We have one new cache to report and our new TB race.
GCB11JRChurch Micro 15301…Ysbyty Ifan – St John’s by two nosy parkers Multi D1.5/T1.5
TB Race 2025
As part of 9US 10th anniversary celebrations we are having another TB race. There will be prizes for the furthest travelled, most countries visited and special prizes for any TB that makes it back to our New Years Eve 2025 event. To enter the race you do not have to attend our event at Caernarfon airport on New Years Day but you do have to dip the TB into the event as all distances are to be calculated from this events coordinates.
Race Rules 1) The race will last for one year, starting on 1st January 2025 and finishing on 31st December 2025. 2) The start will be from 9US event GCB16T1, 9 Usual Suspects TB Race Launch all TB’s to be dipped into this event. 3) The TB can be ‘dipped’ by the owner into another cache before it is to be released into the ‘wild’. No hanging on to it and bringing it to next year’s event! 4) A country is as defined by Geocaching.com. 5) TB’s distance to be recorded in KILOMETRES, not miles and start at zero! 6) There is no limit to how many TB’s you can enter.
Any questions contact us. Oh, The judges, Pete, decision is final!
We have no new caches or events to report since our last post, but plenty of other news.
December Solstice Souvenir
The December solstice marks the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day in the Southern Hemisphere. Geocaching HQ crafted a special souvenir exclusively for geocachers to commemorate the December solstice. Earn this souvenir by finding any geocache, attending any Event, or completing an Adventure Lab® Location from 20th-22nd December, 2024.
2025, A Year of Celebrations
2025 is going to be a very busy year for the social geocacher with a wide range of events taking place. We all are aware that May 2nd 2025 is the 25th anniversary of geocaching with many celebratory events taking place worldwide, but did you know it is also 9 Usual Suspects 10th anniversary? Not only are there Giga, Mega, CITO’s and ordinary events taking place but also Block Parties and Community Celebration Events.
What is a Block Party? Basically it is a Mega Event. Geocaching HQ hosted the original Block Parties in Seattle from 2011 to 2015. Only 5,064 geocachers received the Block Party icon during those years. To enable more people to acquire this icon HQ are giving organisers of Mega or Giga Events the option to choose the Block Party icon for their event. For an event to qualify as a Block Party the following criteria have to be met:
Take place between 1st January, 2025,- 31st December, 2025.
Qualify as a Mega-Event or Giga-Event.
Have at least 300 Will Attends.
Be at least 6 hours long.
Highlight celebrating 25 years of geocaching.
At the time of writing there is just one Block Party published for the UK: GCAK7KCLondon Calling 2025 by London Calling D1/T1 When: Saturday 3rd May 2025 Where: Central Halls Westminster Time: 10.30am – 5pm Admission Charge: £7 in advance, £12 on the door, children under 15 free if accompanied by an adult
What is a Community Celebration Event? An event that all attendees receive a special icon to celebrate significant milestones in geocaching. To earn a Community Celebration Event 2025 credit, simply, host an event and publish a geocache in 2024. All geocachers who qualify will receive a CCE credit to be used from 1st January to 31st December 2025.
9US 10th Birthday Celebrations We have received our Community Celebration Event credit and will be hosting an event to celebrate 9US’s 10th birthday on International Geocaching Day, Saturday 16th August 2025.
We are currently putting together our event program for 2025. In the past 10 years we have hosted over 170 events and CITO’s, do you have a favourite location or event that you would like to re-visit as part of our celebrations? Or any ideas/locations for an event? Please contact us through comments or message us through 9 Usual Suspects geocaching account.
This is the 3rd year we have had our Christmas event at the Goat Inn, Glandwyfach, a perfect location for this event. By having the event on the Friday night we were the only party in the function room. There was a lot of general banter and geochat before the serious part of the evening, eating and drinking began. The food was again excellent, the secret Santa was fun and what can I say about the Welsh Bingo? A lovely evening and a great start to Christmas. Here are a few pictures:
GCB0MMVChristmas Stroll up Tryfan by swindon_leys D1/T5 When: 25th December, 2024 Where: Tryfan Summit Time: 12pm-12.30pm
No plans for Christmas Day? This event could be just what you are looking for.
GCB0PTH9US Discover 2025 with a Beach Clean by 9 Usual Suspects CITO D1/T3 When: Wednesday 1st January 2025 Where: Beach Car Park nearest the Airport Time: 11am to 12pm
Why not blow away those New Year cobwebs and join us for a litter pick along the beautiful beach of Dinas Dinlle?
We have one new cache and three events to report since our last post:
GCB0NY4Hand-me-down by Clueless_Goose Traditional D1.5/T1.5
Events
GCB0MMVChristmas Stroll up Tryfan by swindon_leys D1/T5 When: 25th December, 2024 Where: Tryfan Summit Time: 12pm-12.30pm No plans for Christmas Day? This event could be just what you are looking for.
GCB0QRK9 Usual Suspects Say Goodbye to 2024 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1.5 When: 31st December, 2024 Where: Anglesey Column Cafe & Information Centre Time: 11am-12pm Our last event of 2024 and a chance for a quick catch up before the New Year Celebrations begin. There is no better way to start your celebrations than meeting up with your geocaching friends! Please log will ‘attend logs’ as we need to give the cafe numbers in advance.
GCB0PTH9US Discover 2025 with a Beach Clean by 9 Usual Suspects CITO D1/T3 When: Wednesday 1st January 2025 Where: Beach Car Park nearest the Airport Time: 11am to 12pm Why not blow away those New Year cobwebs and join us for a litter pick along the beautiful beach of Dinas Dinlle? This event will see the start of a new TB race, see below.
2025 TB Race
As part of our 10th anniversary and geocaching’s 25th anniversary we will be having another TB race starting on 1st January 2025 finishing on 31st December 2025. There will be prizes for the furthest traveled and most countries visited. Rules and details in our next post.
TB Race 2021 Update
Do you remember this TB race? The original race was for one year, starting on International Geocaching Day 2021 and finishing on International Geocaching Day 2022, with prizes for the furthest traveled. We decided to continue the race as a test of endurance with the winner being the last TB in circulation.
6 TB’s took part in the original race there are now 4 still traveling.
HQ Win the Race TB owner lostnwet Traveled: 136,706km Current Location: France in the hands of *Mana* 13 Countries Visited: UK, Ireland, France, Canada, USA, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Sark, Jersey, Guernsey
Racing Dragon owner Ann@Birdbrook Traveled: 72,903km Current Location: Czechia in the hands of Pe_Bo 10 Countries Visited: UK, Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Denmark, France, Poland, Czechia
Draco owner Naturesbyte Traveled: 57,168km Current Location: Puppy Dog’s TB Hotel, Nevada, USA 10 Countries Visited: UK, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Hungary, France, USA
Welsh Sea Pottery owner escapefromwork Traveled: 9,168km Current Location: RAL [7] Whitby Road, Bristol, UK 2 Countries Visited: UK, Ireland
Halloween Video
GCAZ0QWCome and Monster Mash with 9US by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1.5
We would like to thank everyone for attending and taking part in our activities. Bet you can’t wait to see what we are planning for next year!
We have no new caches or events published in our area since our last post.
Event Reminders
GCB07G5CITO 2024 Season 2 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3 When: Sunday 24th November Where: The Old Bridge, Morfa Parc, Caernarfon Time: 12pm -2pm Haven’t already got your CITO 2024 Season 2 souvenir? Then come and join us for our 25th CITO event, a litter pick at our regular site in Caernarfon. This may be your last chance to acquire this souvenir as CITO 2024 Season 2 ends on November 30th.
As Storm Bert is set to hit us hard on Saturday we may cancel this event and just meet for a panad and cake. We will assess weather conditions Sunday morning and make an announcement through the cache page if we are canceling.
Christmas Dinner
GCAZ9WXChristmas Dinner – Nosh & Natter 73 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1 Where: Tafarn Yr Afr/Goat Inn, Glandwyfach, Porthmadog LL51 9LJ When: Friday 29th November Time: 7-9pm or when the last person leaves Dress Code: Anything Christmas
Please note all food for this event has to be pre ordered
This is the final call for food orders, we need your choices today, either message us through our geocaching profile, your will attend logs or contact us through the comments. The Christmas menu is available here.
New Souvenirs
Celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of 2025 by earning two new souvenirs, Logged 2024 and Discovering 2025. To earn the souvenirs find one geocache or Adventure Lab® location, all geocache types count including events. Logged 2024 is available from 24th to 31st December. Discovering 2025 is available from 1st to 8th January.
We will be hosting events on both New Years Eve and New Years Day which we hope to have published by our next post.
Llangollen Canal Trip
To answer a few questions that have arisen from our last post. We will be starting at Trevor travelling to Llangollen, it takes just over 2 hours to reach the turnaround point. See map below:
At the moment we have no confirmed dates, we are just gaging interest as we are trying to plan our event calendar for 2025. There are 10 places on a boat, if enough interest we will try to book 2 boats. Boats get booked up along time in advance for weekend hires, so we need to book early to book two boats. Unless we can get a very good deal, current proposed dates are Saturday 22nd or 29th March 2025. Cost will be around £18-£20 per person. Dogs are allowed. Boat hire times are from 9am – 4pm so we would be meeting up around 8.45am at Anglo Welsh boat yard.
All day boats are equipped with the following: cutlery, crockery, a kettle, 2 burner hob, fridge, sink and toilet. There’s indoor and outdoor seating on all day boats. We will be stopping for lunch some where en route, probably The Sun (marked on map) where we may hold an event.
There are very few geocaches currently along the canal but we will make every effort to pick any up as we pass.
GCB0B8MWar Memorial #2221 ~ Capel Curig by 9 Usual Suspects Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GCB0DGRMawddach Meander – Iron Bridge by CazzaB80 Traditional D2/T2 An addition to the existing Mawddach Meander series. The series follows the Mawddach river along a cycle path through stunning scenery from Dolgellau to Barmouth. We can highly recommend this series for both cyclists and walkers.
Christmas Dinner Reminder
GCAZ9WXChristmas Dinner – Nosh & Natter 73 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1 Where: Tafarn Yr Afr/Goat Inn, Glandwyfach, Porthmadog LL51 9LJ When: Friday 29th November Time: 7-9pm or when the last person leaves Dress Code: Anything Christmas
This is the final call for food orders, we need your choices by 22nd November, either message us through our geocaching profile, your will attend logs or contact us through the comments. The Christmas menu is available here.
Village Hall Series
There are village halls situated across every county in the United Kingdom and The British Isles. They are at the heart of community life, providing a hub for social activities, classes and services. Village halls are typically used for a variety of public and private functions and events.
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 78 counties in England, Scotland, Wales, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. For more information about the series visit Village Hall Series
Village Hall Series Profile Badges Since October 2024 Village Hall Profile Awards are now auto-updating. There are 15 levels available for finders and hiders.
Awards are available in large grid or slimline versions for both finders (in red) or hiders (in yellow) Large grid style – shows all achieved levels in colour and those you are working towards in grey. Slimline version – shows only the level you are currently on. To generate your profile badge visit Village Hall Series Award Badges and fill your details in the simple form and follow the instructions.
Llangollen Canal Boat Trip
Is anyone interested in another boat trip on the Llangollen Canal heading this time into Llangollen?
GCB07G5CITO 2024 Season 2 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3 When: Sunday 24th November Where: The Old Bridge, Morfa Parc, Caernarfon Time: 12pm -2pm
Haven’t already got your CITO 2024 Season 2 souvenir? Then come and join us for our 25th CITO event, a litter pick at our regular site in Caernarfon. This may be your last chance to acquire this souvenir as CITO 2024 Season 2 ends on November 30th.
Two new events have been published since our last post:
GCB07G5CITO 2024 Season 2 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3 When: Sunday 24th November Where: The Old Bridge, Morfa Parc, Caernarfon Time: 12pm -2pm Haven’t already got your CITO 2024 Season 2 souvenir? Then come and join us for our 25th CITO event, a litter pick at our regular site in Caernarfon. This may be your last chance to acquire this souvenir as CITO 2024 Season 2 ends on November 30th.
GCB03DFCaernarfon yn Rhagfyr (Caernarfon in December) by FfiLli and Blueteddy When: Monday 2nd December 2024 Where: Tafarn y Porth, 9 Eastgate Street, Caernarfon LL55 1AG (Wetherspoons) Time: 6pm to 8pm Two Hampshire cachers are visiting Caernarfon and would like to meet up with local cachers to discuss our fascinating hobby.
Free Public Transport
Do you have a Welsh Concessionary Travel Pass? Did you know you can travel free on some trains in Wales? You can travel for free between:
You’ll need to get a free ticket from the ticket office before you travel. If there is no ticket office or if it’s closed, you can get one from the Conductor on the train.
We can highly recommend a trip on the Cambrian Coast line, we recently travelled from Porthmadog to Machynlleth. The line was completed by 1869, an incredible feat of Victorian engineering following beautiful coastline for most of the journey. The railway line is pretty dramatic; in places it clings to high cliffs and burrows through tunnels hewn from the rock.
Machynlleth is a very pretty town full of character with many independent shops, lots of cafes and restaurants, well worth a visit.
For the geocacher there are currently the following caches and Ad Lab: GCA1D24A year at Kew visiting Machynlleth by LizMar2010 Multi D2/T1.5 GCAR3R6War Memorial #2091 – Machynlleth by MrMagnaDefender Earthcache D4.5/T1 GCAR3QEMachynlleth Clock Tower by MrMagnaDefender Earthcache D2/T1.5 Ad Lab Machynlleth- Ancient Capital of Wales created by Oldquincepie
We have four new caches, 2 traditional, a mystery and earthcache since our last post. Please note 2 are Premium Member only.
GCAZZDZBwlch Mawr by Clueless_Goose Traditional D2/T1.5 GCB00T0Ffynnon Gybi by Clueless_Goose Traditional D2/T3.5
Premium Member Only: GCAZP4RChurch Micro 15278…Borth-y-Gest by ECOBAKE Mystery D3/T2 GCAZT5MChurch Micro 15283…Dolbenmaen by MrMagnaDefender Earthcache D2/T1.5
Event Reminders
Saturday 9th November sees ChepstowRomans, Storming the Castle 2024 series of events. They are hosting 6 events at castles from Conwy Castle to Goodrich Castle, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Looks like a fun road trip.
GCAZDVEStorming the Castle 2024: Conwy Castle Bonus by ChepstowRomans D1/T1.5 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Castle Square, Conwy Time: 8am to 8.30am
GCAZDVQStorming the Castle 2024: Gwrych Castle Bonus by ChepstowRomans D1/T2 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Gwrych Castle Time: 9am to 9.30am
GCAZDVEYStorming the Castle 2024: Flint Castle Bonus by ChepstowRomansD1/T1.5 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Flint Castle Time: 10.30am to 11am
GCAZDW3Storming the Castle 2024: Whittington Castle Bonus by ChepstowRomans D1/T2 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Whittington Castle Time: 1pm to 1.30pm
GCAZDW7Storming the Castle 2024: Ludlow Castle Bonus by ChepstowRomans D1/T2 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Ludlow Castle Time: 4pm to 4.30pm
GCAZDWPStorming the Castle 2024: Goodrich Castle by ChepstowRomans D1/T1.5 When: Saturday 9th November 2024 Where: Inn on the Wye Time: 6pm to 7pm
On Monday 11th November why not join the Chester Cache Chasers on their day out in North Wales for a quick lunchtime get together. GCAZ9W6Trearddur Troubadours by Chester Cache Chasers D1/T1
When: Monday 11th November 2024 Where: Sea Shanty Cafe, Lon St Ffraid, Trearddur Bay, Holyhead LL65 2YR Time: 12.45pm-1.30pm
Event Review
GCAZ0QWCome and Monster Mash with 9US by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1.5
For this years Halloween event we started planning several weeks ago. We decided to make a couple of new simple props for the evening but after being inspired by several YouTube videos our ideas became increasingly more complicated. The 3D printers have hardly stopped, our kitchen table became an art studio and the garage a spray paint/carpenters workshop. Amazingly all projects were completed on time. With the dry weather we were able to start setting up outside a few days before enabling us to have a test run on lighting.
We would like to thank everyone for attending and taking part in our activities, Pete for the BBQ, souvenirs and 3D printing and all the special effects. I’ll check the Bingo next time!
Carole, RichieBlod, has made the following excellent short video:
Here are a few more pictures:
I bet you can’t wait for next years event… I already have a few ideas!
