Tag: New Geocaches

News & New Caches 84

Two new caches and an Adventure Lab have been published just in time for the Easter break.

GCA6MZR Saron: Rest & Reflect by Clueless_Goose Traditional D2/T1.5

Premium Member Only

GCA6J8X Mackenzie Pier by Glaslyn1 Multi D2.5/T2

Adventure Lab
Ynys Llanddwyn/Llanddwyn Island created by RichieBlod 5 locations nonsequential


This Adventure Lab is based upon the legend of Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers and a little history of the beautiful isle.

Event Reminder

GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects
When: Friday 7th April, 2023 (Good Friday)
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle, Caernarfon LL54 6BB
Time: 2.00-4.00pm

GIFF Returns in 2023


This year sees the 10 anniversary of Geocaching International Film Festival (GIFF), it began in 2013 as part of the annual Geocaching Block Party held at Geocaching HQ, in Seattle. The finalist films were screened in a park near HQ and it was a huge success. This event was successfully repeated again in 2014, but in 2015 awful wet weather forced the outdoor event to be cancelled. With the finalist films ready to be shown an alternative plan was made and the film festival was released to geocachers across the world to be shown at GIFF events. This was very popular with geocaching community with 449 GIFF events hosted in 46 different countries, one of those events was hosted by 9 Usual Suspects at Witch’s Brew, Pwllheli. Since then GIFF has become an annual event in 9US’s calendar.

2016: 123 film submissions | 16 finalists | 526 Events | 44 countries
2017: 47 submissions | 17 finalists | 601 Events | 55 countries
2018: 83 submissions | 16 finalists | 656 Events | 58 countries  
2019: 54 submissions | 16 finalists | 688 Events | 56 countries
2020: Cancelled due to 20th anniversary celebrations
2021: 61 submissions | 17 finalists | 425 Events | 40 countries

There was no film festival in 2022 due to HQ focusing on the 20th anniversary celebrations that had to be deferred from 2020 due to Covid 19.

To mark this special anniversary year gold has been chosen for the colour of GIFF 2023. The GIFF 2023 Souvenir will be available to anyone attending an official GIFF Event from Thursday, November 9th to Sunday, November 19th. 9 Usual Suspects will be hosting their event on Sunday 19th, venue yet to be confirmed.

Have you ever fancied making a film? GIFF 2023 may be the time to make your red carpet debut…… 
The deadline for submitting a film for this years GIFF is August 3rd.

News & New Caches 83

Only one new cache and an event reminder to report since our last post

GCA6GGX The Old Boathouse by Glaslyn1 Traditional D2.5/T3 Premium Member Only

Event Reminder

GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects

We have a wide variety of activities planned, from making bat/bird boxes, insect/beetle buckets, bee-friendly seed bombs and learning to recognise the diverse wildlife that surrounds us while out geocaching.

We will be suppling all materials and tools, the Cache Bar will be open with drinks available on a self service basis and it wouldn’t be a 9 US event without cake!

When: Friday 7th April, 2023 (Good Friday)
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle, Caernarfon LL54 6BB
Time: 2.00-4.00pm

To help us with planning the day please remember to log a ‘will attend’ stating the number of adults and children that will be attending.

Favourite Points

What are favourite points? Favourite points are a Premium member only feature. On subscribing to Premium membership you are given one favourite point, then for every 10 caches you find one point is given to you to be awarded to a favourite found cache. These points can be awarded to any type of cache except events, even though Adventure Labs stages count as a ‘find’ they are not counted towards earning favourite points.

The purpose of favourite points is to highlight the best, fun or most interesting geocaches. This can be a very useful guide to finding great caches when visiting a new area. A recent upgrade to the Geocaching® app allows players to see highly favourited caches at a glance, with the favourite point total shown above the cache icon on the map.

The most favourited cache in our area with currently 503 points is
GC5F13 Where is Snowdon Summit??? by GammaBoo Virtual D1/T1.5 Placed 16.5.2002

As a cache owner it is always nice to receive favourite points, especially when you have put a lot of effort to find a hide for a special container. But how many logs have you received promising a favourite point that never materialises?

After feedback from a recent post it has become apparent that there are two types of geocachers when it comes to favourite points, awarders and hoarders.

Team Marzipan are definitely one of the best awarders
‘We award lots of favourite points! But only if we think they merit it by our standards!!!! Have to keep retrieving them from archived caches.’

With Harry the furry squid coming out as top hoarder
‘I currently have 1267 unused favourite points. Have started awarding them a little bit more often since having a regular caching partner – “Which of that series gets the FP?” is a regular topic in the car on the way home!’

Are you an Awarder or a Hoarder?

News & New Caches 68

A quiet time of year for new caches, just a traditional and adventure Lab with bonus.

GCA33ME Dinas Dinlle Adventure Lab Bonus by Ann@Birdbrook Mystery D1.5/T2

Premium Member Only
GCA29EV Any SIGN of Daniel? by RichieBlod Traditional D2/T1.5

Adventure Labs

Dinas Dinlle created by Ann@Birdbrook Sequential
This Adventure Lab is best done on a nice day to appreciate the views and the beautiful coastline. The final stage is very close to the bonus cache which should be a nice easy find.

Event Reminder

GCA31ZX 9 Usual Suspects Present Ski Sunday by 9 Usual Suspects Event
When: Sunday 14th January 2023
Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle LL54 6BB (Pete & Ann’s)
Time: 2pm – 4.15pm

Ski Sunday is coming to the Nantlle Valley. We have 2 races planned, downhill and slalom with prizes for the top 3 on the leader boards. Wrap up warm, join us either as a competitor or spectator for a fun filled afternoon. The Cache Bar will be open, snacks, fondue and hot drinks will be available on a self service basis.

Parking is at the house, please note our gateway is very narrow and the pillars are not forgiving!

Unlike the video below we can guarantee perfect snow conditions for our afternoons racing.

So why not join us, we are sure there will be plenty of banter and lots of laughter.

Souvenir Reminder

There is only a few days left to earn the Full Sail 2023 souvenir. It is only available until the 8th January, to earn find any geocache, attend an Event, or complete an Adventure Lab® Location.

Future Event

Does anyone want to join us to find the Adventure Lab, Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn? and the bonus cache GC9G549 Whodunnit at the Bryntirion Inn – Labcache Bonus, followed by a Sunday lunch event at the pub. Proposed date is Sunday 5th February. Interested? Please contact us through the comments or message 9 Usual Suspects geocaching account.

News & New Caches

With the longer evenings its nice to see plenty of new caches being published. With five on Anglesey will Gwyn ever complete his personal challenge of having only yellow smilie faces on the island!

GC9QCET By the church by Somot Traditional D2/T1.5
GC9Q280 Church Micro 14351…Llanddyfnan by RichieBlod Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GC9Q2A5 Church Micro 14352...Llanallgo by RichieBlod Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GC9NZ0P Church Micro 14354…Niwbwrch by RichieBlod Traditional D1.5/T1.5
GC9QD33 Poles Apart by RichieBlod Traditional D1.5/T1.5

GC9PXY6 Ammonite…Perimineralisation. by Hillgorilla Earth Cache D2/T1

GC9QBKA CITO 2022 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects CITO Event D1/T3

Premium Member Only

GC9QBQ8 The Grapes of Wrath by Squaddie101 Traditional D2.5/T1.5

Event Reminder

GC9PMX9 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 44 by 9 Usual Suspects Event D1/T1
When: Tuesday 29th March
Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG
Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves

If you are planning to attend please could you log a ‘will attend’ as we need to let the pub know numbers.

North Wales Wildlife Trust

We are hoping in the future to join forces with North Wales Wildlife Trust in their beach cleans and other events. They have a large grant for events to encourage people to visit their woodlands. It has been suggested, as well as placing geocache trails, we could jointly host ‘Introduction to Geocaching Days’. This would be something similar to Aberlleiniog Castle. We are looking for ideas and volunteers…………

Website Difficulties

We have been having a few problems with the website and hackers. Please could you let us know if you experience any difficulties in accessing the site or spot anything suspicious.

News & New Caches

Caernarfon By-Pass

At last we can report the Caernarfon By-Pass is now open seeing an end to the A487 delays and chaos from Llanwnda roundabout to Plas Menai roundabout Caernarfon. The planned opening on Friday was delayed to Saturday because of Storm Eunice. 17 major structures were built as part of the 9.8km scheme and 99% of the excavated materials were recycled and reused on the bypass. The project also includes improved active travel routes for walking and cycling in the area.

New Caches

We have 4 new caches published recently in our area:

GC9NMN1 Rock on by BobPuffin Traditional D2/T1.5
GC9NMMF Roam with a view by BobPuffin Traditional D1/T1.5
GC9NMNN Storm Warning by seanx90 Mystery D1.5/T1.5
GC9N46C A Fine Pair # 1648 ~ Pont Cyfyng by RichieBlod D1.5/T1.5

Event Reminders

We have no events for months and then we have 2 events in the next 7 days!

GC9MVER 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 43 by 9 Usual Suspects Event 22.2.2022
GC9N17R 9 Usual Suspects Go Peering Around the Pier by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1 27.2.2022

Guess the Cache

Answer to Guess the Cache 5 is the famous landmark on the Nantlle Ridge, a great spot for taking a breather and admiring the views:

GC52GYT QUEEN VIC’S PILLAR RESURRECTED (WBMC 13) by signyred Traditional D5/T5

Guess the Cache 6

The only clue is cache GZ is just out of the photo on the left.