Geocaching

Exploring the countryside with GPS - a "high tech" treasure hunt!

Geocaching uses Global Positioning Satellite receivers (GPS) to locate small hidden containers using co-ordinates given on the Internet site of geocaching.com. Once the co-ordinates are entered into the small handheld GPS unit, an arrow points you in the right direction and counts down the distance as you approach the treasure box (cache).

This might all sound rather easy, being guided by satellite to your treasure, but once you get to the chosen spot you've then got to find the cache itself, which is always discreetly hidden. The pastime is enjoyed by children and adults alike and is a great way to explore the countryside and other places of interest that you might not otherwise have known existed.

Caches never contain anything valuable, just an assortment of interesting items. If you take something from a cache you need to replace it with something of your own. Each cache also contains a logbook so that you can record your find.

Occasionally you will find a Travel Bug. These are small figures with a coded tag that travel from cache to cache around the country and sometimes the world. When found, the cacher logs it on the web site and then goes on to place it in another cache. Its journey can then be tracked on the web site.

When you return home from your day's geocaching, you can log your find and share your experiences with the geocaching community on the web site of geocaching.com.

Hampshire County Council is the first local authority in the UK to officially recognise geocaching as a great way of getting families and others out into the countryside, and also as a valuable educational resource.