Month: June 2024

News & New Caches 141

A couple of new caches, an Ad Lab with bonus and 3 events all published since our last post.

GCAT9KQ Phone Home by Caio, Ifan a Tomi Traditional D1.5/T1.5

Premium Member only
GCAT6AN Emily’s walk – we see swans! by CheesyPasta Traditional D1.5/T1.5

Adventure Lab and Bonus Cache

Magnificent Murals created by RichieBlod nonsequential
This Ad Lab takes you on a tour of murals painted by Ffion Roberts-Drakely around Amlwch. The starting point is the pay & display carpark but the stages can be done in any order. There is a bonus cache, see below for details.

GCAR7B1 Magnificent Murals Bonus Cache by RichieBlod Mystery D2.5/T2

Events

GCARYZH SideTracked – Rhyl by GeotrainTGV Event
When: 29.6.2024
Where: The Sussex (Wetherspoons), 20-26 Sussex St, Rhyl LL18 1SG
Time: 12.15-13.15pm

GCAT1ZG War Memorial #2024 ~ Porthmadog by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T2
When: 30.6.2024
Where: The War Memorial, Porthmadog
Time: 3-3.30pm

GCARZ12 SideTracked – Colwyn Bay by Wandafree Event
When: 30.6.2024
Where: The Picture House (Wetherspoons), 24-26 Princes Dr, Colwyn Bay LL29 8LA
Time: 2-3pm

Event Reminder

GCARMJM 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 68 by 9 Usual Suspects
When: Thursday 27th June 2024
Where: Parc Snowdonia, Waunfawr, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4AQ
Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves

For this months Nosh & Natter we are back at the Snowdonia Parc, Waunfawr

Cosmic Quest, the Next Challenge

For anyone who tried to decipher last weeks message from HQ but didn’t succeed here it is in plain English:
Hello, earthlings! We have come across a reference to “Geocaching.com” on a metal creature roving the planet Mars. It seems this ‘geocaching’ is an activity meant to further exploration and community. We would like to better understand this interesting human activity and we are traveling to Earth to learn more. We only hope we’ll have enough fuel in our spaceship to keep exploring!

The Cosmic Quest starts on July 22nd and runs to September 1st with the possibility of three souvenirs available, two to be individually earned and one by the geocaching community reaching a target of 15 million fuel points.

See the table below for information about how many units of fuel different geocaching actions generate:

Activated a trackable1
Attended an Event3
Received a Favorite point on an owned geocache2
Found an EarthCache5
Found it*1
*Logged a Found it on any other cache type, excluding Webcam Caches.

Players can earn the Super fuel cacher souvenir by generating 20 units of fuel and players can earn the Ultra fuel cacher souvenir by generating 100 units of fuel.

News & New Caches 140

Another very quiet week for geocaching, just one new event and a couple of reminders:

GCARXD8 SideTracked – Abegale and Pensarn by Bradshaw65 Event
When: 28.6.2024
Where: Abergele & Pensarn Station
Time: 12.15-12.45pm

A quick event at this popular railway station. Note plenty of free parking.

Event Reminders

This is TONIGHT!

GCAN2QB Meet and Greet, Mine’s A Pint. by Bess’s Friends
When: 14.6.2024
Where: Bragdy Cybi, Unit 4a, Penrhos Business Park, Holyhead. LL65 2FD
Time: 6.30-9pm
Join Bess’s Friends to celebrate Ray’s big birthday at the highly acclaimed Bragdy Cybi. We can recommend the beer and let’s see if they can organise a piss up in a brewery!

GCCAN2QT Meet and Greet, Tanygrisiau. by Bess’s Friends
When: 18.6.2024
Where: lakeside Cafe, Tanygrisiau
Time: 12-12.30pm

News & New Caches 139

Since our last post a new Earthcache, Event and 3 Traditionals have been published:

Earthcache
GCARH7C Church Micro 15169…Llanfairpwllgwyngyll by ECOBAKE Earthcache D2/T2

Traditional Caches
GCARHF1 Y Foryd: Hide the Bird by Clueless_Goose Traditional D1.5/T1.5

Premium Member Only
GCAR9TA Pack your trunks by Skylark65 Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GCARJBP Nant y Pandy by CheesyPasta Traditional D1.5/T1.5

Event
GCARMJM 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 68 by 9 Usual Suspects
When: Thursday 27th June 2024
Where: Parc Snowdonia, Waunfawr, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4AQ
Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves

For this months Nosh & Natter we are back at the Snowdonia Parc, Waunfawr.

Moe’s Tavern Event Update

photo courtesy of RichieBlod

We had proposed Sunday 14th July for this event but after checking the tide timetable we find high tide is in the middle of the afternoon, so we are postponing this event until Sunday 15th September.

Event Review

GCAQVE7 9 Usual Suspects Celebrate Their Virtual Award by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1.5

It was so nice to sit outside in the warm sunshine on a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon to catch up with our regular attendees and to meet cachers holidaying locally. The brave and energetic climbed the 115 steps to the top of the tower to enjoy the spectacular far reaching views. We would like to thank Delyth and her team for the delicious refreshments and making us all so welcome. I’m sure we will be back here…

A few pictures of our day:

Asian Hornets in Europe

Are you aware of Asian Hornets?

The following is taken from the RSPB website:

The Asian Hornet poses a significant threat to the UK’s wildlife and the RSPB urges the public to report any sightings to the relevant authorities.

Asian Hornets in Europe

Asian Hornets were inadvertently brought to France in 2004, most likely in a shipment of goods imported from east Asia. Since arriving in France, the species has spread rapidly. It is now present across France and is moving into adjoining countries.

The threat from Asian Hornets

The Asian Hornet is a non-native species in the UK, as it hails from east Asia and could not arrive in the UK naturally.

The concern around the Asian Hornet is that it is a significant predator of bees. In France, it has consumed large numbers of bees, including the well-known European honey bee and many lesser-known solitary and colonial bee species. Nature conservation organisations, including the RSPB, are concerned about the impacts of Asian Hornets on bees, as these pollinating species are an essential component of well-functioning ecosystems.

How you can help

The Governments of the UK have robust strategies in place to respond to any reports of Asian Hornets in the UK. However, the Governments can only enact these strategies once Asian Hornets have been reported to them.

Consequently, the RSPB urges everyone to be vigilant for Asian Hornets and to report any suspected sightings to the relevant authorities.

Full details of how to ID Asian Hornets and who to report them to can be found here.

Have you seen an Asian Hornet?

Any suspected sightings should ideally be reported with a photograph via the Asian Hornet watch app or the online reporting form. For more details on identification and reporting please visit the Asian Hornet alert page.

Identify Asian Hornet 

The following is from the Bee Keepers Association website:

  1. Does it look very black?
  2. Has it got a wide orange stripe on 4th segment of abdomen?
  3. Do its legs look as if they have been dipped in yellow paint?


                                                                                          Image by David Walker and used courtesy of NBU