Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?

[mouser]

Many people here have probably heard of Geocaching.  It's like a treasure hunt where you use a GPS device to navigate to a specific set of coordinates where someone has buried some treasure, and i guess usually a logbook that you sign when you find (dig up) the treasure.  You then replace it for the next person.

But the main point of this post was that I just read about another similar thing called "Letterboxing", which sounds more interesting to me.



In letterboxing you are not locating something using GPS coordinates, but rather by following some clues that guide you to a secret spot (you will start out knowing the general region, like in a specific park, and then follow clues posted by someone online for how to find the exact spot).  A big difference with letterboxing is that what is hidden is a unique carved ink stamp and a log book, and you will be carrying around your own custom-carved ink stamp.  So when you find it you will make an impression of YOUR stamp in the secret hidden logbook you've discovered, and make an impression of the secret stamp inside your own logbook.  In this way you have a unique set of stamps like a passport to show your journey.

I love the idea of letterboxing and how the stamps are unique and hand made and are like passport stamps showing where you've traveled.  I'm going to get my niece a stamp carving set and see if it's something she might be interested in.

Letterboxing web pages:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterboxing_%28hobby%29
• http://www.atlasquest.com/
• www.letterboxing.org/

Have any of you done any geocaching or letterboxing?

[CWuestefeld]

I've been doing geocaching for years. It's a great excuse to get out of the house and get some exercise. And being into photography, it's also a way to introduce me to new areas to photograph.

[kyrathaba]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

[40hz]

Sounds like a good way to get stopped by the police.  

[attach]

[Tinman57]

Kinda like the much later 'rave' parties, except ours weren't so heavy on sex, drugs or general weirdness.

  Gee, but what's a party without drugs and general weirdness?  Oh, I know, a "meeting".   

[barney]

Kinda like the much later 'rave' parties, except ours weren't so heavy on sex, drugs or general weirdness.

  Gee, but what's a party without drugs and general weirdness?  Oh, I know, a "meeting".   

I don't recall too many meetings with overt sex - although there were some where folk might get screwed  .

[Ike Roberts]

I did a little letterboxing about 50 years ago in Easton,PA along the Delaware Canal. The boxes are still there. You will need more logical skills than geocaching requires.

[4wd]

What has this got to do with letterboxing?

Inscription

In Memory Of
James Perrott
Who Died May 23rd 1895
Aged 80 Years
Also Mary His Wife
Who Died March 12th 1898
Aged 79 Years

Answer

He was the guide from Chagford^w that started letterboxing by installing the first letterbox at Cranmere Pool^w.

The History of Letterboxing:

The year was 1854, and a Victorian guide named James Perrott placed a bottle in the wildest, most inaccessible area on Dartmoor, England, along the banks of Cranmere Pool. In it, he included his calling card so future visitors could contact him and leave their own calling cards. Little did anyone know, this small act would be become the hobby we now know as letterboxing.

His grave is in St Michael's Church, Chagford.

I thought it may be of interest to someone - the cottage we're staying in, in Chagford is named after Cranmere Pool.

At some point I'll work up the energy to walk to it (~6km) ... or not