My Ten Penneth

We have just started the hobby of letterboxing. I must admit up until four weeks ago I had never heard of it, but now I find myself dreaming about grid references
A quick phone call to a number in the "What's on on Dartmoor" paper, and we we're on our way with some sribbled down grid references he gave us, a compass from a Christmas cracker and a road atlas. - no really.
Can you believe that we actually managed to find 1 box?
We now have a proper OS map (which I blow up to 10 inches to the mile!) and a decent compass and are totally hooked.
However, I am amazed by the number of postings on this forum from people who use GPS. - What's the point? As far as I can see this is just an excercise in how to use a GPS.
Surely the fun in Letterboxing is pitting your wits against the people who set the boxes, trying to understand the clues, and ultimately using skill in reading a mab, compass and dead reckoning.
I also read with some concern about the number of boxes that get lost/stolen and as far as I can see the people who are doing this can only be using GPS to find them and remove them for what ever reason.
Why not remove the 10 digit numbers from all publications and put the skill back as well as the missing boxes
MnM

I do agree in that it is the school of navigating and using a compass that I enjoy - not that we find many boxes, usually lots of luck involved!
Each to their own - some go to enjoy walking a route on the moor and boxes just happen to be there, for others perhaps it's a numbers game?

As long as you enjoy your days out.

I guess it's a mix of the two for us we have always enjoyed walking on the moor and now we have an added element to it. I don't think it will ever be a numbers game for us, partly because we're not very good (3 visits - 3 boxes found) and partly because we can only get up on the moor once in a blue moon these days. but having said that it would be nice to join the 100 club.
MnM

I go for both compass and gps, depending on the weather and how long im stopping out for its always good on the gps just to put where i parked the car. plus the gps seems to put me close to the area of a box then swith over to the compass, depending on if im doing a walk or just a variaty of odd boxes. but i do use both..

I always carry my GPS as well, but agree that we may go away from 10 figure clues because of boxes missing. However, if you don't know an area very well, the GPS does give extra confidence. Also, many people come a long way and are able to collect more boxes with their GPS. Some walks still use compass which are fun as well.

Marking the car with GPS is always useful, especially if the fog comes in quickly.

I have been campaigning the powers that be to bring back the skill top letterboxing - I agree a GPS makes it easy but a GPS also damages the moor allowing so many people to concentrate their searches into a very small area whereas peeps used to get onto a bearing and follow it.
GPS has definitely killed the skill level in finding boxes
Anyway MnM welcome to the site - and talking about Blowing up Dartmoor square by square... the military does that so why bother

MnM wrote:I guess it's a mix of the two for us we have always enjoyed walking on the moor and now we have an added element to it.

Same here. To that extent I plan my walk on the moor, and then see what letterboxes may be nearby (using the catalogue). However, even if I find no boxes I will have enjoyed the walk and views of the moor.

MnM wrote: I don't think it will ever be a numbers game for us

Me neither, and why should it be? I'm really not bothered if I have 10 or 10,000 letterboxes (without checking I think I have about 350). I go out in order to be on the moors, finding a letterbox is just a bonus But that's just me. Obviously you have to spend some time looking for the box, and part of that time must be spent in checking that you are in the right area, but after a while I'm okay with just leaving it and moving on.

I carry an old gps, but it rarely gets used. I'm mainly a map and compass person



John.

I've been having a lot of fun recently with a series of clues with either no grid reference or a four figure one. With four figures I can normally crack it from the bearings or clues involved (albeit with a certain amount of aimless blundering about) and, of course, the harder to find the more satisfying when you do. Which puts me firmly in the 'don't see the point of it' camp when it comes to GPS. Perhaps some good may come out of the letterbox thief reign of terror after all if harder clues are a result!

Duckpool