Tag: Geocaching Souvenirs

News & New Caches 82

We have no new caches or events to report since our last post.

Wheel of Challenges: First Challenge

Monday 3rd April sees the end of Signal’s Labyrinth Challenge and the beginning of the latest challenge series, Wheels of Challenges.

Are you ready for this new set of challenges?

The Wheel of Challenges first challenge is all about quantity, see how many caches and Adventure Lab® Locations you can find in a month. There is three new souvenirs to collect, easy, medium, and hard.

Easy: Find and log 5 caches to earn the first souvenir.
Medium: Find and log 10 caches to earn the second souvenir.
Hard: Find and log 100 caches to earn the third souvenir.

This challenge runs from April 3rd–30th. The May challenge will be announced on Tuesday 25th April.

CITO 2023 Season 1 Message

Message of thanks from Norman Hughes from the council

“Great work once again.
I have not been informed as to the intentions for the park however I will ask and let you know once I receive an update.
Please pass on our appreciation to all the volunteers involved during the weekend.”

New Section of Coastal Path from Aberogwen to Porth Penrhyn

Currently there is no public right of way along the coast from Aberogwen to Porth Penrhyn but this is all about to change with the opening of a new 3km section of the Wales Coastal Path. The existing route of the Wales Coastal Path takes an inland detour to Tal-y-bont, through LLandygai and along the A5 to Porth Penrhyn where it once again joins the coast.

Map showing existing Coastal Path

Back in May 2021 Gwynedd Council issued a ‘Public Footpath Creation Order’ to establish a public footpath through the Spinnies Nature Reserve and the Penrhyn Estate. After successful negotiations between Gwynedd Council, Penrhyn Estate and North Wales Wildlife Trust the new route was agreed. The new path will be accessed through the Spinnies main gate, then follow the estate wall crossing over Afon Ogwen via the old estate bridge.

It will then follow the coast giving spectacular views over Traeth Lafan before joining the existing Coastal Path at Porth Penrhyn.

New Route

There is no date set for the opening of the path but all work is expected to be completed enabling the path to open spring 2023.

News & New Caches 77

One new traditional cache an a CITO event have been published since our last post.

GCA5C3D Maiden Hide by Ironknights1908 Traditional D2.5/T3

CITO Event

GCA5C5J CITO 2023 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3
Our task for the day will be to pick up as much litter as possible starting from the the bridge, around the park then following the River Seiont towards Lon Eifion plus the wooded area behind Tesco. By attending this event you will earn ‘CITO 2023 Season 1’ souvenir.

Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island Trip Update

GCA5EAK 9 Usual Suspects Re-Visit Ynys Enlli by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T4

Well this trip proved to be far more popular than expected, we have booked all the places on the 11.30am boat.

Important Information

As trips are dependent on good weather please be aware that our crossing may be subject to cancellation at very short notice. Sailings are confirmed around 6.30pm on the evening prior to departure. Bearing this in mind payment is made on the day in cash, therefore no deposits are needed.

Fares: Adult £45.00 Child £25.00

The parking is in the National Trust car park, (N 52° 47.941 W 004° 43.915, Sat Nav LL53 8DA, Grid Ref SH163255), from here there is a 10 minute walk to Porth Meudwy along a rough fisherman’s track. There is no parking at point of departure.

You are advised to wear waterproofs for the crossing. Life jackets are mandatory and will be issued before departure.

There is a café at Tŷ Pellaf farm, run by the Roberts family, which serves a limited variety of drinks, ice cream, snacks and homemade cakes. It is advisable to bring your own supplies as the café can sometimes run low!

Dogs are not permitted to visit the island.

The Bardsey Island Trust does not permit the flying of private drones anywhere on the island.

We will give more details nearer the day.

News & New Caches 72

One new traditional cache has been published since our last post and one event awaiting publication.

GCA47BR Mural by Glaslyn1 Traditional D2/T1.5

Event

GCA4CH4 9 Usual Suspects Get Puzzled by 9 Usual Suspects

When: Sunday 26th February, 2023
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle LL54 6BB (Pete & Ann’s)
Time: 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Are you stuck on a puzzle cache? Maybe we can help one another with hints and some fresh ideas, so come and join us for an afternoon of puzzle fun.

Not interested in puzzles caches? Then still join us for a geochat, the Cache Bar will be open, hot drinks will be available on a self service basis and it wouldn’t be a 9US event without cake!

February Nosh & Natter

Please note this event will be Tuesday 28th, venue to be confirmed.

Signal’s Labyrinth Challenge, The Dragon’s Lair

Monday 6th February sees the end of the current labyrinth challenge and the beginning of the final labyrinth in this challenge, The Dragon’s Lair. Like the other maze challenges there are 2 souvenirs available, you must collect 50 points to earn the first souvenir and 500 points to earn the second souvenir.

Each labyrinth in Signal’s Labyrinth challenge has different point values for finding geocaches, Adventures, and bonus items. In the Dragon’s Lair finding a multi cache is worth the maximum 35 points, with the bonus item, hams, earning an extra 50 points. For some reason Geocaching HQ believe a dragons favourite food is ham! Like previous mazes the bonuses are awarded randomly. The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 85 points.

Found an Adventure Lab Cache (Adventure Location)10
Found a Multi-Cache35
Found a Mystery Cache30
Attended an Event25
Found a cache with 10+ Favorite points20
Found a Signal’s Labyrinth item50
Found it*15

*Log a Found it on any other cache type

This challenge runs until Monday 3rd April 2023. If you’ve earned all 12 available Signal’s Labyrinth souvenirs from each of the 6 labyrinths, you will be awarded the “You brought Signal back to HQ” souvenir.

Save the bees: but which ones? (Menai Bridge) by North Wales Wildlife Trust

Nothing to do with geocaching but may bee of interest. This free lecture about bees and the threats they face is by Jonathan Garratt. You do not have to be a member to attend. For more information and to book visit North Wales Wildlife Trust .

When: Wednesday 22 February 2023
Where: Thomas Telford Centre, Mona Road, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5EA
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm

Souvenirs

What are Geocaching Souvenirs? Souvenirs are virtual pieces of art that can be collected and displayed on your profile. They are generally awarded for caching in a particular location, on a particular date, or for one of Geocaching HQ’s souvenir challenges.

Some souvenirs are awarded for logging a particular cache type during a specific time period. For example, you may earn a souvenir for attending or hosting a Geocaching International Film Festival event during GIFF week.

Souvenirs Currently Available

2026 Hider Souvenir

Hider 2026 is available from January 1st-December 31st.
To earn this souvenir simply hide a geocache in 2026.

Confirmed Souvenirs for 2026:

  • June Solstice: June 20th-22nd
  • International Geocaching Day: August 14th-16th
  • International Geocaching Day Hider: August 1st-30th
  • September Equinox: September 19th-22nd
  • Cache In Trash Out®, Season 2: September 1st-November 30th
  • World Postcard Day: September 27th-October 3rd
  • International EarthCache Day: October 9th-11th
  • Adventure Day: November 25th-29th
  • December Solstice: December 19th-21st
  • Farewell 2026: December 24th-31st

June Solstice 2026 Souvenir

To earn the souvenir find and log any geocache, Event, or Adventure Lab® Location from Saturday 20th to Monday 22nd June

Treasure Milestone Souvenirs

Geocachers can now earn souvenirs for reaching certain milestones for collecting Treasures and completing Treasures collections. There are six available souvenirs for the following milestones:

  • Collecting 100 Treasures
  • Collecting 200 Treasures
  • Collecting 300 Treasures
  • Completing 10 collections
  • Completing 25 collections
  • Completing 50 collections

Treasure Collection Souvenirs

By completing some treasure collections you can earn souvenirs, these are currently available:

Making Memories Souvenir

To earn this souvenir complete the Making Memories treasure collection

River Expedition Puzzle Souvenir

To earn this souvenir complete the River Expedition Puzzle treasure collection.


2023 Souvenirs in the UK

Here is a list of current and forth coming souvenirs available in the UK. We expect CITO season 1 & 2, International Geocaching Day and International Earthcache Day to be confirmed very soon.

Full Sail 2023

Full Sail 2023 earn by finding any geocache, attending an Event, or completing an Adventure Lab® Location from January 1st–8th 2023.

2023 Hider Souvenir

2023 Hider Souvenir is available from 1st January to 31st December 2023, to qualify either place a cache or hosted an event that is published is 2023.

Signal’s Labyrinth The current Castle Maze challenge that started on 5th December 2022 runs to 6th February 2023. Like the other maze challenges there are 2 souvenirs available, you must collect 50 points to earn the first souvenir and 500 points to earn the second souvenir.

Each labyrinth in Signal’s Labyrinth challenge has different point values for finding geocaches, Adventures, and bonus items. In the Castle Maze attending an event is worth maximum 35 points, with lanterns being the bonus item earning an extra 50 points. Like previous mazes these are awarded randomly. The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 85 points.

Found an Adventure Lab Cache (Adventure Location)10
Attended an Event35
Found a Mystery Cache30
Found a Multi-Cache30
Found a Letterbox Hybrid25
Found a cache with 10+ Favorite points20
Found a Signal’s Labyrinth item50
Found it*15

*Log a Found it on any other cache type

The final Labyrinth Challenge starts on 6th February 2023 and runs to 3rd April 2023. Details and point scoring yet to be announced.

Labyrinth Challenge Bonus Souvenir this will be awarded to anyone who has earned the 12 Labyrinth Souvenirs.

Mega Event Souvenirs in UK

GC9MAXX London Calling 2023 Mega Event 11am-4pm Saturday, April 29, 2023

GCA2BBR Piratemania 15 Pirates Royalists & Roundheads Mega Event 10am-10pm 29th July, 2023

GC9V5J3 Milton Keynes UK Mega 2023 Mega Event 10am-4pm Saturday 5th August. 2023

News & New Caches 64

There have been no new Geocaches or Adventure Labs published since our last post.

Event Reminder
GCA2704 9 Usual Suspects Visit Penrhyn Quarry by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1
Where: Blondin Restaurant, Zip World Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda LL57 4YG
When: Sunday 4th December
Time: 2.30pm-3.30pm

To celebrate the arrival of our slate geocoins we are visiting Penrhyn Quarry the source of the slate. The Blondin Restaurant has great views across the famous slate quarry with the fastest zip wire in the world running just metres away.

Coins will be available to purchase at £9.00 each.

Signal’s Labyrinth, Escape the Castle

Monday 5th December sees the end of Signal’s Hedge Maze challenge and the beginning of the Castle Maze. Like the other maze challenges there are 2 souvenirs available, you must collect 50 points to earn the first souvenir and 500 points to earn the second souvenir.

Each labyrinth in Signal’s Labyrinth challenge has different point values for finding geocaches, Adventures, and bonus items. In the Castle Maze attending an event is worth maximum35 points, with lanterns being the bonus item earning an extra 50 points. Like previous mazes these are awarded randomly. The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 85 points.

Found an Adventure Lab Cache (Adventure Location)10
Attended an Event35
Found a Mystery Cache30
Found a Multi-Cache30
Found a Letterbox Hybrid25
Found a cache with 10+ Favourite points20
Found a Signal’s Labyrinth item50
Found it*15

*Log a Found it on any other cache type

This challenge runs until Monday 6th February, 2023

CITO News

Tuesday we collected gloves, a couple of different design bag hoops to review and 7 boxes of bags each containing 200 bags! I’m not sure how much litter the council think we are going to pick but they are making sure we never run out of bags. Our next litter pick will be early 2023. Please contact us if you know of an area that could do with a tidy up.

9 Usual Suspects 2022

I am in the process of compiling a YouTube video of our 2022 Geocaching adventures. Have you any photos/video that you would like to be included? If so please email them to me, ann@birdbrook.net, in original or large format.

Snag the Tag

Toil: 854 – There’s a storm abrewing…

Congratulations Glyn on winning the race to find the cat, looks like a storm was definitely a brewing!

News & New Caches 62

Just one new cache to report, please note it is Premium Member only.

GCA21R9 Llun o Llandwrog by Clueless_Goose Mystery D4/T2.5

Event
GCA2704 9 Usual Suspects Visit Penrhyn Quarry by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1
Where: Blondin Restaurant, Zip World Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda LL57 4YG
When: Sunday 4th December
Time: 2.30pm-3.30pm

This event is to promote our slate geocoins. Why this location? Because the slate used was quarried here at Penrhyn Quarry. Coins will be available to purchase at £9.00 each.

Christmas Dinner Update

GCA0TH4 Christmas Dinner – Nosh & Natter 52 by 9 Usual Suspects

Just to confirm we have now placed food orders and a reminder for those that wish to take part there will be the usual ‘Secret Santa’, presents price guide £5.00. We look forward to seeing you on the 26th.

Geocaching Souvenirs Latest News

Two new souvenirs to report while several souvenirs are approaching the end of their availability.

Two new souvenirs have been announced, Drop Anchor 2022 to close 2022 and Full Sail! 2023 to start 2023.

To earn Drop Anchor 2022 you have a week to find any geocache, attend an Event, or complete an Adventure Lab® Location from December 24th–31st.

To earn Full Sail 2023 you also have a week to find any geocache, attend an Event, or complete an Adventure Lab® Location from January 1st–8th.

CITO 2022, Season 2

CITO 2022 Season 2 finishes on Wednesday, November 30th, 2022.

Signal’s Labyrinth, the Hedge Maze

If you have not already earned Signal’s Labyrinth Hedge Maze Souvenirs time is running out as this challenge ends on Monday 5th, December.

2022 Year of the Hide Souvenir

This souvenir has been available since March 1st, 2022. If you have not already qualified either hide a geocache or host an event before December 31st 2022. Please note last day to submit an event or cache for review is December 17th.

News & New Caches

Firstly we would like to wish everyone a very HAPPY 2022, let’s hope that this is the final wave of Covid and life will return back to some form of normality.

New Caches

We have just one new cache to report:

GC9KR0A A Game of Patience by Squaddie 101 Traditional D3/T1.5

Souvenir Reminder

The Once Upon a Time 2022 souvenir is currently available, to qualify find a cache or Adventure Lab before 8th January 2022.

January Reach the Peak Souvenir Challenge

January’s challenge starts mid day UTC time on the 3rd January. This month we are heading south to Argentina and the tallest peak in South America, Aconcagua. At a towering height of 6,960 meters Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in the Andes mountain range and the tallest outside of Asia.

Cachers must collect 350 points to earn the Aconcagua Basecamp souvenir and 6,960 points to earn the Aconcagua Summit souvenir.

Here are the point values for your climb up Aconcagua:

Found a Multi-Cache775
Found a Mystery Cache750
Found a cache with 15+ Favorite points725
Found an EarthCache700
Found a Letterbox Hybrid550
Found an Adventure Location450
Found it*350

*Log a Found it on any other non-Event cache type, excluding Webcam Caches.

The maximum number of points you can earn for any cache log is 775 points.

Nosh & Natters Current Situation

Under current Covid restrictions here in Wales the rule of 6 is in place (only 6 people can meet in a hospitality setting), therefore we have no option but to suspend N&N’s until the rules are relaxed.