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…
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.
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!
Happy Easter! Since our last post a new series of 6 drive-bys with a seasonal theme have been published. Please note they are all premium member only.
GCANFM7 #1 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1/T1.5 GCANFMC #2 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1.5/T1.5 GCANFMK #3 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1.5/T1.5 GCANFMQ #4 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1.5/T1.5 GCANFMT #5 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1.5/T1.5 GCANFMX #6 Easter Egg Hunt 2024 by Squaddie101 Traditional D1.5/T1.5
So, are you ready for the 115 step challenge to the top? Please note there is a charge to climb the steps to the viewing platform but not to attend this event. The cost to climb to the top of the column is for adults £7.50 and for children £3.50. Please note the climb is not recommended for children under 3 years.
GeoGuessr Souvenir
GeoGuessr, we love this game and spent many hours travelling the world playing this game in Covid lockdowns. So what is GeoGuessr? It is an interactive geography game that ‘drops’ players to random locations around the world using Google Street View, the objective being to guess where you are. Players must use their knowledge and deduction skills to guess their precise location. The more accurately a player guesses, the more points they earn.
A special limited-time collaboration between Geocaching HQ and GeoGuessr allow all geocachers a free trial of ten places inspired by real-world geocaching locations. By playing the game geocachers can earn a limited edition souvenir!
In order to earn the limited-time souvenir:
Play The Geocaching Challenge between March 26–April 12 and correctly identify at least one location.
Find the hidden tracking code on the completion message screen.
If you couldn’t find the hidden tracking code, don’t worry—a second tracking code will appear at the end of the game after guessing all ten locations. Discovering either tracking code will earn the souvenir.
NOTE: Geocaching HQ gives permission for these trackables to be discovered virtually.
The best experience is on desktop and this game will not appear in the GeoGuessr mobile app.
So, are you ready for the 115 step challenge to the top? Please note there is a charge to climb the steps to the viewing platform but not to attend this event. The cost to climb to the top of the column is for adults £7.50 and for children £3.50. Please note the climb is not recommended for children under 3 years.
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
GCCAN2QT Meet and Greet, Tanygrisiau. by Bess’s Friends When: 18.6.2024 Where: lakeside Cafe, Tanygrisiau Time: 12-12.30pm
Event Reminders
GCAMJH4 CITO 2024 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T3.5 When: 23.3.2024 Where: Parc Dre, Caernarfon Time: 11am-1pm Another CITO Event meeting on the old bridge. We will be litter picking the usual area but hope to extend to include the beginning of Lon Eifion cycle path. An area in desperate need of a tidy up. By attending this event you will earn CITO 2024 Season 1 souvenir and this event will also count towards the March Equinox souvenir.
GCAMM4Z 9 Usual Suspects Cake and a Brew Event D1/T1 When: 23.3.2024 Where: Parc Dre, Caernarfon Time: 1-1.30pm
Anglesey Column, a Brief History
The column was designed by Thomas Harrison to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo which took place on June 18th 1815. The building of the 27 meter tower commenced a year later in 1816 and was finished in 1817. It is built of limestone quarried from Moelfre quarry.
On the foundation stone there is an inscription in English, Welsh and Latin:
“The inhabitants of the counties of Anglesey and Caernarvon have erected this column in grateful commemoration of the distinguished military achievements of their countryman HENRY WILLIAM, MARQUESS OF ANGLESEY the leader of the British Cavalry in Spain throughout the arduous Campaign of 1807 and Second in Command of the Armies confederated against France at the memorable battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815. Thomas Harrison Architect.“
Installing the statue
It was not until 1860 that the Paget family added the brass statute of Battle of Waterloo hero William Henry Paget, the first Marquess of Anglesey, to a plinth at the top of the fabulous landmark.
The Column was listed grade II as a building of special interest in 1952 – its designation was lifted to grade II* in 1992.
Due to the deteriorating condition of the Anglesey Column it was closed to the public in March 2012. In 2017, the 200th year of the column’s existence, a charity, the Anglesey Column Trust, was set up to look into the possibility of repairing and re-opening the column. Close to £1.4million was raised, with the majority being from The National Lottery Heritage Fund plus donations from local charities and general fund raising. The results are impressive, the column has a new staircase and a general makeover, the original tiny cottage has been extended to provide a cafe, toilets and information centre with nature trails currently being constructed in the grounds.
While visiting remember there are two geocaches here:
GCAJ1GP Tŵr Marcwis by RichieBlod Multi D1.5/T2.5 Premium member Only GC2G80B Geomon #7 Llanfair PG Blue Schist by The GeoBEATS Earthcache D1.5/T3.5
A couple of new caches plus 4 events have been published since our last post:
Parc y Dre after its recent council make over
GCAMC25 Parc y Dre by Clueless_Goose Traditional D2/T2 GCAMJ97 The White Rabbit by seanx90 Earthcache D1.5/T1.5
Events GCAMM4Z 9 Usual Suspects Cake and a Brew Event D1/T1 When: 23.3.2024 Where: Parc Dre, Caernarfon Time: 1-1.30pm
GCAMVAX 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 66 by 9 Usual Suspects When: 28.3.2024 Where: Parc Snowdonia, Waunfawr, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4AQ Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
GCAMKWG Six Peaks Adventure – Hello from Llandderfel by terrapintim & GeoPaul Event D1/T1 When: 22.4.2024 Where: Bryntirion Inn, Llandderfel, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7RA Time: 7-8pm
GCAMKV0 Six Peaks Adventure – Snowdon Meet & Greet by terrapintim & GeoPaul D1/T4 When: 23.4.2024 Where: Snowdon Summit Time: 12-12.30pm
Old Anglesey Aluminium Site Demolition of Chimney Stack
March 20th sees the demolition of the iconic 122 meter chimney stack which has stood for last 50 years at the old Anglesey Aluminium site. The demolition is to make way for the new Anglesey Freeport.
Would you like to push the button? Holyhead RNLI are running a fund raising draw in the memory of their crew member Iwan Williams to press the button signalling the demolition.
Single prize draw entry starts from just £3. Entrants to the draw must be 18 years-old or over, but the winning entrant can bring a friend or family member to accompany them to the event (this person can be under 18).
The Village Hall Series started in 2013 with the first cache placed by GeoJaxx in Denmead, Hampshire. It has steadily grown in popularity and currently can be found in 72 counties in England, Scotland, Wales, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
The geocaches can be set in any hall which is used by the community for local groups or available to hire for private functions (but not social clubs and halls for members only). They have various names including village hall, community hall, parish hall, reading room, church hall to name a few. There are thousands of halls within our communities so there is plenty of scope for the series to grow considerably.
There are very few Village Hall caches here in North Wales and only one event in the whole of Wales but the following profile badges are available to download for:
We have a few new caches to report since our last post:
GCAJ1GP Tŵr Marcwis by RichieBlod Multi D1.5/T2.5 Premium member Only
As part of our Leap Day celebrations 29 new caches went live on Lon Eifion. There is a varied mix of D/T’s and containers, some easy and some not so. Warning, there are no hints but there may be clues in some of the titles. The lack of hints is reflected in difficulty rating.
GCAJNTY Lon Eifion, Another Tree by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNTZ Lon Eifion, Araneae by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1.5 GCAJNV0 Lon Eifion, Afon Seiont by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D4.5/T1.5 GCAJNV2 Lon Eifion, BOT by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNVC Lon Eifion, Posted by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNVE Lon Eifion, The Crossing by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D4/T1.5 GCAJNVJ Lon Eifion, Rail Bridge by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D3/T1.5 GCAJNVP Lon Eifion, Fron Goch View by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNVQ Lon Eifion, Gated by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNVW Lon Eifion, Meet Ivy by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNWJ Lon Eifion, Meet the Bison by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAJNW6 REALLY SideTracked – Bontnewydd by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D5/T1.5 GCAK6FF Lon Eifion, Afon Gwyrfai Bridge by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1.5 GCAK7VY Lon Eifion, Fence by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6FZ Lon Eifion, Meet Nagini by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1.5 GCAK6GC Lon Eifion, Gate Crossing by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6MK REALLY SideTracked – Dinas by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D1.5/T1.5 GCAK6MY Lon Eifion, Meet Kermit by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1.5 GCAK6N1 Lon Eifion, Hole in One! by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6N4 Lon Eifion, Meet Hazel by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D3/T1.5 GCAK6N6 Lon Eifion, Rotcelfer by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1 GCAK6NC Lon Eifion, Deathly Hollows by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6NE Lon Eifion, Meet Roland by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6NJ Lon Eifion, Gates by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T1.5 GCAK6NP Lon Eifion, Oak Tree by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D4/T1.5 GCAK6NW Lon Eifion, Sycamore Gap by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2/T2 GCAK6P3 Lon Eifion, Design by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D2.5/T1.5 GCAK69C Lon Eifion, Tafarn Pennionyn by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D3.5/T1.5 GCAK6PA Lon Eifion, Inigo Jones by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D3/T1.5
Leap Day Events Review
To celebrate Leap Day 2024 we hosted 3 events.
Starting with a breakfast event at Caffi Gerlan, GCAJWJ6, a conveniently located cafe to begin the day’s adventures. During this event our first batch of new caches went live. After hearty breakfasts accompanied by plenty of geochat we regrouped in the car park at Groeslon for the start of our CITO, GCAKA5E, and the walk to Caernarfon.
A grey day but luckily the rain held off. As well as finding the 29 new caches we collected 3 bags of general litter leaving the cycle path looking a lot tidier. Congratulations to Bess’s Friends who found their 8,000 find.
We completed our mission in a record time leaving us with several hours before our final event of the day. Once everyone was reunited with their cars we all headed to 9US headquarters for well earned refreshments before heading back to Caernarfon for our final event, GCAJXR3, at the Anglesey Arms.
A few photos from our day:
CITO 2024 Season 1
Friday 1st March saw the start of CITO Season 1 which runs to Friday 31st May. To earn the souvenir simply attend a CITO event. We are in the process of planning another litter pick around Parc Dre and Afon Seiont area of Caernafon.
One new cache has been published since our last post:
GCAKTK4 The Old road. by ArfonDJ Traditional D1.5/T1.5
Community Celebration Events
Community Celebration Events (CCE) will return in 2025 as part of the 25th Geocaching Anniversary celebrations. This event type, with its own icon, is a special community party/gathering held during significant milestone years in geocaching. The last Community Celebration Events were hosted between 2020 and 2022 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of geocaching.
Anyone who has opened a geocaching account before 20th February, 2024, placed both a geocache and hosted an event from 1st January to 31st December, 2024 will receive a Community Celebration Event. Those who receive a Community Celebration Event must host it between 1st January, 2025 and 31st December, 2025. Events must be a minimum of two hours, and cannot overlap with events associated with a Mega-Event, Giga-Event, or Block Party. Each primary account hosting a Mega-Event, Giga-Event, or Block Party in 2025 will also receive a Community Celebration Event.
After a week of heavy rain we were very glad that the rain held off and it was not too cold on the slopes of the Nantlle valley. A good turn out for this years Ski Sunday with the competitive competition taking place on the ski jump. Pete did a great job in seeing fair play and ensuring everyones jump distances were recorded. With the main action in the tent the refreshments of snacks, fondue, cake and drinks were consumed in the Cache Bar. To celebrate Steve’s birthday Mossfamilymacc brought ample supplies of Prosecco and non-alcoholic Prosecco which was appreciated by everyone and especially by our junior attendees. A big thanks to Pete for the 3D printed event souvenirs, medals and the amazing dragons.
Medal Table 1st GeoJade2013 with a distance of 89.78 meters 2nd Steve, Mossfamililymacc with a distance of 87.35 meters 3rd Welshgirl11 with a distance of 82.96 meters
Ski Sunday is returning to the Nantlle Valley. We can’t guarantee perfect snow conditions for our afternoons skiing but we are sure there will be plenty of banter and lots of laughter. This year we will be attempting the ski jump! Will we discover another ‘Eddie the Eagle’? Wrap up warm, join us either as a competitor or spectator for a fun filled afternoon. Light refreshments including hot drinks and, of course, the Cache Bar will be available throughout the afternoon.
