Anhysbys

Traditional caches:

Between the Bridges (Porthaethwy)


Step UP over the Menai (Bangor)


4KT (Bangor)


The Marquess Column cache (Llanfair PG)


Coastal Castles Cache No 8 Big and Brash (Caernarfon)


Dock on the Bay (Caernarfon)


Lion in Wait (Britannia Bridge)


(Did not find: Llanfair PG village vexation)


Partners in Caching geocoin: "Carwyn"


Travelbugs (x2): "Polly parrot", "TB Joynie 1"


I have always enjoyed forays up to Gwynedd. There have been several memorable ones over the years for social, political, personal, cultural and just plain old work reasons. Last week was the latter - a dull business trip livened up by geocaching.

Luckily, there was a good choice of geocaches to be had on both sides of the Menai. Pictured is the original Thomas Telford Menai Bridge, around which my caching was based last week.

First up was a cache hidden in woodland in Porthaethwy village. Chuffed to get this one as it was a tricky find in the dark. I called it quits for the night to get a good nights sleep for the following 2 night's caching.

The next two caches involved a 3-mile walk to Bangor. Eager to pick up a geocoina in geocache "4KT". The coin emanates from America, a pretty icon, and the coin is named after the owners pet dog, "Carwyn"!

Then it was onto the train from Bangor, back across the Straits to Ynys Mon. Hopped off at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantysiliogogogoch, where there was a devilish micro cache in store at the famous railway station.Unfortunately, after 30 mins searching, I gave up. Not to worry - a short walk took me to the Marquess of Anglesey's column, a local landmark with a geocache in wait in the grounds.

Unexpecetedly, my third night offered a chance at a couple of caches in Caernarfon. I picked these off easily in daylight. "Dock in the Bay" was my 175th find, so I look forward to launching a commemorative geocoin anytime soon. It was a pleasing one to find, as it was a magnetic micro in an area in full view of muggles.

The evening took an unexpected twist. I hasd called in to eat with two friends. The subject turned to geocaching. I informed my friend that I was intending to do a cache under the Britannia Bridge. Imagine my surprise when he responded enthusiastically "let's do it!". The cache was called "Lion in wait" and was located at the foot of the Britannia Bridge. Near the cache site was a relic of the original Britannia Bridge structure that was accidentally burned down by childreen in the 1970s.

We reached the site easily enough, but couldn't find the cache. Then came a joyous sound from my friend, who had found the damn thing! When I got back to log my activities, I noticed that my friend had already logged on with a new geocaching account, calling himself "Anhysbys" - Welsh for "anon." I look forward to future forays with Anhysbys (and possibly his partner, a former work colleague who was the original reason for calling in on them in the first place!)

Not expecting much caching activity over the Easter - unless I manage to unscramble a couple of old DNFs in Ceredigion.

Local news

Eb and Beth's Wildlife Park


St. Illtyd's Lakes


"Cacher" geocoin


Some progress during March in mopping up nearby caches in the Llanelli area. The first, Eb and Beth's Wildlife Park, was a cache and dash on a shopping trip. The cache was found in an exposed state on the coastal walkway near the Wetland centre. I piled a bunch of detritus on top, and retreived the geocoin - the icon being much sexier than the coin itself.

St. Illtyd's Lakes was found on a Sunday stroll with the other Dr Tortoiseshell, and Small Tortoiseshell. The other Dr T didn't fancy the narrow path across a stream, so me and Small T braved it, and after much rooting around, found the cache.

All about DNFing

Did not find...
Puzzle cache:
Llanelli's heritage (Puzzle cache) (Llanelli)

Multi-cache:
Woodfield Wander (Blackwood)

Regular caches:
Taff Eternal View (Cardiff)
Parc Cwm Darran Regular Cache 2 (Bargoed)
Parc Cwm Darran Regular cache 1 (Bargoed)
Parc Cwm Darran Micro Cache 2 (Bargoed)
The Zodiac Series - Libra (Chirk)
Robert Owen's Park (Newtown Part 1)
Eglwys Dewi Sant (Newtown Part 6)
The Bridge over the Severn (Newtown Part 5)
Barking Under the wrong tree (Aberystwyth)
Allt Glais (Aberystwyth)
Dau Bont (Aberystwyth)

Dylan Thomas - Under Milk Wook (Newquay)

Recent weeks have been very kind in geocaching terms. However, it would be wrong to suggest that it has been a honeymoon period of easy cache finds without any struggle. Whilst my caching has led to good finds in new exotic locations, several hunts of late have ended up with the tell-tale blue sad faced icon signifying a "DNF" (Did not find).

In one location, I found a haul of drugs "gear" which I reported to the police. This ranks (along with the rat in Pembroke) as my most disconcerting geocaching experience to date.

In other locations, I have not given up altogether. For example, opportunities will probably arise in the future for the two caches on the hillside between Aberystwyth and Clarach, also my "nemesis caches" of Dau Bont (Llanbadarn Fawr) and the Dylan Thomas micro in Newquay - fixed somewhere on a metal bridge. Recent finds at "Swansea Iron Bridge" and "Yr Eglwys Blwyf" in Newtown - both improbably quirky micros - always means that there's hope of turning some of those blue sad faces into yellow smiley ones.

DNF turns into impromptu geocaching convention



Geocoin and Pin Club Geoocin



Geotag Geocoin



Geofest 2007 Attendee Geocoin



"Holder 1 Geocoin"


Travelbugs (x6): "Witch-Hazel"; "Little Whisky"; "Downhill Biker"; "May-Bee"; "Timothy the Tiger"; "Guardian of Victoria Tower, Castle Hill".


Finally, a happy tale of one of my recent DNF adventures, at a cache in Cardiff last week. I met both members of "Von Horst" geocaching team whilst searching for "Taff Eternal View", a new cache in Cardiff. Unfortunately, I had to abandon the search. Von Horst made a successful find shortly after we split up.

But - not before we had held an impromptu geocaching event on a nearby bench. Von Horst were carrying a bag full of trackables, which I duly logged. I was delighted to meet Von-Horst and am proud to consider them as my first real geocaching friends.