Cache in
You know those days when the weather’s on the wilder side, and you all need an extra push to get outdoors? The answer may just come in the form of the free outdoor thrill and worldwide phenomenon, geocaching.
Stop you in your tracks views, sea air by the lungful and nature doing its thing all around. Do you really need any more reasons to embrace the great Cornish outdoors? But when those wide skies aren’t playing ball, we know sometimes you need a sweetener to get everyone out in the open air, and the promise of tracking down and exchanging treasure we’ve found to be just the trick.
Hidden anywhere and everywhere, in the most surprising of places, from clever hiding spots in urban sprawls, to hidden nooks in the most off-the-beaten-track spots. An any-day, anytime outing that can lead you far and wide, geocaching scratches the itch for adventure whether you’re eight or eighty.
Credit: Zeb Zakovics
Hold up, what's a geocache?
On your walk to work or your daily stomp with the dog, there’s every chance you’ve been unknowingly passing by a geocache. Sitting in wait, ready to be discovered, these tucked-away stashes can be anything from a simple logbook that searchers sign to let others know when it was last discovered, to a box bursting with trinkets.
Each geocache comes with its own level of difficulty, and locating them could either be under-your-nose obvious or darn right tricky. We’ve heard tell of geocaches hidden in lightbulbs and in underwater caves that only the most committed of cachers can reach.
Fancy finding one for yourself? To get out and geocache, here’s what you’ll need to do:
Credit: Martin Lostak
Download a geocaching app which unveils a map dotted with geocaches in your search area.
Pick a cache and copy its coordinates. You’ll use these in your phone’s mapping software to navigate to the approximate area.
Get hunting. Once you’re in the right place, you can use your imagination to uncover the geocache. You may need to use the hint for a helping hand.
Sign the log book. Once you’ve discovered the geocache, dig out the logbook and sign your name. You can also record your find online and add a comment about the experience for others to see.
Trade your treasure. Lots of geocaches are packed with paraphernalia. If you take something, be sure to leave something else in its place.
Put it back. One of the most important things to remember is to put it back exactly where you found it so the next geocachers can discover it.
Let's cache from SeaSpace
Settled here by the Atlantic, you’ll find a fair few ocean-front geocaches in easy reach. We’ve sniffed out three of them; one you can get to by foot right from SeaSpace, and two more that you’ll find just a short drive or bus journey away – so you can get a dose of ocean view with your treasure-hunting high….
Pentire Headland
Difficulty * Terrain *
With far-reaching views on every side, this easy-to-reach geocache is a great choice as a first cache. Perfect for little legs, park in Pentire’s council carpark at the top of the headland and stroll the path, which will give you stunning views of Crantock Beach on the left as you look out to sea. Follow the path along the headland as the views get better and better.
Need a hint?
On Pentire's edge, hidden beneath the hedge, where sea meets fate and we had our first date.
Credit: @brian.bracher
Credit: @aerialcornwall
Porth Island
Difficulty *** Terrain **
Set out from SeaSpace on foot to Trevelgue Head, otherwise known as Porth Island. This ancient monument consists of eight huge earth and stone ramparts, two large early Bronze Age barrows and the foundations of several large roundhouses.
Once a long headland, today the island is reached over a bridge that younger cachers will love to conquer. This geocache is on the trickier side, so make sure you take care when seeking it out, so grown-ups should take the lead here.
Need a hint?
Peek under the largest slabs.
Beacon Cove
Difficulty *** Terrain ***
A sandy, dog-friendly beach backed by high cliffs that disappears at high tide, Beacon Cove sits between the main beaches at Watergate Bay to the south and Mawgan Porth to the north.
Getting down the steep slopes is challenging, so you’ll be pleased to know that this cache is hidden halfway down to this secluded spot. That being said, if the weather’s grim, you’ll need to make sure you’re wearing footwear that can handle the terrain. Visit on a summer’s evening and you’ll catch sight of hundreds of nesting birds on the cliff face.
Need a hint?
At the foot of the footpath cliff, near the large rocks.
