Treasure Hunting with a Difference in the Central Scotland Forest
18 December 2008
Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT) is participating in the exciting and innovative outdoor activity called Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) which is growing in popularity.
Geocaching is a fun and stimulating way to explore the outdoors, combining good old-fashioned orienteering with the latest technology. It's an interactive "treasure hunt" whereby you attempt to discover hidden boxes called caches, using a handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.
The adventure game has become extremely popular all over the world, with geocaches often located in local areas of interest and beauty spots. In keeping with this, CSFT has placed geocaches on four of its sites within the Central Scotland Forest area to encourage people to get out into the fresh air and discover some local beauty spots.
Abigail Page of CSFT said, "Geocaching is a great activity which leads you to new and interesting places, while enjoying fresh air and exercise."
CSFT's caches are suitable for beginners and can be found at www.geocaching.com by searching for "Central Scotland Forest". As they are usually hidden cleverly out of sight, a small clue may also be provided to help geocachers with their search.
Participants will need a GPS receiver onto which the coordinates of geocaches are downloaded. These can be purchased or hired from some outdoor activity shops, although, a GPS-enabled mobile phone can also be used.
Geocaches contain a small log book and often a number of low value swappable items such as stationery, extra batteries and small toys. The real treasure is finding an area or beauty spot which you might not have visited otherwise. Explorers should share their experiences by logging their visit both in the log book and, once home, on the geocaching website.
For information on getting started, details of geocaches throughout Scotland and much more, including photographs and previous logs, visit: www.geocaching.com.
Abigail Page of CSFT added: "We'd love anyone who gives geocaching a go to let us know how they get on by logging their visit and photos on the geocaching website."
CSFT request that anyone taking part in geocaching remembers the outdoor access code and explores responsibly. They should not leave any consumable, inflammable or degradable items in the geocaches.
