Geocaching banned on dartmoor firing grounds, boxing next?

MOD are applying a national ban on geocaching "on MOD land" in the interests of security/terrorism.

Early stages, but it looks like this will apply to the three training grounds on Dartmoor, despite at least two being owned by Duchy and not MOD.

I know many of you don't care much for caching, but the differences between that and letterboxing as far as this go are negligable. The only real difference is geocaching is easier to lock down than letterboxing, it being managed mostly by one website.

I offer no advice or action individuals may like to take to protect letterboxing in these areas.

References;
http://gagb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=5124
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index. ... pic=312162

This reminds me of all that nonsense back along regarding SSSI's within these areas all geocaching stopped whereas letterboxing carried on. It will be the same this time, it will take more than the British army to stop letterboxers!

Anyway this will only affect Willsworthy, they do not own Merrivale or Okehampton. It seems to me reviewers are far too quick to slap bans all over the place without proper justification.

Just been informed of this by phone from a former letterboxer who now prefers to Geocache.

If Geocaching is to be banned from the live firing/training areas, then it seems probable that letterboxing will be banned too.
Will this 'ban' then extend to the 'dry' training area around Cramber Tor? The MOD have just renewed their lease for another 40 years.

The military want us all off the moors - walkers, letterboxes, geo's etc..
Won't work, its a National Park and we can walk where we want to when the flags aren't flying. Just makes you wonder if the LBT isn't one of them

Don't worry about it, even if they do ban letterboxing, how are they going to police it, I have several boxes on the Willsworthy range and that is where they are staying, I am sure other letterboxers will feel the same! It will be even more "underground" than it is now.
The problem with geocaching is that they have reviewers who are all too keen to slap bans on areas, the news was announced that the MOD wants to ban geocaching on their land, the next thing we were told is that all 3 ranges were banned, unfortunately the reviewers know nothing about Dartmoor and were unaware that only Willsworthy is actually owned by the MOD. Now its down to some Dartmoor geocachers to get things sorted tomorrow when the DNP opens we shall then know more, at the moment it is just speculation.

Remember that the MOD are carrying out a nationwide byelaw review, to include all three Dartmoor ranges. At an MOD/NPA meeting in April, it is recorded that the review has only been delayed due to staffing shortages at the MOD.

Current byelaws dictate where warning flags fly (due to change shortly), and how the military use the land (updated in 1995-6). The byelaws also detail where the public can go, and what they can do (no digging, or be found in possession of any metal in the range, for examples) The fine is £20 if you are caught doing one of these!

Who is to say that they won't add "siting letterboxes" on to their prohibited list?

This really is not good news at all.

Once again it smacks of the government stamping on the general public and not caring one jot.