching is about finding a hidden stash, maybe swapping a tiny toy you’ve brought with one in the water-tight box. You fill in a guest book and click the app with your success. Magic, especially the bit were we were getting closer and the quarry was near.
There are caches all over the world and it seems like an excellent way to explore with purpose.
This is a NaBloPoMo post.
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I've always wanted to do this but the hubs thinks it's silly and the babe is just too young to enjoy it yet. Nice to know it's as interesting as I thought it would be.
You can download the basic app for free and probably sneak off and find your local ones without anyone noticing. But your husband might get hooked if he gives it a go, the boys did.
I've done this a few times before on dog walks using the app. I've found a few but more often than not I just loiter around suspiciously surveying ivy-covered trees while trying not lo look like a dog-wielding weirdo. I've been within 5m of geocaches several times and not found them, which is frustrating, but it's dead satisfying when you do find them and can log them on your account.
Its fantastic and we love going geocaching in our house. The kids are very good at finding them and am lucky because there are loads in our area!
Its also great when you can pick up a treasure or two!
BNM
Someone suggested saying the name of the cache out loud while you look as there's a clue in the name, but fear that may look even more weird.
We'll definitely be doing it again.