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
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…
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.
GCAPJD7 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 67 by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1 When: Thursday 30th May 2024 Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
GCAQVE7 9 Usual Suspects Celebrate Their Virtual Award by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1.5 When: Sunday 2rd June Where: Anglesey Column Time: 3-4pm We are returning to the Anglesey Column to celebrate the publication of our virtual cache. Why place our virtual cache here? Because from the viewing platform at the top of the column you look out over our ‘patch’. Refreshments will be available from the cafe, but no purchases have to be made to attend this event. We can highly recommend the cakes……
June Solstice 2024 Souvenir
The solstice on June 21st marks the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere. To celebrate the solstice HQ are issuing a souvenir, to qualify simply find a cache of any type of geocache including events and Adventure Lab stages between 19th – 21st June.
We have a new traditional, a virtual and event to report since our last post:
GCAQY0Z YOSM #1086 Moel-Y-Tryfan by meltdiceberg Traditional D2/T3.5 YOSM is a new numbered series. Ye Ole Survey Monument (YOSM) is a captivating series of caches that pays homage to the remarkable legacy of OutForTheHunt’s YSM series (GC45CC). YOSM caches are strategically positioned at or near Trig Points. These triangulation stations have played a pivotal role as surveying landmarks, contributing to the mapping of expansive territories.
GCAJJEB Anglesey Column by 9 Usual Suspects Virtual D1/T2
GCAQVE7 9 Usual Suspects Celebrate Their Virtual Award by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1.5 When: Sunday 2rd June Where: Anglesey Column Time: 3-4pm We are returning to the Anglesey Column to celebrate the publication of our virtual cache. Why place our virtual cache here? Because from the viewing platform at the top of the column you look out over our ‘patch’. Refreshments will be available from the cafe, but no purchases have to be made to attend this event.
Event Review
GCAPJB8 9 Usual Suspects Visit Llanfaglan Church by 9 Usual Suspects
On a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon we visited the beautiful redundant St Baglan’s Church, Llanfaglan, a Grade 1 listed building now cared for by the charity Friends of Friendless Churches. To walk through the door is like taking a step back into history. Our guide, Ifor Williams, shared with us some of the secrets of this site which has been sacred for more than fifteen hundred years.
After our tour we headed down the road to the ‘pirate ship’ for a picnic accompanied with all the usual geochat and banter.
For more information and history of this lovely little church click here
Apologies for our lack of recent post but we should now be back to normal. Two new caches have been published since our last post, both on Anglesey:
GCAQEZF The Wonderful Walk by hryaaw Traditional D2/T2 GCAQPMF Stream Dream by Whovian2829 Traditional D1.5/T2.5
Event Reminders
GCAPJB8 9 Usual Suspects Visit Llanfaglan Church by 9 Usual Suspects When: Sunday 19th May 2024 Where: Llanfaglan Church Time: 2.45-3.15pm
Yes, this is tomorrow!
We will be meeting our guide Ifor Williams at 2.30pm by the kissing gate at the beginning of the footpath that leads to the church. From here there is a short walk across the field to St Baglan’s. The tour will last between 30-45 minutes. After the tour we will be heading down the road to the ‘pirate ship’ for a picnic. Please bring your own food we will be supplying hot and cold soft drinks.
Please be aware that parking at our meeting point is limited, there is parking further down the road close to our picnic spot.
For anyone who has not found the multi cache there will be an opportunity to gather the information.
GC8DH3W Church Micro 12800…Llanfaglan by 9 Usual Suspects Multi D2/T1.5
May N&N
GCAPJD7 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 67 by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1 When: Thursday 30th May 2024 Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
We have 3 new events and one awaiting publication to report since our last post:
GCAPJD7 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 67 by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1 When: Thursday 30th May 2024 Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
GCAPKWR SideTracked – Abergele & Pensarn by goldpot Event D1/T1 When: Wednesday 22nd May 2024 Where: Abergele & Pensarn railway station Time: 11.15-11.45am
GCAPAXD SideTracked – Llanberis by stuarthowe11 Event D1/T1 When: Tuesday 2nd July 2024 Where: Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis Time: 11.45-12.15pm
The following event is awaiting publication:
GCAPJB8 9 Usual Suspects Visit Llanfaglan Church by 9 Usual Suspects When: Sunday 19th May 2024 Where: Llanfaglan Church Time: 2.45-3.15pm
Please note there will be NO Nosh & Natter this month, but they will resume in May.
We are off to sunnier (hopefully) climes for a few weeks, we will keep site updated but may be slower than usual.
Thank you everyone who responded to our last post. We have agreed with Ifor Williams for our tour of the church to be either Saturday 18th or Sunday 19th May, to start around 2.30-3pm. Do you have a preference of which day? Please let us know through the comments or email us at talktous@9usualsuspects.uk
Just 2 new traditional caches have been published since our last post:
GCAP46W Can you see the monument by Coxystar79 Traditional D1/T1.5 GCANYPN Porth Swtan byTheAngleseyClarkes Traditional D1/T1.5
Please note there will be NO Nosh & Natter this month, but they will resume in May.
Llanfaglan Church
GC8DH3W Church Micro 12800…Llanfaglan by 9 Usual Suspects Multi D2/T1.5
While enjoying a guided history tour of Caernarfon we met Ifor Williams who takes care of this lovely old church on behalf of the charity Friends of Friendless Churches. He has kindly offered to give us geocachers a guided tour of this fascinating church. The tour would last between 30-45 minutes. Our plan is to hold an event here, either a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, to include the tour and a BBQ or picnic just down the road by the ‘pirate ship’. Are you interested? Please let us know as we need to have a rough idea of numbers before making any further plans.
Blue Switch Day
On May 2nd, 2000 the U.S. government opened up accurate GPS technology for public use, prior to this day the technology had only been available to the US military. The very next day the first geocache was hidden and the beginning of the game we all love. Known as Blue Switch Day geocachers like to commemorate this day by finding a cache and earning a souvenir.
To earn this years Blue Switch Day souvenir simply find one geocache, attend an event, or Adventure Lab® Location between 2nd to 5th May, 2024.
With the column reopening to the public at the beginning of the year it was only a matter of time before we hosted an event here. The column closed to the public very shortly after we moved to Nantlle. Many times we have looked up at the Marquis and said ‘I bet the views are fab from up there’. We can now confirm the views are amazing. The 115 step climb to the top was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I’m not that confident when it comes to heights but the substantially built platform and railings made you feel very safe even when looking down over the edge.
The weather was not perfect but good enough to give us some incredible views, especially of the bridges and straits. After taking lots of photos and videos we all made our way back down the steps to join the not so brave attendees for some well earned refreshments in the new cafe. Another lovely afternoon spent with our geocaching friends.
For the geocacher there are currently 2 caches here, a multi and an earthcache. We highly recommend visiting, not just the column but also the cafe as it does a very good paned and homemade cakes.
For details on opening times, prices and history of the column follow this link Anglesey Column
Here are a few photos of our day:
Virtual Cache Award Update
We would like to thank you for all the comments and ideas of where to place our Virtual Reward Cache. After visiting Anglesey Column we have decided to place the virtual cache here, from the top of the column you look out across our ‘patch’. There will be another event for the launch of the cache…. watch this space!
