Another new to letterboxing

Another new convert to this brilliant way of ruining a good walk but I'm a little confused - I have the catalogue and have started to collect the stamps in there. However I have also found some others that I can't find reference to in the catalogue so can't give them a number. Do these count towards your total? I've only just started so the first 100 is my current target.

Also what is the situation with using GPS? Entering a 10 figure reference seems to take all the fun/skill out of things. Isn't this cheating? Similar for stamps in pubs etc, aren't they a bit easy compared to those on the moor proper?

Cheers,

Bridestowe

Hi Bridstowe and welcome to the forum.

There are quite a lot of stamps that are not registered so are not in the catalogue particularly around the more popular areas like Pew Tor where kids are more likely to site boxes.

It is a personal preference whether you count them towards your total some people prefer not too but I do as they are all Letterboxes that I have found on the moor.

I have only just got a GPS receiver myself, yes they take the fun out of it. I personally am going to use mine if I have been hunting for a particular box for a while.

The stamps in pubs and shops etc are a method to get you buying from them but they all count.

Hope this helps and happy hunting for your first 100. I have recently got my 100 and registered as a member at the last meet in March.

Hi Bridestowe, Welcome to the site.
In answer to your question there are a lot of different types of boxes out there on the moor. There are the catalogue clues which you have access to clues in your mit, which come as Cryptic clues with no map references and and the grid reference clues all these have a catalogue number. Then there are the, what we call, the tourist boxes, which is something kids normally put out. Then there are the Word of mouth boxes (WOM) which if you are a good boxer in time you will get access to the clues for these, but that all depends upon the person who has put them out if they are willing to give you the clues.
What I might suggest is when you reach the 1000 mark you start emailing people who leave their email address out - be polite and ask if they know anyone else who is willing to send you their clues - it helps for you to put out your own set of WOM boxes so you have clues you can swap!

But as they say - learn how to box and see where the pitfalls are before you leap into the abyss.

Happy hunting

Welcome! I think your question really points to the wonderful flexibility of this hobby. Basically, if you can find a box you can claim it, or choose not to. But, you make your own rules - the 100 club is not prescriptive.
Personally, and probably to my shame, I'm a bit of a snob about it and don't count buildings (except a couple of pubs I've visited regularly) nor the obviously young childrens boxes. But if you're boxing with children the latter are the very ones they'll thrill to, and when I've taken my niece on the moor she loved all the boxes round Saddle Tor.

I make it a bit hard for myself which is why I haven't got my 1000 by any means after more than ten years of trying. But the thing that is great about this is that you can make it as easy or as difficult as you want - the main thing is just to enjoy it!

Duckpool

Hi Bridestowe,

Welcome to our gang.
The others have already eluded to the rules. That there are few. I personally do not count pubs or buildings. I also exclude travellers, mainly because I have collected well over 200 of them just by going to three Meets.
Any box found on the moors is a good for me to count, in the catalogue or not. And sometimes you will find a box before it appears in print. I am proud to say I have been the first finder of 32 boxes

I can't claim to the first finder of 32 boxes or more that matter - I am at a humble 5 or 6 - second hundreds of times but not first that often!

Hi!
Welcome to the totally addictive hobby of letterboxing! We have been doing it for just over a year and are approaching 400 boxes found.
If you look back at other forums here you will see that there is a wide variation of thought as to which to count towards the total; we count all those we have found actually on the moor, be they in the catalogue or not, plus travellers - if we encounter the holder on the moor. We also include the pubs we visit (but only have about 4 of those).
Although we have yet to go to a Meet, we believe that it is possible to collect 200+ stamps there - we would not count these towards our total as we hadn't 'found/searched' for them.
Regarding GPS - again, a lot of people use it, for reasons given on other forums, but we use a sighting compass and get a lot of satisfaction from finding the boxes with it.

Hope you have a lot of fun and finds.

Regards,
Generation Gap
(Howard n Sue)

Generation Gap said...

We also include the pubs we visit (but only have about 4 of those).

Ok There is something seriously wrong here ONLY 4? You are not planning your walks properly - if you go to the right places (Woodpecker Inn and a couple of others (Brentor Inn) you could pick up another 100!!!!! well at least you could at one time. And all of them catalogue boxes

Bridestowe wrote:Similar for stamps in pubs etc, aren't they a bit easy compared to those on the moor proper?

Looking at the number of pub/building boxes listed in the current catalogue, I guess it would be quite easy for someone to get their 100 badge without ever having been on the Moors let alone to a Meet!

Whether you count them is up to you. Personally I have none from pubs/buildings - although I have been in some of them!



John.

Generation Gap wrote:Plus travellers - if we encounter the holder on the moor.

Sorry, better ammend my previous message here. Just like Howard and Sue, I do count them if I meet fellow boxers on the moorlands.

Howdy all,

Just starting this letterboxing stuff...my partner got me into. To start with wasn't very interested but after the first go..i'm now currently planning our next go so hopefully we can get some more stamps, sometimes find the clues quite difficult to understand but I guess that's all in the fun....anyone else find this additictive...!

Yes, it is extremely addictive but at least we can take the joy in knowing it is a much healthier addiction than some.

Fulchet wrote:Yes, it is extremely addictive but at least we can take the joy in knowing it is a much healthier addiction than some.

This is very true....and I could do with something much healthier keep me fit.

Hi Simsy - welcome to the forum - you should introduced your self on a new post instead of hiding down here - lol

Simsy wrote:Anyone else find this additictive...!

Oh yes !!

Welcome to the site by the way

Nik - KOTM wrote:Hi Simsy - welcome to the forum - you should introduced your self on a new post instead of hiding down here - lol

Guess that's my shy nature..lol! Glad i'm not the only one who is addicted...my other half is already as we speak planning our next trip out after having a very unsuccessful morning out today...we only got one stamp...found another but it had been trashed..oh we will keep going I'm sure.

Simsy wrote:

Nik - KOTM wrote:Hi Simsy - welcome to the forum - you should introduced your self on a new post instead of hiding down here - lol

Guess that's my shy nature..lol! Glad i'm not the only one who is addicted...my other half is already as we speak planning our next trip out after having a very unsuccessful morning out today...we only got one stamp...found another but it had been trashed..oh we will keep going I'm sure.

We all have days like that, but you will have many much better days so keep at it.

Nik - KOTM wrote: if you go to the right places (Woodpecker Inn and a couple of others (Brentor Inn)

Woodpecker (on the A38) has closed down as far as I know. When I last passed it it was boarded up.


John.