Do you geocache?

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Created on Saturday, 26 November 2011 14:35

Written by Claire Williams

Have you heard about geocaching – either in the news or in previous articles in Guiding magazine?

Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunt where players try to locate hidden treasure boxes (‘geocaches’), using GPS-enabled devices. Geocaching is a great way to have an outdoor activity at any time of year, whether it’s during a meeting, or on camp or as part of a sleepover. If you programme your own GPS reference into your device (which is very easy to do), you could even get your Guides/Senior Section members to rendezvous at the local chippy!

Girlguiding Oxfordshire has six handheld GPS units to lend out around the County for a nominal cost. These simple little devices work with satellites to help you locate thousands of ‘treasure boxes’ hidden all over the UK and beyond. 1st Wallingford Guides released some ‘travel bugs’ (specially numbered metal tags, attached, in their case, to Girlguiding key rings) last year on their camp on the Isles of Scilly, and one of the travel bugs has now made it all the way to the Czech Republic!

The GPS units are kept by Wendy Yeats, who can be contacted on JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING , or 07855092806 if you want to borrow them, or you're looking for ideas on how to use them. The units cost £5 to hire if you collect/return in person, or £10 if you need them posting to you, regardless of how many you borrow.

For more information about geocaching, visit http://www.geocaching.com/