Geocaching is a great way of having fun in the countryside. It involves hunting out carefully hidden caches using maps and satellite navigation devices called GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers. If you find a cache (and some are very hard to spot!) there are often trade items in them that you can swap and a log book for you to record your visit. Back home you can log your visit onto the internet.
How to start geocaching
To find out about caches, log onto the international geocaching website - www.geocaching.com. Registration is free and then you are ready to start geocaching!
You will first need to find out the co-ordinates and clues for your nearest caches, the quickest way is to enter a postcode. Choose which ones you want to bag and then download or enter the co-ordinates manually into your GPS receiver.
Check out the best way to get to the site using an up-to-date Ordnance Survey map and then off you go.
Like to find out more about what geocaching is? There's a great article on the teletracnavman.com website - Geocaching 101 - which will give you everything you need to know.
Geocaches in the Yorkshire Dales
Search using the keyword 'Buckden Rake' on the geocaching.com website for details of a seven cache trail around the archaeology of Langstrothdale. Search for 'Hawes Highways' for our caches in Wensleydale exploring ancient routes, find out about Malham's geology by searching for 'Malham Cove', discover beautiful Dentdale by searching for 'Dent Meander' and finally in Swaledale search for 'Reeth Remembered'.
Hide your own geocaches
Once you've got the geocaching bug you'll probably want to hide your own geocaches. We've written some guidelines based on those produced by the Geocaching Association of Great Britain and we recommend that you check them out before you start.
